Do you have a china cabinet that is filled to the brim with clutter? If your china cabinet is looking dated, read on to discover how to style a china cabinet.
Confession: I don’t own a china cabinet in my own home.
But, I have one in my family home, and besides our dining table, it is the largest piece of furniture in our dining space.
My mother kept her best tableware and glassware in the china cabinet.
But over time, the rest of us started dumping our mail, random trinkets, and even medication inside the china cabinet.
It was a convenient spot for all the small things that didn’t have a home in our house.
After many years of being a dumping ground, the china cabinet is looking like an eyesore.
Our china cabinet has been around for three decades, but it is still a stunning piece of furniture.
It just needed a little help to make it look fresh again, so I finally decided to restyle it and I couldn’t be happier with the final result!
Keep reading to learn how to style a china cabinet in six easy steps.
Related: Simple & Casual Blue And White Tablescapes
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How to style a china cabinet
When it comes to styling, I love to scour my home first to see if there’s anything I can use before I shop for new pieces.
Whenever possible, I highly encourage you to shop within your own house first.
Remember, you can always recycle or repurpose something if you can’t find exactly what you’re looking for.
I challenged myself to style our china cabinet without buying anything new because I wanted my creative juices to really flow. I’m proud to say I succeeded!
Thankfully, my late mother was a little bit of a hoarder, so I managed to find all of these gems inside our home.
Trust me, it definitely felt like I was on a scavenger hunt, and I found all the treasures!
Here are six styling tips I used to get this look:
1. Use pieces with different textures
Keeping to one texture can make the entire display look one-dimensional.
I used a mix of materials, including glass, ceramic, and rattan.
Each element brings its own unique texture and charm —glass adds a sleek, modern touch, ceramic offers a classic, artisanal feel, and rattan introduces warmth and a natural vibe.
This combination not only enhances the overall look but also adds depth and variety, making the arrangement more visually interesting.
2. Add height to give your arrangement contrast
In addition to mixing textures, it is important to add different heights to create contrast and visual balance.
Try stacking plates and layering mugs to add height, or use books as risers for an extra boost.
You can’t see it from the pictures, but I placed a few books inside my rattan tray to elevate my teapot!
3. Choose complementary colors
To achieve a cohesive look, stick to complementary colors.
Since my china cabinet is made of dark wood, I aimed for a moody aesthetic.
Instead of bright pastels, I opted for neutral tones like brown, green, amber, and ivory to tie the whole look together.
4. Give your pieces breathing space
Believe me, I know how tempting it is to display everything you own.
However, clutter makes things blend in, and not stand out.
If you have a lot of tableware to display, I suggest rotating your display once every couple of months.
5. Add a modern touch
A china cabinet can look very traditional so adding a modern touch is a great way to update it.
My china cabinet had aged brass hardware, which was starting to blend it with the dark wood.
I replaced them with new brass knobs, which added a nice pop of color to a dark piece of furniture.
6. Include things that mean something to you and your family
This is a styling tip I use for everything.
Adding sentimental things is what makes your home unique. They are what make your home YOU.
I made sure to keep my mom’s favorite serving ware because they remind me of when she used to cook hearty meals for us.
Related: A Minimal And Classy Black And Gold Tablescape
What is a china cabinet?
What exactly is a china cabinet?
Before this, I didn’t even know the term existed! I just called it a cabinet.
A china cabinet is sometimes referred to as a china hutch, which is not entirely accurate.
According to Hunker, a china cabinet refers to a cabinet with multiple display shelves and glass panels. Its primary function is to protect and display china.
On the other hand, a hutch is a multipurpose piece of furniture.
It has a freestanding unit that sits on the bottom half like drawers or cabinets.
This is the main difference considering a china cabinet usually comes in one piece.
Although they are different, these terms are still used interchangeably today.
3 reasons to purchase a china cabinet
A china cabinet will look beautiful in any dining room.
I would love to purchase one for our apartment but we, unfortunately, have no space!
If you’re still considering a china cabinet in your home, here are some reasons to purchase one:
1. Storage
Even if you’re not an avid tableware collector, a china cabinet is a perfect place to store your everyday dining essentials.
Keeping them in a china cabinet in a dining room makes setting the table an easy and fuss-free task.
2. Decorative
A china cabinet is more than just a piece of furniture. Because of its size, it can pass off as a piece of statement decor in the house.
3. Heirloom
When choosing a china cabinet, choose one that is made of solid wood.
A sturdy china cabinet can be kept as an heirloom and passed down from generation to generation.
Related: How To Style Coffee Table Books Like A Pro (And Which Ones To Buy!)
China cabinet recommendations
China cabinets can come in different shapes, sizes, materials, and price points.
Here are some high-end and affordable options I love:
1. Fern burl storage cabinet // 2. Livia hutch // 3. Hemnes cabinet // 4. Tessa Oak storage cabinet // 5. Leona hutch // 6. Fern pine storage cabinet // 7. Modway black oak storage cabinet // 8. Curio cabinet // 9. Mason storage cabinet
Which is your favorite china cabinet? Let me know in the comments!
Loved your ideas. Been wanting to get rid of my hutch. I like yours. What can I do with all the glass behind it? Can I put sticky paper to change the look besides the hardware? My hutch is a lighter color… oak/ cherrywood color. Thanks
Hi Toni, I’m so sorry for the late reply. I was dealing with some health issues and haven’t checked my blog in a while. Yes, I’d recommend getting some reeded glass film to stick over the glass. I think it’ll help to update your hutch and make it look more modern 🙂