How to Decorate a China Cabinet

A china cabinet is primarily used to house a collection of fine china. China cabinets often serve as the focal point to a room. A china cabinet can be a simple, plain pine box or a more elaborate creation of finely carved wood and frosted glass. Purchasing a china cabinet is a great way to show off pretty dishes or other delicate curios. China cabinets can also serve as stand-alone pieces. They can be decorated to suit the seasons or your own personal tastes.

Instructions

1

Add holiday and seasonal items and colors. To mark Christmas, place bits of mistletoe and red ribbon inside and outside the china cabinet. To celebrate Hanukah, show off a collection of menorahs and place blue ribbon inside the cabinet. For Easter, place decorated eggs inside the cabinet and pink and purple bows on the outside. For a summer look, add seashells and containers with bits of sand.

2

Illuminate any items in the cabinet with lighting. Some china cabinets have built-in lighting that can help people see the details of your best plates. For those china cabinets that do not come with built-in lighting, place a lamp next to the cabinet or install lighting. Drill a small hole in the back of the cabinet. Place a small light such as a Christmas light in the front of the cabinet. Pull the wires through the hole and plug in. You can also light up the cabinet with candles. Place candle holders on shelves for a romantic look. Make sure to do this only if you'll be present the entire time the candles are burning. Do not place candles near wood doors and panels, or anything else that could be flammable or prone to melting. Make sure the candle flames have sufficient clearance on top.

3

Line the shelves with shelf paper. Many cabinets also have slide-out drawers. Cut out the contact paper to match the shape and size of the shelves and drawers. You can lightly glue the paper down if it is not self-adhesive, but realize that glue can make it harder to remove the paper should you wish to change it later on. Let dry and reinsert back in the china cabinet.

4

Place flowers inside the cabinet. Fresh flowers will look elegant against plain or floral-patterned china. Place the flowers in small vases inside the cabinet. Silk flowers will also work well.

5

Add mirrors. Some china cabinets already have built-in mirrors, and you can add one if your china cabinet does not have a built-in mirror. Slide out the cabinet shelves and any connecting hardware if possible. Attach mirrored tiles to the inside back of the cabinet. If you don't want to line the entire cabinet with mirrors, consider attaching mirrored tiles to just the shelves of the cabinet. Small, stand-alone mirrors can also be placed inside the cabinet.