Display Cabinets

The best at-home display cabinets are often made up of a combination of personal achievements, random storage and prized possessions. Made with glass fronted shelves and concealed drawers and additional cupboards, they generally add a sense of a grandeur to a room due to their sheer size and volume, and are regarded as much as a decorative feature as they are a practical and usable piece of furniture.

Popular in country style farmhouse kitchens, large hallways and grand entrances, homes with display cabinets are available in a variety of sizes, styles and colours – though the base material of most traditional and more modern designs is generally wood.

That said, there are those display cabinets which are made with a slightly different purpose in mind – namely the ones most commonly found in museums and show rooms, which are created from a wood or metal frame which is encased almost entirely with glass – providing the user with an uninterrupted view of what is on display inside. These types of display cabinet are often much smaller and more portable, and tend to be purchased with an exact purpose in mind – for example showcasing a certain collection or supporting a particularly hobby, where items are kept safe but can also be admired easily.

Making your display cabinet stand out

Aside from locating and placing your display cabinet somewhere where it will be regularly admired, there are a number of ways you can use the item to support your decorative theme, bring personality and interest to your room, and create a stand out feature which successfully displays its contents.

If you are looking for a display cabinet to fill a large space, consider a cabinet which is more intricately decorated and detailed, for example with carvings on the surface. Another way of adding interest to a large space is to look at decorating the interior of the cabinet yourself, using contact paper or simple paint to add your own touch to the shelves and back walls of the cabinet.

If you’re looking for a display cabinet for a smaller space, you should opt for a lighter natural wood or neutrally painted cabinet which makes use of the space without sitting too deep from the wall. One key way of making a space seem bigger is with natural light, so consider placing a floor mirror in the vicinity of your cabinet in order to add reflected light, and you could also look at adding spotlights inside the interior of the cabinet in order to really draw the eye to its contents – and create another light source in the room.

Sourcing and installing the best display cabinets

Before you make any kind of purchase, first spend time measuring and assessing the area in which your cabinet needs to go. Be sure to measure not just the height and width of the cabinet and your space, but also the ideal depth – making sure you can open all the doors and drawers without impacting on something else or minimising the space in the room.

Once you know the best dimensions, you can start your search. We recommend searching across furniture stores and homeware retailers, as well as independent crafters and even antique stores. You may find that some retailers offer a made to measure service which can create the perfect cabinet for you, although this is likely a service that will come at a cost – and buying off the high street market may be just as effective.