Recently I purchased probably my favourite second-hand piece of furniture to date - a gorgeous dark wooden display cabinet with sweet little doors and sliding panes of glass. I’ve had similar items on my ‘saves’ list for years either on eBay or Facebook Marketplace, looking for ‘haberdashery cupboards’ or ‘display units’, there’s something about lots of doors or drawers that I just love!

Unfortunately they tend to sell at higher prices, being rather sought after I guess, and usually, at £800-£1k, they are out of my budget. However, when this one popped up on my local Facebook Marketplace for £250, I jumped at the chance, messaging the seller within the hour and collecting it the same evening. Sometimes you’ve gotta be quick!!

The challenge with display cabinets of course, is that everything you store within them will be seen, so if, like me, visual clutter stresses you out, you need to be a little strategic about what you use them for. Books are always a winner, or collecting objects in a similar colour, like milk glass or clear glass items, ceramics or vases. I love them when used for laundry or bedlinen with everything folded beautifully though I fear in our house it would soon become a mess.

I wanted to clear some space in our kitchen of the ‘non-essentials’ like pretty plates and mugs, vases and serving bowls - the sort of thing I don’t use everyday. It was tricky styling it all together to create a cohesive look but I found following these simple tips helped.

How to style a display cabinet

Keep to the same colour palette to keep the look cohesive.

I had a lot of brown, clear glass, green and whites so decided to keep to that theme in order for it not to look too cluttered. If you add a ‘disruptor’ colour, you may find the eye is drawn to that and it will start to look imbalanced.

This doesn’t mean you can’t go colourful of course. Your colour palette could be ‘rainbow brights’ or ‘spring pastels’ but ensuring you use similar hues or tones will ensure nothing is jarring. For instance if you’re using primary brights, adding a murky brown into the mix will look off as will adding a bright primary red to a spring pastel display.

Cabinet by Attica Studios

@villa61

2. Group in threes or fives

These are guidelines rather than rules of course, but it’s generally felt that when things are grouped in odd numbers, you avoid a stiff symmetrical look and the eye flows more naturally over the items. So if you’re unsure how to get started with placement, this is a good tip to start with.

3. Mix up the heights

If you’re arranging a variety of different items like I am, it works well to mix up the heights of things, adding depth and a sense of movement to the space.

I love to use books to elevate smaller items, prop plates vertically rather than sitting flat, or use postcards and prints to not only add some height, but some print or pattern as well.

4. Play around with different textures

Unless you’re displaying a collection of similar items (example), I think it works well to introduce different textures. Woven baskets add some warmth and interest, whilst ribbed glass adds texture and wood adds a lovely natural element. Books with their pages facing are gorgeous as well as the old worn leather bound spines. Plants always give a space life too, though depending on whether you have an open or closed cabinet, may just need to sit on the top.

5. Have fun!

This is your space and your home so do whatever makes you happy! If these tips help you create the sort of look you were going for, that is great! But if you want to ignore it all and ‘do your thang’ then go for it too!