Glass-doored china cabinets and looming secretaries often seem more traditional than many of us think we prefer. When they're balanced with the right pieces, however, they actually look elegant and very pretty. These spaces show how they can be stylishly incorporated into your home, whether you have a vintage find or a family heirloom.
- A pretty family heirloom is the standout in Sarah and Steve's Attic Aerie House Tour.
- A distressed-wood secretary brings a bit of country chic to a dining room from House to Home.
- A gorgeous pink cabinet provides a dramatic backdrop in John Oetgen's home. Via House Beautiful.
- The glass doors on this cabinet have been cleverly replaced by chicken wire. Via Casa Sugar.
- A deep blue cabinet is a stunning focal point in this home in Copenhagen. Via Interior Decoration.
- A daffodil-colored cabinet in Timm & Zack's Rummage-Sale Retro House Tour.
- A traditional, sophisticated piece looks stunning in a white room. House to Home.
- A vintage find elegantly fills an awkward space in Emily and Jacob's Poetically Photographed Home.
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I actually really like the look of these, but I am so bad at arranging anything inside so it looks nice. We were given an unpainted oak china cabinet, and I thought about painting it, but knew I didn't have the time or energy (not that I'm opposed to painting it sometime in the future--we just decided to live with it oak for a while). I took off the fussy doors and use the shelves for all of my cookbooks.
I love the storage they offer, but no matter how many times I rearranged dishes on the shelves, it looked fake and contrived to me.
I think secretary desks are just so perfect for small apartments. What other piece of furniture combines a chest of drawers with a useable desk and a glass fronted china cabinet? Perfect!
I have one of these from about 1910 in my kitchen; it belonged to my great-grandparents, so I'm never parting with it. Fortunately it fits right into the decor, which is a mix of antique character (original wood floors, high ceilings) and modern appliances and granite.
At first I wanted one of these for my dining room, but I never pulled the trigger on the many, many good options in Craigslist because I didn't have enough pretty stuff to put in it. Lately I've been looking for one of these for my craft room, something with cabinet doors on the bottom so I can store all my supplies plus I can put all my books up top. One of these takes the place of 2 pieces of furniture, they are so versatile!
We have one in our dining room. I painted it a flat charcoal gray (thought it was black when I picked it, but the gray is a happy accident), and I love the original brass hardware. We decided to display our everyday dishware rather than our fine china. We have fiestaware, so there's a ton of color and SO much extra storage space. I love how casual and bright it is.
I like the glass doors, but somehow the tallness bothers me. Of course, it might be necessary in tighter spaces.
I've had success with a glass doored hutch in my Home Office/Art Room. It makes a nice place to display your favorite books covers in an artful way and a million times better than sticking all your supplies into Rubbermaid drawers!
http://www.flickr.com/photos/run2standstill/7448369724/in/photostream
We have one in our apartment and keep our everyday dishes in it. I love having beautiful pieces in our home that are useful for everyday use. And I don't worry about how it looks or is arranged. We have mason jars for glasses, various color goblets, tea cups, and mix and match vintage dishes. So no matter how you arrange it, it's always displaying an eclectic collection!
http://thegoldjellybean.com/2012/02/eclectic-china.html
Can't stand the ones with those swirl embellishments on top like the first picture. I don't know why, my parents have a huge mahogany one just like it. Might be my obsession with straight lines talking..
I love these. I bought one similar to the pic #5 (without a drawer and more shelves) in an antique store. I use it as storage for linens, wrapping paper, bamboo boxes with knick-knacks…It was a good purchase.
I have a faux-Chinoiserie china cabinet that was part of my parents' dining room suite (they met at a low-end furniture store where they both worked in the early 70's) and I am constantly at war with myself about whether to keep it. It holds so much stuff. Maybe if I painted it I'd like it better -- I like that bright yellow from #6.
I inherited a 1929 glass-doored china cabinet from my Great Grandmother. Not my style, but I couldn't part with it so I moved it to my living room to store books. The unexpected use makes it feel more modern.
Glass doors elevate a cabinet into something special.
My fiance's mother offered to give us one similar to picture #3 as a long term loan, but we don't have space for it in our NYC apartment. She has a few china cabinets around her house, but this one is just sitting unused in her garage.