Proper way to display China in cabinet?
Question:I am getting married and have received my Great-Grandma's China. I also received a giant China cabinet to store it in. My question is with all three or four sizes of bowls and plates (to which I am not sure there proper names other than big, medium and small!) and teacups and saucers, how should I set it up. I have I groove in the back to stand up the big (dinner?) plates, but that is all! Please help, I have like 100 pieces (12 pieces of each) that I just cleaned all over my kitchen that I need to get put up!!
Answers:
Think mountains, peaks in the middle working in a bell curve downward toward the sides. Optically, the fewer items you display, the less the china chest will look like the inside of another kitchen cupboard with dishes, bowls and serving ware piled up in storage. The plate rate in the back of each shelf usually accomodates platters or chargers that act as a backdrop to whatever is in front of them, usually crystal because you can see through it to the beauty of the platter behind. I generally don't use either the teacups or saucers on display in a china chest because there is just no decorative way to do it. Generally, those are just stacked and stored below behind solid cupboard doors. However, they do make rails that you can install inexpensively on the bottoms of shelves that hold them close together, neatly and in a compact manner. You can find them at Bed Bath & Beyond, Linen N things and even WalMart. Using the bowls in a decorative manner, you can take table linens, like napkins held in a napkin ring, and make almost a flower like arrangement putting the napkins (ring side down) in a stack of bowls for height. The napkin arrangement can also be done inside wine or drinking goblets for drama. The addition of fabric breaks up the sea of china and adds interest. I've even used little wicker baskets opened turned on their sides to store salad plates stacked sideways and then using the top of the wicker basket to give height to display something interesting like a gravy boat. The idea is to create little vignettes behind the glass doors that are creative and visually stimulating. The addition of texture and fabric used intermittently really packs some design punch.
Some of your china will have to be stacked. Even if you have enough room to display all your dinner plates along the plate rail, you'll have to stack salad plates, bread and butter plates, and saucers. Use small paper plates or flattened coffee filters between each piece so that they do not scratch each other. Teacups should never be stacked over two high. with that said, there is no proper way to display china. Arrange it on the shelves to suit yourself. If you have unusual or beautiful pieces, you might want to put them in front as focal points. Just do what you think looks best.
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