Are China Display Cabinets Totally Outdated Or Is There A Way To Keep Them Modern?

There are some furniture items that can feel decidedly out of fashion, particularly when they are tied to traditions and habits that simply aren't part of everyday life anymore. Chances are you no longer have an outdated home phone or an old yellow phone book cluttering up your countertop, so do you really need a china cabinet in your home when fewer and fewer people are receiving and displaying "nice" dishes these days? With the popularity of minimalism in art and interior design lasting for more than a hundred years, it can be tempting to throw out or avoid any items that feel like they no longer serve a purpose in order to save space and make your home feel more open.

But don't give these furniture pieces a miss just yet! In recent years, there has been an uptick in using "fancy" items for everyday use rather than allowing them to gather dust behind closed doors. So, glass-fronted and open china hutches can actually still be useful in modern design — if they are styled well. Perhaps the most important thing to do in order to update a china cabinet you already have — or one you are thinking of getting — is to give it a good clean. Scuff marks and built-up dust can make furniture look less up-to-date, so giving it a good once-over with a microfiber cloth or something like WLLEADG NuGrain Wood Repair can go a long way. But once your china cabinet is nice and clean, you can keep it modern by doing everything from switching out the colors to adding contemporary decor. 

The first thing to do when considering how to utilize a china cabinet in a modern setting is determine your current style. This will help you figure out if you need the hutch to be more sleek and cool-toned — as would be fitting for contemporary interior design — or more intricate and warm. If your house does follow a more modern, minimalistic look, you can opt to paint your china cabinet in stark colors such as grey, black, or white to give it an up-to-date feel. You could even choose to remove some of the more elaborate details for a fashionable, streamlined look. Try updating what you store inside it, too. Instead of china plates and cups, look for stylish sculptures or modern dishes that emphasize your cabinet's sleek new aesthetic.

If you want your china hutch to feel modern but you prefer a more traditional countryside or rustic look, a great way to bring this piece of furniture into today without it feeling too severe is to add greenery. By placing plants — either real or fake ones — into your cabinet alongside other pieces like plates and vases, you can create an area that feels alive and fresh. If you do opt for fake plants, remember to regularly wipe the leaves with a soft cloth as they can get covered in a thick layer of dust if left untouched, causing the hutch to look uncared for and old. Finally, a china cabinet is a great way to add more storage to your kitchen, but to keep it looking modern and stylish, make sure to store your most eye-catching items in the open or glass section and keep the rest in the closed-off area below.