Curio Cabinet Display And Care Tips
Curio cabinets are the best way to display your curios and
create focal points in a room. They are showcases to hold art
objects, memorabilia, collectibles and items that share a common
theme. Any curio cabinet, however, just will not do. It is
advisable that the right showcase cabinet should be chosen
carefully or even custom-made in order for it to be able to
highlight the contents in the best possible way.
1. The Size
Curio cabinets can be small wall-mounted showcases and are
recommendable to use if you have limited floor space and they
can be also as large as 7 ft. x 7 ft. which are good to have if
you have enough space and a lot of items to display.
2. Design
You can choose a curio cabinet made of teakwood, white cedar,
rosewood or even plywood depending on your budget, taste and
your living room's theme and ambience. For example, if your
living room has antique furniture, then it is better to opt for
curio cabinets that are made of hardwood and are intricately
carved with brass inlay and other elaborate embellishments.
Consider also the number of shelves you will need for the
cabinet and the material it has to be made of. These can either
be made from clear glass or wood. As a style option, you can
alternate glass shelves with wooden shelves to break the
monotony. You can also use smoked glass.
3. Display Tips
Curio cabinets can have a single glass door, a double glass door
or no doors, at all. It is recommended, however, that you choose
those with doors to prevent dust from setting to your displays.
If you have children or pets in your home, consider fastening
the glass sides of your curio cabinet with a lock to prevent
items from falling and breaking. Aside from these design
considerations, you can also consider getting a curio cabinet
with a mirrored back for visual expanse feeling especially if
your living room is not spacious. The mirror does not only
reflect the light in the room but also helps give an all-around
view of the items displayed in the cabinet. To make cleaning
easier such as vacuuming and dusting, consider installing
casters underneath the cabinet.
4. Maitenance
- Use a damp cloth for wiping - To polish the wood frame, use a
hardwood polish every six months. - For the glass sections and
panels of the curio cases, use a damp newspaper to wipe it -
Cloth, no matter what kinds, leaves residue and never, wipe the
glass surface dry because dust can settle on it which can cause
some scratches - To clean the curio pieces inside the cabinet,
clean it with a damp cloth, soft brush or vacuum cleaner once a
week - For items made of crystal and glass, wash these in
running water once every 3 to 6 months and wipe them with a dry
soft cloth
5. What To Display
The color of the room plays a role in determining the type of
object you should display as the base color. Such that
glassware, white color based art objects and glassware will look
great if the living room is predominantly white in color. If you
have a small curio case and you have smaller items, then you can
display your items individually. For those with curio cabinets,
you can group together similar items of color, theme, or size
together in 3s, 5s, or 7s. These items can be displayed
alongside each other in a straight line or in a semi-circular
fashion. To avoid a cluttered look, make sure that you leave
some spaces on the shelf.
For collectors, a large curio cabinet can be used to display all
collectible items over the years and it can be the focal point
of the living room. As a tip, you can display collections
together according to their color, the year of the collection
and their size. Make sure that the bigger items are located at
the back of the shelf and the smaller ones are in front so that
all items displayed are visible.
6. Lighting
Lighting in a curio cabinet can make a person looking at the
items displayed delighted because light does not only enhance
the visual appeal but it also makes the entire collection have a
dramatic effect. When considering lighting, choose soft focus
lights to be installed in the center of the top shelf. Avoid
installing lights on the corners or sides of the cabinet to make
the light highlight the pieces evenly without making a shadow.
In order to prevent the focus light from glaring, it is usually
the case that it is hidden with a wooden panel on the shelf's
front.