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.