Design Hack! Display Dishes in China Cabinet with Baskets

Bring a traditional china cabinet into the 21st century with this styling hack! Get the look of modern farmhouse when you display dishes in china cabinet using baskets. For more interior ideas see my DIY Home page.

Design Hack! Display Dishes in China Cabinet with Baskets

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Today I am sharing with you how I updated my traditional china cabinet and gave it a more modern farmhouse look. Adding natural hayacinth woven baskets to the shelves gave this china cabinet Pottery Barn Store design type feel.

Display Dishes in China Cabinet

This cabinet really did not have much of a style to it, but it is a really nice piece of furniture. I just am not in love with it. It seemed no matter how I displayed the dishes and glasses inside they got lost in the mirrored background.

painting was not an option. My husband absolutely put his foot down and forbid me to paint it. Believe me I thought about doing it anyway while he was a work! Ha!

I am glad I listened to him and came up with another way to solve this design dilemma. This is an easy transformation and the cabinet is now the focal point of the room. This was such a simple way to update a piece of furniture without paint.

glass and crystal in china cabinet

As you can see from this picture there is too much crystal and no balance or color. It’s just blah with the mirrored background.

The first thing I did was to empty out the cabinet. Cleaned all of the glass shelves and mirror. Next I adjusted the shelf height.

place baskets in china cabinet

I have a large area on the bottom and one thin shelf in the middle. I added and arranged the baskets. I had seven baskets to use. Three deep ones to fit the bottom. Two mid-size baskets for the sides and top shelf. One oval shaped basket for the center.

dishes in baskets for storage

I placed all of my white entertaining plates and dishes into the bottom baskets. You can stack them or sit them on their side. I opted to stand them on their sides for more space.

styling the china cabinet

I placed my glasses on the top two empty shelf spaces.

adding baskets to a china cabinet

I placed serving trays and short items to thin second shelf. I placed my cloth napkins in the oval shaped basket.

hutch styling with baskets
before and after hutch styling
BEFORE and AFTER
baskets in china cabinet

I hope you liked this fun china cabinet styling idea. Maybe you have a similar design problem and this is the answer! It was for me.

Love the idea and want your own baskets? Try these!

Love it? Pin it!

29 Comments

  1. Reta Shaver says:

    Where can I buy these baskets?

    1. Hi Rita! They are Hyacinth baskets. You can find them pretty much anywhere. I got mine from my local grocery Harris Teeter store around this time of year. Target also has them, World Market, Amazon and Wayfair.com just to name some stores. The color of the Hyacinth is really pretty with my cabinet. Good luck and thanks for reading!
      Kim

  2. Diana Rambles says:

    WOW! I would have never thought to use baskets! Looks great! Thanks for linking up at my party

  3. Your china cabinet looks neat now! I love the use of those baskets.
    Thanks for linking up at Friday Fun Party.

  4. Beautiful and functional! Thanks for sharing on the Farmhouse Style Blog Hop! A new hop goes up tomorrow, I hope you’ll join us!

  5. Your china cabinet before was pretty but, I love the baskets & how it made things look! Thanks for sharing @ DearCreatives.com Hope your having a great week. Theresa

  6. Kim, thank you so much for Linking Up with us! We just love your baskets and how it transformed your hutch, great job.

  7. You did an amazing job restyling your cabinet. Thank you for sharing this at the Make it Pretty Monday party at The Dedicated House. Hope to see your prettiness again on Monday. Toodles, Kathryn @TheDedicatedHouse

  8. Bernice Patterson says:

    Love your blog. Did you ever think of wallpapering the back with some plain wallpaper?
    Blessings from Canada
    Bernice

  9. I always like seeing the unexpected and the way you combined a casual element in what has traditionally been a more formal piece of furniture is inspiring. So happy you shared this on Motivated Monday at BeColorful.
    p

  10. kathie2424 says:

    Hello!
    Show and Tell Saturday at Sassy Little Lady is LIVE! I’d love to have you share your post!

    Kathie

  11. Hello! I found you on the link party at Dear Creatives…I love the outcome of your china cabinet! The bring a nice organic feel to it!

    1. woops, sorry for the double comment. I left my computer for a minute and forgot if I commented or not..haha!

  12. Hi! I found you on the link party from dearcreatives.com…I love the organic feel the baskets bring to your decor! Beautiful!

  13. Great styling makeover! It looks so much more modern and clean-lined now, and without a drop of paint! My hubby definitely leans more to the “it’s blasphemy to paint wood” side, so I always enjoy seeing ways to update wood furniture without painting!

    1. Thanks so much~ I really looks better in person, pics just don’t capture the richness of the baskets. It’s darker too and you don’t notice the mirror background.
      Kim

  14. Perfect! Love this idea,I have to many baskets too!:)
    Thanks for inspiration!

  15. This is a terrific idea! I have a big ol’ china cabinet that I truly love that but the look is definitely less than current and doesn’t mix well with some of my more modern decor. I am so going to do this! Love it!

  16. The baskets made a HUGE difference and so simple! I love how you have the hutch styled. I have one very similar that we attempted to sell last summer and could not. I have it painted black now, with no door and it holds my antique book collection.

    Have a great day!
    Angela

  17. Genius idea! It looks so different now and much more characteristic!! Great job!

    Jenna

  18. I love the texture the baskets add to the room! Wonderful unique idea! I’d love for you to come by and share at Transformed Tuesday. Hope to see you at the party. Hugs, Peggy~PJH Designs

  19. Truly, waiting for inspiration was well worth it in your case. The piece looks fantastic now, well done!

  20. I love all of your baskets. Great job! Thanks for linking up to The Weekly Creative.

    Shannon @ Sewing Barefoot

  21. Oh my! The before and after are sooooo vastly different! I LOVE the after! you are super creative! Great eye for decor, girl!

    hugs
    Crystelle

  22. Oh wow! What a creative way to display those baskets. It really transformed the china cabinet. LOVE it!

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