Revamping the kitchen? Changing a few things around? Or, planning that ‘one day’ dream kitchen? For me, a kitchen with glass kitchen cabinets is something I really love the look of, but I understand why some people would disagree; they think they’ve got too much clutter, aren’t organised enough, or think it will incur more maintenance. Well, like any style of décor, it’s not always for everyone but there are a few ways to get around these concerns. After scouring Pinterest to find inspiration for my ‘one day’ dream kitchen, I’ve put together some ideas of what to display in glass kitchen cabinets, so you don’t have to.
All the things you should consider when planning what to display in glass kitchen cabinets
Stick to a Colour Palette
The benefit of glass kitchen cabinets is that the glass bounces light across the room, creating a brighter, cleaner-looking space, and as kitchens tend to be full of ridged lines and rectangular shapes, the glass breaks up the depth of solid furniture, giving the illusion of more space. But if you start to clutter behind the glass with an array of colours it may start to look chaotic – certainly not the look you were going for.
This doesn’t mean you can only use white dishes – white dishes are easy as they go with everything, and you’ll have no issues of buying a full crockery suite – but you can choose any colours to display in glass kitchen cabinets as long as they are on the same palette. You may like the look of a blue and white palette or perhaps some colourful pastel tones. You can even mix up the colours come different seasons; copper and bronze create a homely warmth for the winter, and of course add your signature festive pieces when December rolls around. Choosing a colour palette for your glass kitchen cabinets will create a cohesive look and add that brighter, cleaner feel to a space you love.
Master the Balance
I know, what to display in glass kitchen cabinets when you have so much ‘stuff’? Potentially, not all your cabinets will be glass, so anything that doesn’t suit your style or match the colour palette can go behind the opaque doors - for example, those random glasses you thought were particularly cool after a few drinks. But you can make it work.
Depending on the style of cabinets you have, there’s an infinite number of looks you can go for. My personal favourite is glass kitchen cabinets that are split down the middle leaving you to decorate in two columns; this way you can create uniformity across the kitchen. You may have one long thin kitchen cabinet, or one that’s particularly wide – either way, there’s so many ways you can create a stylish and cohesive look.
The main thing to consider when deciding what to display in glass kitchen cabinets is that you want to master the balance. It looks great to stack plates in level piles and display the same number of glasses in sections adjacent to each other; on the whole keeping things balanced and equal.
Keep Function in Mind
Glass kitchen cabinets don’t solely have to be for your indulgent barware collection, vintage crockery, or fine china, in a modern kitchen we need to keep function in mind for ease and practicality. It’s great to create a beautiful, stylish kitchen space, but if it doesn’t work with how you work, then that is no good. Plates, bowls, glasses, storage jars, jugs, pie dishes, you name it, they can go in your glass kitchen cabinet display.
The things you use most regularly make sense to keep low, keep these pieces easily accessible so you can grab them without any hassle – and so the kids can grab them (if applicable!). Top trick: this also makes putting clean dishes away easier on the day-to-day!
Showcase your Favourites
Of course functionality matters a lot, but that doesn’t mean you can’t add to your list of what to display in glass kitchen cabinets your favourite decorative pieces – even if they rarely get used. Grandma’s favourite cooking pot, the treasured antique you found on holiday, or your favourite Gin bottles, deserve a place behind your glass kitchen cabinets just as much as the everyday plates and bowls. Imagine your glass kitchen cabinets like a photo frame, you’d want your treasured memories and loved ones to be showcased, so why not your favourite crockery pieces you’ve acquired along the way?
The odd bright, decorative piece can enhance your kitchen décor but try to keep these towards the top of your cabinets, bigger pieces like cake tins, fruit bowls, and vases make a statement when at the top, while pieces like gravy jugs and sugar bowls can be positioned on a stack of plates to master the balance or add an extra detail to the depths of your solid furniture.
Another great piece to display in glass kitchen cabinets is cook books; they’re both decorative and functional, as well as a useful piece to master levelling and balance.
So, what to display in glass kitchen cabinets? Anything, as long as you stick to a colour palette, master the balance, keep function in mind, and add decorative touches with your favourite pieces. It’s your kitchen, so it really is up to you and your tastes, but this is somewhere to start and some things to think about.
If you do nail down what to display in glass kitchen cabinets and you do create a beautiful kitchen space please take some snaps, we’d love to see them! You can tag us on Instagram @rinkithome, or you can use the #rinkithome.
As always, thanks for reading,
Love Poppy, and the Rinkit Team.