A white china cabinet might seem like a blah idea for someone who sells vividly colored furniture, but hear me out. It is the easiest choice for a large piece of furniture that occupies so much visual space.
A china cabinet is a HUGE piece of furniture. It’s technically two pieces of furniture stacked on top of each other, so it has a double impact.
White is the perfect color for most large china cabinets, in my opinion. I will choose a pale blue occasionally, but I recommend white. I can also show you how a white china cabinet can be made into a non-boring. Let’s go!
1. Benjamin Moore Swiss Coffee China Cabinet
Ben Moore’s Swiss Coffee is an under-appreciated white, in my view. It’s creamy without being too yellow. It has a tad of burnt umber pigment in it to warm it without making it look antique white.
This monster came from a thrift shop in Florida. I absolutely adored the intricate trim on the top but did not care for the crown.
I suggested to the client that we get rid of the center and preserve the rest of the trim. She loved the idea.
She also chose this lovely grasscloth wallpaper for the back. Swiss Coffee and that wallpaper worked so well together that the final result exceeded my expectations.
It was truly a spectacular transformation achieved by using all neutral elements.
2. Ben Moore Chantilly Lace China Cabinet
Another one of my go-to white colors for china cabinets is Ben Moore’s Chantilly Lace.
It is the most neutral-looking white to the eye. It’s bright and pretty, not boring, and a perfect choice for a large china cabinet like the one below.
Notice that the customer kept the original hardware, and it looks very pretty. Swapping out the old hardware for something modern is not a must. Traditional is just fine.
The customer showcased it in a nook in her upscale dining room, and it looks beyond gorgeous.
3. Chantilly Lace Bubble Glass Edition
We made a few modifications to this lovely cabinet. We removed the skirting and added tapered legs. Notice the glass shelves.
Glass shelves and added legs lighten the appearance of the china cabinet, making it look less heavy. Don’t you agree?
Love the Christmas decor and craving some cold weather because it is hot and humid July currently in the Midwest.
4. Ben Moore White Dove Chinoiserie Edition
These vintage china cabinets Century Furniture Company made are amazing to start out. They have beautiful beveled glass that adds to the upscale look.
I chose Ben Moore White Dove for this one. White Dove is a creamy, warm white. It has its own fan base, but it is not for everyone. Plenty of my customers don’t like the warmth. It can be too much for some.
It was the perfect choice for this beauty because it already had many bold design elements dominating the overall look.
The large medallion brass hardware was the focal point of the cabinet, and I thought a neutral white to compliment the warmth of the brass would be perfect.
I chose this hummingbird paper from Harlequin in the white colorway. It is a beautiful paper with a light sage background and a soft sheen.
It is my most overused paper of all time. You will see it again.
5. Two Tone White Dove + Broccoflower
This was a social media hit, and the client absolutely loved it. I loved combining a warm white such as White Dove with a warm-toned green like Ben Moore Broccoflower.
I’m not a fan of broccoli, but I will certainly take a large serving of Broccoflower. It is a perfect accent color in a small dose.
The interior color enhances the look of the white fretwork on the doors. The contrast adds drama to the whole look.
I chose malachite hardware for the doors and drawers, and it adds a little green punch to the white doors.
6. White Dove + Hummingbird Wallpaper, Again!
Another white china cabinet in white dove, again. I do not have the before picture of this beauty. I wish I did! It was a big beauty! The organic, oval-shaped fretwork is just stunning.
The Harlequin Amazalia wallpaper in a silver colorway makes another appearance.
7. Dixie Faux Bamboo Pagoda Top China Cabinet
The faux bamboo china cabinets from Dixie Furniture Company (like the one below) are some of the best vintage finds.
The best part about them? They have fewer parts compared to traditional china cabinets.
They are much easier to paint. The worst part? They are one piece. We are making them very challenging to move.
On this one, I chose my go-to White Dove, but for the interior, I chose Sherwin Williams Sea Salt.
The hardware coordinates with the interior color. I love this look so much!
8. Ben Moore Simply White With Bold Wallpaper
Ben Moore Simply White is another one of my no-brainer whites for china cabinets. The color is neutral white with a hint of warmth to it.
A pretty white like this is just the perfect canvas for a bold wallpaper. This crane wallpaper is definitely a wild one with lots of unexpected colors and a big pattern.
This client chose to reuse the old hardware, and it looks amazing. She was a beauty!
9. Chinoiserie + Thibaut Honshu Wallpaper
I love love love all of the colorways in Thibaut’s Honshu. My client combined the navy version with hot pink. You can check that post here.
The Asian-themed wallpaper is the perfect complement to the Asian design elements of the china cabinet. The fretwork on the doors is just the cherry on top.
The color is, again, you guessed it…White Dove.
10. China Cabinet Conversion To TV Cabinet
Last but certainly not least, one is this Stanley faux bamboo china cabinet that we converted to a cabinet that will hide a big ugly TV.
Isn’t this a genius idea? Amy Studebaker of Amy Studebaker Designs came up with this idea, and we brought it to reality!
This was a classic case of husband and wife both getting what they wanted. He wanted a big TV in the bedroom, and she didn’t. Haha!
She designed this cabinet to hide the TV when not in use, so they both won! This one is done in Ben Moore Swiss Coffee.
We converted a classic Stanley faux bamboo china cabinet into a TV unit; this is the prettiest TV unit you will ever see.
We removed the glass and added solid panels on the top so all ugly things could hide behind it.
It retains the vintage faux bamboo charm and serves an entirely new purpose.
Final Thoughts
The white china cabinet is a classic piece of furniture. You can add cool wallpaper or a contrasting color to make it an even bigger statement piece.
New, bold hardware and a fun wallpaper can also add personality to them. Would you rather have a bold, colorful china cabinet? I can inspire you for that as well.
Here is a blog post about ten colorful china cabinets. These are WOW, and you should totally check it out!