How to Accessorize the Top of a China Cabinet

Showcase your collectibles atop your china cabinet. Arrange dolls, lighthouses, cottages or collector plates across the top of the piece so you can get them out of their original boxes. Use props to avoid uniformity: Dolls look adorable on little chairs; Lucite display cubes create multiple elevations so your art is attractively arranged. Change up your collectibles on a regular basis to give the top of your china cabinet a refreshed look. By continually changing your display, you’ll also keep your collectibles from being exposed to too much sunlight.

Post your philosophy. Create an interesting surprise by summoning a phrase that describes your outlook on life and then spell it out atop your china cabinet. Refinish wood letters to spell out your message or use tall, dimensional letters made of cardboard, which are fairly easy to find at craft store chains. Cut them out yourself using stencils and heavy foam board. Either material can be decorated by wrapping letters in patterned duct tape, fabric or another craft medium that matches the colors of the room. Cement glue your letters to a piece of flat lumber so they remain upright.

Showcase your crockery or books. Trot out the terra cotta bowls you bought in Mexico or that library of porcelain and earthenware pitchers. Arrange the pieces atop your china cabinet so heights vary. Mix and match crockery shapes for variety–a pitcher, a platter, an antique milk jug or any combination. Alternately, stick to one theme, like a row of vases in various colors. Incorporate some rustic touches, such as straw, moss, raffia or straw flowers if you like. If crockery isn’t your thing, show off your interest in all things culinary by using your china cabinet top to hold cookbooks with colorful jackets.

Gather found objects. Artfully arrange your most eclectic finds–lamplights, nautical buoys, metal tins, apothecary jars and other ephemera to create a one-of-a-kind display of found objects atop your china cabinet. No need for a theme; that lack of uniformity is what makes this type of collection charming or quirky. Use the changing of the seasons as an excuse to add temporary touches–harvest pumpkins, spring nosegays or little flags that hint at holiday celebrations. Switch out those seasonal decorations on a regular schedule, but come armed with a duster –just in case the relatives of those dust bunnies have moved in.