Tips to Find, Paint, and Style an Arched Display Cabinet

Arched display cabinets are a hot commodity these days! It seems like everyone wants one, has one or is patiently waiting to find one second hand…and for good reason. This versatile furniture piece is classic, yet different and striking, making it perfect for every style from modern to traditional. 

Tips for Finding an Arched Display Cabinet

Hands down, the number one question I’ve received since our Cozy Café Kitchen Reveal is, “Where did you find that arched cabinet?” Honestly, it might be the luckiest thing I’ve ever found (and I don’t believe in luck!). Since I scored this on Facebook Marketplace, I’ve never seen another one like it, despite my extensive searching. I paid a whopping $80 for this piece, and it was located only about a mile from my house…crazy! 

Finding an Arched Display Cabinet

The way I see it, there are three different ways to find an arched display cabinet:

1 | Search Tirelessly on FB Marketplace – This, of course, is my preferred method. I look on FB Marketplace every day, multiple times a day. I even wrote a blog post with 7 Secrets to Scoring Big on Facebook Marketplace so you can see how I’m able to find so many treasures.

Some helpful search terms for this type of cabinet are:

• arched cabinet
• arched display cabinet
• display cabinet
• glass front cabinet
• glass display cabinet
• arched cabinet with glass doors

2 | Go Thrifting Often – This is my second favorite way to find things. When my girls were in school, I used to frequent local thrift stores regularly. A quick walk through a few times weekly or monthly was enough for me to see whether or not they had what I was looking for. 

3 | Purchase One New – While this is my least favorite way to acquire furniture, some people just don’t have the time to search endlessly. And I completely respect that! There’s no shame in saving up to purchase a brand new arched display cabinet. There are some beautiful options out there, and I rounded them up for you below…

1 Tolle Cabinet |  2 Ventana Cabinet  |  3 Hattie Cabinet  |  4 Breya Cabinet  |  5 Bixby Hutch

*This post contains affiliate links. This does not affect the cost of goods for you, but does help keep WFH up and running. Thank you!

Tips for Painting an Arched Display Cabinet

If you find an arched display cabinet on FB Marketplace or in a thrift store, it probably won’t be the color you’d like. For me, this was an easy fix. I already knew what I was going to do with my cabinet before I bought it…paint it black. Those glass panes are tricky though, so I used masking liquid and Fusion Mineral paint to make easy work of it. I shared my process in the post 5 Different Projects With Fusion Mineral Paint. 

This is what my arched display cabinet looked like when I picked it up…

And this is what it looked like after I painted it with Coal Black by Fusion Mineral Paint…

Tips for Styling an Arched Display Cabinet

Okay, now for the fun part…styling! My arched display cabinet is not just for looks. I use it to store all kinds of dishes and vessels that we don’t use regularly. But my cabinet also houses some things we use daily, like water glasses. Whatever your purpose is for your arched display cabinet, here are my tips for styling it. 

Styling an Arched Display Cabinet

Divide Each Shelf Into Thirds | Most arched display cabinets are sort of naturally divided into thirds, with two glass panels flanking a center panel. I like to let that natural division guide my styling so items in the display cabinet can be seen and accessed easily. 

Mix Large and Small Styling Pieces | Any time you are styling things behind glass, smaller items tend to get lost visually. So, it’s important to have a mix of small and large styling pieces. This will balance out the look and fill up more shelf space. 

Vary Styling Heights | It’s important to vary heights no matter what you are styling because it allows you to layer. The size of your styling pieces comes into play here as well. If you have a larger, taller vessel toward the back of the shelf, you can place a stack of shorter, smaller bowls or a piece of pottery diagonally in front of it. 

Edit to Avoid a Cluttered Look | I rarely get my styling right on the first try. What you see in finished photos is usually the result of a lot of editing. Having glass in front of styling pieces already creates a busier look than if the shelves were open. So, you have to step back and evaluate if your styling looks cluttered, and if so, edit. 

Be Practical and Intentional | If you view your arched display cabinet as just a beautiful piece of furniture for storage, and pile it up with things that need a home, you won’t love the look. Instead, pick a few things that you use regularly and make them accessible. Do that first. Then, style your other items around those essentials, using the tips above. This way, you’ll feel good about your arched display cabinet serving both your functional needs and your desire for a beautiful aesthetic. 

A Note About Sources

If you are looking for sources for anything in my breakfast nook, please visit the Cozy Café Kitchen post…everything is linked there.

As far as the styling pieces go, nearly everything on these shelves was thrifted, found second hand, or bought at an antique store. So I would encourage you to head to the closest thrift or antique store, or spend a Saturday morning garage sale hopping to find unique and beautiful styling pieces that help tell the story of your home. 

I hope you enjoyed this post all about my beautiful arched display cabinet that I (and everybody else) love so much. I’d love to know if these tips were helpful to you or if you have an arched display cabinet yourself. Let’s talk about it in the comments below!

You may also be interested in:

Styling Thrifted Items to Create a Hallway “Moment”

Home Thoughts – Big Dreams, Small Budget

Master Bedroom Dresser Styling