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[stevieb]

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@Tigriss wrote:

China cabinets and china is all about displaying your wealth.  The older generations is into that.  The younger generations are not so much about those kinds of outdated things and things you don't use regularly.  China cabinets are huge and display plates..... ok, plates....not art, not pottery, not jewelry, not mementos, not memories, so if I had a china cabinet, then I would use it for displaying things that I love.  That is the whole point of lighting it and having glass shelves and such large glass front doors is to display things of joy and beauty.  If plates make you happy, then display them.  My big issue is really with the whole plate thing and the blob-like nature of the furniture.  I like my furniture more streamlined, not modern perse, but not puffy and bigger than my bed that china cabinets tend to be.  I also don't like it in my couches and chairs.  We have some huge couches in the south, and they tend to be burgundy or hunter green......I really don't like those colors for furniture, paint, carpet, etc... because of it.

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Sweeping generalizations much...?

[Snowpuppy]

I got my love of china/stemware and china cabinets from my grandmother.

My grandfather built the home we lived in, complete with built in china cabinets on each side of a window seat. They had leaded glass fronts and glass doorpulls. Everything just sparkled beautifully. Far from wealthy, she had her MIL's china and cherished it.

My grandmother set the table every Sunday afternoon for dinner. In the dining room. We sat down and someone gave the blessing. Usually my uncle or godfather who had booming voices. 

If iPhones, driving a Tesla and carrying a MIC plastic handbag to Panera are today's symbols of plastic  "wealth",  I'll keep my china. Nearly 20 years old and still beautiful.

[insomniac2]

I've never owned China, much less displayed it. Zero interest!

[panda1234]

@Regal Bee

Not a fan of china cabinets, but I really like how you have used it in another room, looks good. That room looks so warm and inviting the way you have decorated it. I would be spending most of my time in there. 

[OfCourse]

Love it, love it, love it, @Regal Bee!  That's what my home would look like if I had your eye for beautiful decorating.

[ID2]

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@insomniac2 wrote:

I've never owned China, much less displayed it. Zero interest!

Yup, me too! Silly me asked for fine china for my wedding (40 years ago) and I've used it about twice. I would never display it, having a china cabinet is just a dust collector and makes a room look way too cluttered. JMO

[NorthernLights]

Some of you people are so rude. Makes absolutely no sense to come on here and comment. 

[violann]

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@giddy up wrote:

I got this hutch from my grandmother.  It's not the prettiest thing and doesn't have a lot of exposed glass but I like it and intend on keeping it.

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I'm afraid I have to disagree with you- in my opinion, it is indeed "the prettiest thing". My new china closet is replacing my MIL's, bought in 1943.

We are thinking about repurposing the upper half of THAT to become a "what-not" away from grandchildren's little fingers, for my living room.

Some of us were part of the "....use it up, wear it out...." generation, including me!

[violann]

Multiple perspectives on the same topic are always food for thought.

My father's parents had a comfortable but not lavish lifestyle that was lost in the depression. From then on, everyone scrabbled to get by.

My mother was one of seven children, and although my grandfather was never without a job, there was never any extra, and those seven kids learned early on that all their efforts were needed to keep the household afloat.

Bottom line, the concept of displaying one's wealth was simply not a reality nor a consideration in those households, yet both families had "china closets".

A sociological evaluation of furniture use among "the masses" during the rising and falling days of the 20th Century may have stistically indicated otherwise, but I guess my grandmas were too busy putting the suppers on the table to worry about where they were storing the dishes.

[PINKdogWOOD]

@Snowpuppy, @Regal Bee  We have two actually - one in the living room I look at right now 'inherited' after DH's parents passed. This one came lock stock & barrel w/Dh's collection of what's left of childhood Steif animals. The rest is some crystal vases, Waterford, one pink fan shaped depression vase, and a few true to life sculpted flowers MIL had. All quite lovely. This one is very tall, 3'W maybe.

The other is one DH stripped white paint off of and found gorgeous old oak as the wood, small mirror attached at the top, about 5' tall, old fashioned, filled with lovely Belleek from yrs gone by that we bought for my mother for christmases. A few lenox petite vases in the miss too.