How to Display Dishes in a Hutch

Center dishes in the middle of a cabinet section if the hutch has doors with glass panes. If the glass has multiple panes, center the dishes so that the divisions between panes fall in the center of the pile of dishes. Don’t be too exact with dishes you use often, though. That will be an exercise in frustration and take up too much time as you try to reposition them daily.

Frame larger pieces with smaller pieces that match each other, or place equally sized pieces together. If you place random sizes of dishes in the hutch instead of establishing a pattern, the end result could look lopsided.

Place heavier items on lower shelves. If you accidentally knock one of the items on the higher shelves off, that’s less weight falling toward you that you have to worry about.

Put spotlight pieces in the center of the hutch shelves. Those pieces off to the side won’t get as much attention.

Don’t overcrowd the hutch if the dishes are ornamental. Using the hutch for storing your everyday dishes only is one thing, but for an ornamental display, too many dishes will create visual noise.

Put light dishes on dark shelves or in shadows, and dark dishes on light shelves or in areas with good light, for contrast. While you can certainly put light-color dishes on light-color shelves and vice versa, the overall effect can be one of being washed out or too dark and visually heavy.