Display Cabinet Buying Guide
Every company wants to give the best impression of itself. What better way to show visitors and employees alike that you are an accomplished and award-winning business than having a beautiful display cabinet full of your accolades or products in pride of place in your office?
Here at Office Furniture Online, we understand that your accomplishments, award-winning products, and certificates deserve to be showcased in a beautiful way, and we have a great selection of crafted display cabinets available for you to choose from.
In This Guide, We’ll Cover:
- Our top 5 tips for buying display cabinets
- Different types of display cabinets?
- What to consider when choosing a display cabinet
- What can I put in a display cabinet?
- Where to buy display cabinets?
Let us take you through the different types of display cabinets you can choose from, going through the pros and cons of wooden vs glass cabinets, and wall-mounted vs freestanding display cabinets. We also have some great ideas of what to put in your sparkling new display area, as well as the different options you have for buying display cabinets.
Our Top 5 Tips for Buying Display Cabinets
There’s a whole guide below on picking the right display option for your workspace – so if you want a more comprehensive look at what to buy, keep reading. But here are our top five tips for buying display cabinets if you need some quick pointers on what to look for in a hurry:
- Consider how much space your office has
- Think about what you need to store in your drawers
- Take a look at different aesthetics to find your favourite
- Set yourself a budget
- Always consider privacy and security
Different Types of Display Cabinets
The best place to start is by taking a look at each of the different types of display cabinets that are available for you to choose from. You can choose between a few different materials, but the most common display cabinets available are glass display cabinets and wooden display cabinets.
With both of these types of cabinets, you then have two options of where they can be placed in your office – either freestanding or wall-mounted. We’ll go through the pros and cons of both of these options, as well as the advantages and disadvantages of glass and wooden display cabinets.
Glass Display Cabinets
Glass display cabinets are one of the most popular options for displaying different effects, particularly awards and products as they can easily be viewed and admired from all areas of your office.
This is really important for companies who are displaying their products, as it means that when the displayed products catch visitors’ eyes, they are more likely to ask questions about the products and take a look at your full range – pique their interest without having to say a word!
Glass cabinets are also very stylish and can work with every type of décor because of their versatility. Some of the glass display cabinets that we have available come with display cabinet lighting, which really helps to enhance the products and effects that you want to display within them.
Smart lighting also helps with the overall ambience in your office, giving your awards and products a subtle glow and shine. If space is tight, opt for a glass corner display cabinet to show off your company’s achievements without sacrificing too much floor space.
Having your awards and accomplishments on display behind a shining glass cabinet can also help with work morale – who doesn’t want to work for a successful and award-winning company? Made from tough materials with ample storage space inside, our glass display cabinets are a must for any business looking to celebrate their achievements.
Wooden Display Cabinets
Some offices may have opted for wooden furniture, and it is important to keep a cohesive look to your office furniture to maintain a professional appearance. While glass cabinets are very versatile and are in keeping with almost all different types of aesthetics, you may be tempted to stay in keeping with the overall theme of your wooden furniture. There are of course different types of wooden cabinets available –perhaps a sturdy oak display cabinet will match your office’s furniture best? Be sure to pick the wood tone and grain that best complements your current setup.
Wooden display cabinets are just one of the choices available – you may also consider wooden shelving, which can be added to and extended as your collection of products grows and you gain more recognition with awards and certifications. Or you could opt for modular cube storage for a more modern look that’s a bit more sleek and low-key than a large display cabinet.
If you want to display your products in an easy-to-access way, you could opt for a credenza or sideboard, so that your products are within arm’s reach at any time during a meeting or presentation.
Wall-Mounted Display Cabinets
Once you have decided what type of cabinet you think would look best in your space, it’s time to consider how you would like to place the display cabinet in your office space.
You could opt for a wall-mounted display cabinet, which would place your products and awards right at eye level when visitors first come into your office space. These types of display cabinets tend to attract a lot of attention due to their positioning, so are ideal for the products you want visitors to see most, or for the awards that you are most proud of.
Having your display cabinet wall-mounted can also help with saving space in your office, as free-standing display cabinets can often take up more of your office footprint. Wall-mounted display cabinets can also add to the overall decoration of the walls in your office if you are lacking artwork or office equipment such as whiteboards or wall calendars.
Freestanding Display Cabinets
Of course, installing into the wall might not be an option for you – maybe you’re in a rented space where you can’t make changes to the walls, or you are in a small home office where the wall space is limited.
If that’s the case, then you can opt for a freestanding display cabinet instead. These types of display cabinets tend to be taller and slimmer than wall-mounted units, which are wider to accommodate for less length.
Freestanding display cabinets are ideal for customers looking for something functional but still appealing, ideal for home office workers who want to retain a more personal look to their home office space whilst having something functional available.
Our glass freestanding cabinets are particularly great for having in the background of your Zoom work calls when you really want to show off your products and awards.
These types of cabinets are also particularly handy for offices that frequently move their space around, as these units are mobile and easily transportable in comparison to the wall-mounted cabinets which are likely to leave holes in your walls which would need to be repaired. Whichever option you go for, there are a few things you should double-check before diving into the purchase!
Things to Consider when Buying a Display Cabinet
There are a couple of things you should pause to consider before making the investment in an office display cabinet – are you sure that you have a good amount of space available? Do you have the budget available for the type of display cabinet you are envisioning for your space? Check out our list of must-have considerations to ensure you are good to go.
Size: From full wall display cabinets to narrow or even mobile showcases, size is a big aspect of choosing the right display cabinet. Would a small display cabinet look good in your space, or would it get lost amongst all the other furniture? Would a corner display cabinet finally fill up empty space in your board room? The size of the cabinet and the size of your space are important considerations to keep in mind.
Budget: Another important consideration is the price at which you are willing to pay for your ideal cabinet. Larger units will cost more money, as will units with a stronger glass and more advanced locks, but if these additional features are a must for you, expect to pay a higher price.
| Type of product | Price range |
| Glass display cabinets | £900-£1,400 |
| Wall-mounted display cabinets | £800 |
| Freestanding display cabinets | £900-£1,600 |
Materials: The type of materials your display cabinet is made from are actually quite important to keep in mind. Consider if your display cabinet will be in a high-traffic area – it’s a good idea to invest in safety glass, in case of accidents! Office Furniture Online sells display cabinets with 6mm toughened safety glass to BS 6206 Class A. And if your display cabinet is going to be kept in a public area, it might be a good idea to invest in a high-tech lock, so that none of the awards you worked so hard for get stolen.
Lighting: Display cabinet lighting is a great way to really highlight what’s inside – your awards will never look more impressive than when they are glinting from the soft light of inset lighting. Office Furniture Online not only sell display cabinets with inbuilt lighting, but we also sell the exact lightbulbs you will need for the cabinet so you can buy everything from one place.
Locks: As mentioned above, if you are keeping valuables inside your display cabinet, it really is worth investing in a display cabinet with an ample lock – you wouldn’t want to risk the loss of any of your valuables. All Office Furniture Online display cabinets come fully fitted with lockable sliding doors for your peace of mind. And if you need something even more secure, consider an office safe.
Weight and capacity: You may have three products that you are incredibly proud of and want to display, but also have another three already in the pipeline ready for production and manufacture! It’s important to keep in mind all that you would like to display in your cabinets to ensure that you get the right size and capacity.
It’s also important to make sure any wall-mounted display cabinets aren’t too heavy for your walls – also bearing in mind the weight of the valuables that will be displayed inside your cabinet!
What can be Kept in a Display Cabinet?
You may be wondering what sort of valuables can be kept in a display cabinet, particularly if you only have one or two effects that you really want to show off but you’re unsure if it’s worth purchasing an entire display cabinet for them! There are so many different things you could put in a display cabinet, such as:
- Medals and trophies
- Photos of your team or staff members
- Art or decorative items such as vases and statues
- Books
- Examples of products your company offers
- Papers your company has written or contributed to
- Certifications or courses that your employees have earned
Where can I Buy Display Cabinets?
Now comes the final step – you’ve gone through the different considerations for what you need in a display cabinet, you have figured out exactly what you would like to display, and you know what your budget will be, now you just need to know where to buy your ideal display cabinet! Well luckily for you, Office Furniture Online has a great range of display cabinets to choose from, as well as an extensive array of other storage options available should you need additional furniture.
If you are wondering what other types of office storage are available for your space, you can take a look at our office storage page at Office Furniture Online.
