A cupboard is a display vessel meant to showcase dishware and glassware, while cabinets are more of do-it-all closets fashioned to stow utilitarian items.
Cupboards are generally designed to be fairly utilitarian. Some would say that cupboards are more native to the kitchen because of their reputation for housing plates, cups, flatware, and pantry essentials. Because displaying plates and glassware is common practice, many cupboards are equipped with shelving and glass panes.
While cabinets are often likened to a humble storage unit, their designs tend to be more embellished than cupboards. Since cabinets’ contents trend more utilitarian in nature than cupboards’, craftspeople and designers often give cabinets’ exteriors an aesthetic upgrade. Because displaying items isn’t a must for most cabinets, it’s less common for cabinets to have shelves than cupboards.
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Photo by John Merkl, Styling by Jody Kennedy