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sprklnh2o Maybe paint it white and get some unique knobs (like the ones from Anthropologie) to replace those boring ones.

jazzbhopeful I too had a bulky china cabinet, i painted its exterior white and painted it blue inside,and i loved it!
you could pick colors from your palette. I'd pick the lighter color for the exterior, and darker on the inside. Lighting the interior will provide a nice pop. Your crystal bowls and vases are lovely. Perhaps you could move them to higher shelves and place the figurines amongst them. This would balance your display, and it'd be easier to appreciate each piece.

decoenthusiaste Paint it black. put in a couple of glass shelves at the top and light it from the top so the items on those shelves will be highlighted. It is a little too crowded, so it might be time for a larger display piece. If you just need the storage, you could frost the glass - there are products for that.and for the new color too. Check out rustoleumtransformations.com

lastplace I agree paint it out with a neutral colour. I think the best bang for your buck would be to get a mirror cut . for the back. The light will bounce off all your crystal and it will add depth to the unit. Rearrange the unit a couple times a year and it will always look fresh and you will get to enjoy looking at different items. You could also put away some items to lighten it up and them rotate them when its time to do a good cleaning. Sometimes it hard to appreciate them all at once.

judyg Paint the back of your piece your wall color, the rest your woodwork color and change the hardware.

nikitasmom So many great ideas already and yet another. Use a black glaze over it which turn it almost black but would still show the grain. A different color on the inside. Use metal paint on the hinges or change them out. Add luxury as suggested with new knobs. http://hardware.myknobs.com/?style=knob&mfg=Anne%20at%20Home&theme=Whimsical&collection=Bow%20Tassel

mamachers I would paint it white also.

AMN Love decoenthusiaste's idea.

trebinje Hi Chris - I recently went through a similar process/dilemma with an antique pine china armoire (a bit larger than yours, but equally out-of-date). I finally settled on leaving the wood as-is ... just too much prep work to paint it properly as a DIY project. However, I did change out the hardware, including the door hinges. I also painted the inside back panel black, and covered the shelves with black Contact paper. I also edited out some of our china and crystal to stage the shelves. This is a good first step, and we will live with it for a while as we contemplate making bigger changes i.e. paint the exterior, in the future.

underedenx depends on your style? i personally love this black one however white is nice also... i love the use of wallpaper on the white one!

cyn222 Paint it. Might want to even do wallpaper or paint inside for a different look.

ASVInteriors like underedenx I was going to suggest wallpaper. I would find a lovely wallpaper to echo its design. The other solution is to use a muted silver or gold leaf on the inside so that it brings in light.

underedenx The possibilities are endless!!!

Charmean Neithart Interiors, LLC. Another vote for painting and wallpapering the back and side shelves. Great updated look!

underedenx u could also use fabric inside with a spray on adhesive!!!

SPACIALISTS White will make this china cabinet look amazing. Go for white.

onthefence I love the idea of the black glaze -- or even a dark espresso. That feels very modern to me. I think a dark unit will really show off your crystal better as well.

onthefence Chris, what color is the rest of the furniture in this area?

ASVInteriors Just came across this