Display cabinets are one of the hardest pieces to buy well. Most are either too plain to justify the wall they occupy or too ornate to live with for long.

The Oslo sits precisely between the two, and it comes down to two decisions the maker got right.

The timber. Solid elm is denser and far more individual in character than oak, with a wandering, distinctive grain and a warmth of colour that oak and pine never quite reach. No two Oslo cabinets are identical. Because the grain runs through solid timber rather than sitting on a veneer, the piece will take decades of use without the edges chipping or lifting. Elm is also the timber that improves most visibly with age, deepening in tone rather than simply wearing.

The arch. A curved top has a sculptural authority a rectangular cabinet cannot achieve, and it reads as architectural rather than as furniture pushed against a wall. It is also a considerably harder shape to build well, which is why so few cabinets at this level attempt it.

The solid brass hardware is the final considered detail. Warm metal against natural elm grain has stayed beautiful across every decade of interior design, and solid brass develops a patina over years rather than wearing through the way plated hardware does.

• Solid elm throughout, denser and more characterful than oak, with grain that runs through the piece
• Arched top silhouette that gives the cabinet genuine architectural presence
• Glazed upper doors keeping a display visible but protected from dust
• Solid lower cabinet for everything you would rather not look at
• Solid brass hardware that patinates with age instead of wearing through
• 213cm of height that draws the eye upward and makes a room feel taller
• Genuinely unique grain, so no two cabinets are the same
• Low upkeep, since glass keeps the display clean and elm needs little more than dusting
• Works in almost any room, from dining room to hallway to living room to study

The route in is the thing to check first. Doorway heights, stairwell turns and low beams all matter at 213cm. Critically, a tall cabinet needs clearance to be tilted upright once it is inside, which catches people out more often than the doorway does.

Two person lift. At 87kg, have help available on delivery day.

Tell us your access route before ordering and we will work it through with you.

A glazed cabinet is styled twice: once for what sits inside and once for the wall it stands against. Both matter, and most people only think about the first.

Give the Oslo a wall where the full 213cm can be seen. It works best on a wall you face rather than one you pass, since the whole point is the display behind the glass. In a dining room, position it where evening light or a lamp will catch the glazed panels. Avoid direct all-day sunlight, which fades timber and anything on display alike.

Restraint is everything. Fill roughly two thirds of each shelf and leave the rest empty, because negative space is what separates a curated cabinet from a crowded one. Work in odd numbers, vary the heights, and repeat one material across shelves to tie the whole thing together. Ceramic vases, bowls, artisan vessels, stacked books laid flat and a few faux botanicals is all it takes.

Elm reads warm and mid toned, so it sits beautifully against soft white, oatmeal, putty and stone. For real drama, a deep olive, sage or inky charcoal on the wall behind will make the arched silhouette read almost architectural and throw the brass hardware forward. Cool grey is the one to avoid, as it flattens the warmth in the grain.

A glazed cabinet in an unlit corner is a wasted opportunity. Place a table lamp nearby so light rakes across the glass in the evening, or fit warm discreet LED strip lighting inside the upper section if your setup allows. Warm bulbs of 2400K to 2700K are essential, as cool light makes both elm and brass look grey.

Glass and brass are hard and reflective, so balance them with something soft underfoot and something matt on display. A wool or jute rug, unglazed stoneware and a linen runner nearby give the eye somewhere to rest between the reflective surfaces.

Most rooms are furnished horizontally. Sofas, sideboards, tables and beds all sit low, and the result is that the upper half of a room often does nothing at all. A 213cm cabinet changes that in one move, drawing the eye upward and making the ceiling feel higher than it is.

In a dining room the Oslo is the natural home for glassware, decanters, serving pieces and the good china, all visible behind glass and protected between uses, with table linens and everyday clutter in the cupboard below. In a hallway it turns a passing space into a considered one, with books, ceramics and greenery above and shoes, post and keys out of sight beneath. In a living room it works as a display and library piece in equal measure. In a study, files below and beautiful things above is a combination that always works.

Seasonally it flexes without effort. Fresh greenery and pale ceramics through spring, glassware and linen in summer, dried grasses and amber toned glass in autumn, and in December a run of candles and foliage along the top with the glazed shelves lit from within. Nothing else in the room needs to change.

Honest solid timber, visible grain and glazed doors are the language of farmhouse dressers, brought up to date by the cleaner arched silhouette.

A glazed display cabinet is a traditional form, and solid brass hardware on solid hardwood is exactly what period rooms are built around.

The arch is a strong contemporary motif and the piece is otherwise unornamented, so it sits comfortably in a modern room where a carved dresser would not.

Proportion doing the work rather than decoration is the essence of classic design, and this cabinet relies almost entirely on its silhouette.

Pale ceramics and glassware behind glass against warm timber gives coastal more depth than the usual blue and white. Style it sparsely and it reads as unmistakably Scandi.

Solid elm. A hardwood with a wandering, interlocking grain, which gives it both its distinctive appearance and its resistance to splitting. Denser than pine and more individual in character than oak, with warmer undertones and far more variation from board to board. Because the Oslo is built from solid elm rather than veneer over board, the grain continues through the piece and the cabinet can be sanded and refinished decades from now.

Glazed upper doors. Glass keeps a display visible while protecting it from the dust that makes open shelving such a chore, which is why the things you want to see daily but rarely handle belong behind it.

Solid brass hardware. The detail that ages best of all. Solid brass develops a soft patina over the years rather than wearing through to a base metal beneath, so it will look better in ten years than it does today, and it can be polished back to bright at any point if you prefer.

Grain, figure and knot placement differ from cabinet to cabinet. That variation is the timber working as intended rather than a fault.

The glass. Spray glass cleaner onto a cloth rather than onto the panels, so nothing runs into the timber frame. Wipe the frame dry immediately if any does.

The timber. Dust along the grain with a soft dry cloth and wipe spills promptly. A clear furniture wax once or twice a year keeps the elm nourished and deepens its tone. Avoid silicone based sprays and all purpose polishes, which build up and dull a timber finish.

The brass. A dry cloth is usually enough. Solid brass can be polished back to bright if you prefer it that way, unlike a plated finish which would strip.

Placement. Keep the cabinet clear of a radiator where you can, since prolonged dry heat is harder on solid timber than anything else in a normal home, and out of all-day direct sun.

Loading it. Heaviest items low, lightest at the top. A tall cabinet loaded top-heavy is less stable than the same weight distributed low, even once it is fixed to the wall.

Every Oslo is checked before it leaves us and packed with the care a glazed solid timber piece of this height requires. Allow 10 to 14 days, travelling with our specialist furniture courier rather than a general carrier. They will contact you to arrange a delivery time that works around you. Full details on our delivery page.

Before you order, talk to us about ceiling height and the route in. On a 213cm cabinet both matter as much as the wall it is going against, and we would far rather work it through beforehand. Reach us via our contact page or live chat.

If it is not right once it is in the room, our 30 day returns process is straightforward, and everything is covered by our guarantees and warranties.

0% interest-free finance is available at checkout, and our price match promise stands if you find the same piece for less elsewhere. Specifying for a project? Ask about trade accounts.