How to display service for 12 china & crystal in a china cabinet?

get a cabinet large enough

if the space is not large enough it will look like clutter.

There are several ways, Jean, but it would depend on how many shelves you have. My preference is to stage the things I don’t use much and places frequently used things like tea pots etc in a practical way.

I have three shelves, 2 glass and 1 wooden so have evolved the look over time to this one which is less cluttered. I arrange the large pieces at the top, on a glass shelf, frequently used things in the middle on another glass shelf and heavy items on the bottom and take all my bigger serving plates, platters, cake plates etc and stand them up at the back of the top shelf of the china cabinet so the pretty pattern on the surfaces is on show. I then place the tureens in front of them to ensure they won’t slide or move (I put a piece of fabric rolled up to tuck along the glass shelf at the back to stop everything moving but it’s hidden so it doesn’t spoil the display). On the next shelf down I have the tea pot, coffee pot, milk jugs, bowls, cups and saucers etc. Finally I have the plates and bowls all piled into their different sizes and placed along the bottom shelf, which is wood and so can take the weight. I have so many that I put large, medium and small tiered in a pile, and since I’ve been doing this I’ve had fewer breakages. I rigged up a couple of lights in the cabinet, and it does look really lovely.

this is my set of antique English china. I only display the platters and covered serving dishes here. The closet has a doored section below that holds stacks of other pieces, cups etc. I also have a display of just plates in an adjacent wall that was originally a built in china closet. I kept the doors intact and had narrow shelves installed (see second pic). My display philosophy is the opposite of Christine's above. I store the least used things in this china closet, but truth be told I rarely use any of this china now. I have an awful lot of china as I am an avid collector. My most frequently used china is across from my d.w. in my tiny kitchen. I love displaying things and really a china closet is like pictures on a wall, or items on a mantelpiece. It is all just "styling" and there is no right or wrong, only what you like.