Rachel, I can't see the contact paper, but I'm guessing it is on the back of the upper cabinets. You can use fabric and wrap a thin piece of cardboard and fit it up so you have more options / colors and patterns.

If you replace the knobs, keep the original wood ones taped to the back of a drawer so they don't get disconnected. The shelves inside the upper cabinets seem to have been painted white and I would be tempted to use wood tape on their face with a stain pen to get them to match, or paint the front edge black.

I think the trick here is what colors you display in the glass fronted cabinets and repeat in rug, art, etc. Would you line up the shelves with the leaded glass division, use easels and decorative plates in the lower half, and stack colored stoneware / bowls across the top - red or cobalt or the soft sage greens but all the same so that they make a clear sstatement.


On the right, a light behind an arts and crafts stained glass pane would be perfect, but that is probably a long term project. Until then, consider an art piece like tom thompson (canada's group of seven - i like northern river - http://www.art.com/asp/mountshop/default.asp/_/mt--1/pd--10075427/sp--a/posters.htm?PODConfigID=0&ui=161D938418874FF0BF2C83FF26FEB065 or if you want to pick up the wood tone and your accents are red, http://www.art.com/asp/mountshop/default.asp/_/mt--1/pd--10075425/sp--a/posters.htm?PODConfigID=0&ui=161D938418874FF0BF2C83FF26FEB065 - Buy it mounted / trimmed to the image, then use command strips to hang it on the glass as if it were a frame. They have an arts and crafts sensibility that is the same era as your piece. Use the art as the color inspiration for the fabric at the back of your shelves, or better yet, use a linen that sort of matches your walls and let the color come from the stoneware / porcelain.

Select one strong tone from the art, use in the rug, the plates, your eventual table linen trims.

Wow, great ideas. I would never have thought of that!
I'm trying to keep the house as original as possible, and all your tips are greatly appreciated!
More pics to come!

Could you change to glass shelves. If so, light the interior of the cabinet with LED strip lighting . Talk to a good lighting consultant at a lighting store for advice on mounting position. Hopefully this lighting could be powered by plugging its cord with switch into an existing wall outlet.

In the window frame I think I would put an L.E.D. light in there at the top and display some beautiful sculpture or a nice vase of flowers! love it!

What a beautiful piece! And it looks like its with leaded glass too! You might want to consider replacing the shelves with glass shelving, add a "tap" light to the interior top, and let the light shine down on a collection of depression era glass (if you have or can score some!). On the knobs, you might consider the glass faceted ones as replacements.
http://www.houseofantiquehardware.com/glass-crystal-cabinet-hardware
https://www.houzz.com/magazine/built-in-buffets-beef-up-dining-room-style-stsetivw-vs~5805259