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How to display decorative plates


Plate display ideas – how to turn your crockery into a wall decoration

Why keep your favourite tableware hidden in a cupboard when you can put it on show? Decorative plates are perfect for making a statement at a dinner party, but they are so much more – they are the perfect decoration to add interest to kitchen walls and hallways. We've rounded up some of our favourite plate display ideas to make your crockery work twice as hard in your home.

For more wall decor ideas read Kitchen wall decor ideas – easy and affordable ways to style your space

How do you display china plates?

When deciding how to display plates you first need to decide how often you plan to use them, or if they are purely decorative. Wall mounting plates can look incredible, however this is not something you'll want to do with plates you plan to use every now and again.

Wall mounts and groupings are best saved for statement plates that look like works of art. Group them together in the kitchen or a living room for a unique twist on a gallery wall.

For plates you plan to use try displaying them on plinths or in traditional dressers that can be reached easily, and won't leave a gaping hole for guests to gawp at when you take them down. When displaying plates in a dresser, mix and match the colours and designs to avoid a display that appears stuffy and old fashioned.

To avoid a Linda Barker teapot disaster, ensure your shelves are study and any wall hangings are fixed securely before displaying your plates.

Plate display ideas

1. Group plates together

(Image credit: Future PLC/Adrian Briscoe)

Whether it's a triangle, square or circle, a shaped grouping will give the look of a single piece of wall art. A bold geometric design will give this traditional method of displays plates a modern twist. Repeat the colour on other accessories to pull the look together.

2. Line them up in a row

(Image credit: Future PLC/Carolyn Barber)

Create a linear display on a narrow shelf above your kitchen splash back. Plates in the same colour palette as your room scheme will give a calm and co-ordinated look. However, don't feel you need to stick to the same pattern, play with different designs to create an informal gallery wall effect. Install a safety slot, a groove cut along the shelf. This will stop plates slipping off.

3. Mix it up in a dresser

(Image credit: Future PLC/Holly Joliffe)

Displaying plates in a dresser might give you flashbacks of your nan's dining room. However, if you are clever with your positioning this will look nothing like your the old-fashioned one you remember. Display matching sets, mixing sizes and even two colour ways.

Painting your shelving in a complementary colour will set them off to perfection. Avoid arranging in a repetitive pattern for a more laid-back look.

4. Contrast against a bold backdrop

(Image credit: Future PLC/Chris Everard)

Painting the backing of a unit (or the wall between shelves) in a contrasting colour will make plates pop and highlight their shapes. Sticking to one shade of plate, such as this white set will make sure your display packs a punch.

5. Zone a dining area in an open plan kitchen

(Image credit: Future PLC/Brent Darby)

Fill a blank wall above a dinner table with beautifully painted plates. This is an easy and whimsical way to zone a dining area in an open plan kitchen. Don't afraid to use different size, patterns or colours. However, to keep the look coordinated with the rest of the room stick to a complementary colour scheme that will tie the space together.

Related: Navy kitchen ideas – to add an element of rich colour and sophistication

6. Create an ombre effect

If you have a selection of one off plates that you don't know what to do with, why not turn them into a work of art. This stunning design has grouped blue plates in varying designs, shapes and shades to create a flowing ombre wave across the wall.

To recreate this look star with the largest plates or serving platters closest to the walls. Slowly build out the design using smaller dinner plates and side plates. Fill in any gaps with small decorative plates for a stunning finish.

7. Slot serving plates in an alcove

(Image credit: Future PLC/Simon Whitmore)

This is a perfect doubling up of storage and decoration in a kitchen. Turn an awkward alcove into a place to store and display pretty dinner plates with the help of a strip of wood and a groove to hold them in place. Arrange the plates in order of how your use them for a relaxed look that is easy to add to and take away from.

8.Add in a matching plinth

(Image credit: Future PLC/ Polly Eltes)

In a kitchen add in a plinth or shelf in a material to match the rest of the kitchen. This wooden shelf that matches the dark wooden kitchen is as much a statement as the plates that rest on it. When dressing a sturdy shelf like this opt for larger plates with statement designs that won't be drowned out by the dark heavy wood.

Related: Kitchen splashback ideas to keep kitchen walls protected in style

Have you been inspired to put your best crockery out on display?

Rebecca Knight has been the Deputy Editor on the Ideal Home Website since 2022. She graduated with a Masters degree in magazine journalism from City, University of London in 2018, before starting her journalism career as a staff writer on women's weekly magazines. She fell into the world of homes and interiors after joining the Ideal Home website team in 2019 as a Digital Writer. In 2020 she moved into position of Homes News Editor working across Homes & Gardens, LivingEtc, Real Homes, Gardeningetc and Ideal Home covering everything from the latest viral cleaning hack to the next big interior trend. 

How to Hang Plates on a Wall

Look, we all love a good gallery wall. But in the same maximalist spirit that moves me to constantly find new places to wallpaper, I've often thought, "what else could I hang on my wall?" While art is a necessary staple of any home, that art doesn't have to be confined to paintings and prints in frames—there are plenty of other objects to add to your decor. Take, for example, plates.

People have been hanging plates on walls for essentially as long as decorative plates have existed. After all, with the fine craftsmanship and detailed painting on Limoges and other porcelain, these pieces are just as much works of art as useful serving pieces. From England to France to the American South, tabletop lovers have long hung plates on the wall both as a form of decoration and, sometimes, a clever storage option.

My blank wall.

Kathryn Wirsing

No one knows this better than John Derian, designer, shop owner, and decoupage artist extraordinaire. He has earned a cult following for his decorative plates, featuring repurposed motifs from vintage books and prints. Too pretty to eat off, Derian's plates make the perfect fodder for a decorative wall. So, when his company generously sent me an array of plates after I moved into my new apartment, I set out to create a plate wall of my own. Here's how I did it.

Don't have a stash of plates lying around? Try tag sales or Etsy for sets of inexpensive dinnerware you can use for this project.

Measuring the plate backdrop.

Kathryn Wirsing

1. Measure your background

Find the bare wall (or section of wall) where you want to hang your plates, and measure out the width and height of the area you want to cover. This will be the canvas for your wall art.

Plates arranged on a table roughly the same size as the hanging background.

Kathryn Wirsing

2. Arrange your plates

Using your measurements as a guide, lay out your plates on the floor or a surface the correct size, moving around until you get an arrangement you like. Tip: If you're using plates of varying sizes and shapes, vary them throughout, but keep larger pieces towards the bottom so the arrangement doesn't feel top-heavy.

The taped outline.

Kathryn Wirsing

3. Tape out your plan


Using blue painters tape, translate the arrangement on the table or floor to the wall. I find it easiest to start by measuring the placement of the center piece, then working out from there for the others, mapping out the distance between each plate and its size to get a mock up on the wall.

Creative Hobbies Deluxe Plate Display Hangers

Creative Hobbies Deluxe Plate Display Hangers

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4. Attach hangers

The big difference between framed art and plates is that art—since it's created to hang on a wall—usually comes with a wire or hanger. Plates, obviously, do not. That's where your new best friend comes in: plate hanging wires. Get the kind with springs, so they'll hold your plate tightly, and with coated edges, so they won't crack or chip them. The wires come in various sizes for every kind of plate, and most come with hooks and nails to hang them on. Attach the wires to the plates.

5. Hang!

Now it's time to hang! For each plate, measure the distance from the top of the plate to the wire that will catch on the hook behind it, then nail a hook into the wall that same place on your taped outline of the plate. Tip: If you live in an older building and your walls tend to shake a lot when you hammer into them, nail in all the hooks before hanging all the plates.

My wall before and after.

Kathryn Wirsing

6. Adjust if needed

Even the best DIYers make mistakes, and despite your measuring, something might look a bit off when all is said and hung. If so, don't be afraid to adjust, swapping plates or moving the hooks a bit—your plates will likely cover any extra holes!

And voilà! Now you have a new kind of wall art.

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Hadley Keller

Digital Director

Hadley Keller is House Beautiful’s digital director. She oversees all digital content for the brand as well as working on the print magazine. She has covered covering design, interiors, and culture for 10 years in New York. She served as Associate Market Editor, Design Reporter, and News Editor for Architectural Digest and AD PRO before joining House Beautiful. Hadley is a staunch maximalist and vocal opponent of the Open Floor Plan.

how to beautifully hang a decorative plate on the wall on the mount

Wall plates in the interior are one of the favorite tricks of decorators. They look stylish, original, fit into any design and are a great alternative to traditional decor like paintings and posters. We tell you how to hang the plates beautifully and fix them well on the wall.

Choosing plates

First of all, you should think about which plates you are going to use as decoration. There are three options:

  1. Ordinary crockery, such as dinnerware. If it is of high quality and attractive, then it may well serve as an interior decoration.
  2. Special decorative plates. They are distinguished by an unusual design, often drawings or photographs are printed on them. They can be purchased at specialized decor stores or brought from travel.
  3. Handmade plates. Any plate with a neutral background can be painted with acrylics or decorated with decoupage - this is a great way to express yourself. nine0014

To make the plates on the wall fit well into the interior, choose the theme of drawings or decor for the room.

  • Plates on the wall in the kitchen - a classic for Provence, Scandinavian, ethnic, modern styles. This is where they will look best, as dishes are primarily associated with cooking. To enhance this effect, you can pick up plates with images of fruits, pastries, various drinks, in general, with any topic related to food. nine0014

  • For the bedroom, it is better to choose plates with calm patterns in pastel colors, such as images of rabbits, lavender or birds.

  • In the living room, you can not hold back and hang the most unusual and bright plates - with abstract drawings, portraits or unusual shapes. Recently, plates in the form of fish, leaves or shells have been very popular.

  • For hallways and corridors, choose any plates that will emphasize the individuality of your home. nine0014

Where to place the plates

Their location also depends on the room.

In the living room, the best place is above the head of the sofa, where decor begs to be. But if you want to see your plates more often, then it is better to place them above the TV, mantelpiece or other central points of the living room.

In the interior of the bedroom and children's room, wall plates are placed above the head of the bed or on the opposite wall. nine0003

There is usually little free space on the walls in the kitchen, but you can still find a corner for plates. If you have a dining table here, then the decor will look good above it. It will look no less appropriate above a sideboard or a low cabinet with kitchen utensils. The main thing is not to place the plates in the area of ​​\u200b\u200bthe kitchen apron, where they will regularly get dirty.

How to hang decorative plates on the wall?

There are 4 main ways to fix a plate on a wall.

  • Adhesive discs or Velcro. This is the easiest way to hang a plate on the wall without fasteners. But it is not suitable for all plates, but only for the smallest and lightest. In addition, not all of them have a perfectly flat back surface in order to place Velcro on it.

  • You can also hang the plate on the wall using liquid nails or cold welding . This method does not require the use of nails, and it is suitable for unusually shaped cymbals that are difficult to attach to an adhesive disc. To place the decor, glue a small wooden block on the back of the plate, wait for the glue to dry, and then glue the resulting base immediately onto the wall.

  • Special holders . In this case, you can’t do without holes in the wall, but this method can be called the most reliable. Mounts for plates can be selected at hardware stores or made independently, for example, using “liquid nails”, glue a ribbon or a wire loop onto a plate. nine0014

  • If you are looking for a way to hang a plate beautifully on the wall, but do not want to damage the wallpaper or plaster, shelving and hanging shelves are a good alternative. The advantage of this method is that this way the plates look more orderly and it will not be necessary to drill the wall for each of them.

Secrets of matching with other interior details

Now that we figured out how to hang the plates on the wall, it's time to think about what they will look good with. Armament following recommendations of designers:

  • Consider the color scheme of the room. Plates can either echo the colors in the interior or serve as a contrasting spot, it all depends on the tasks. If the design of the room is made in monochrome and lacks bright colors, then let the decor of the plates on the wall become a color accent that enlivens the room. But if 3-4 colors are already used in it, then select plates to match the main range.

  • It is also worth considering the finish of the wall on which you will place decor . Against the background of wallpaper with patterns, you should hang plain plates, otherwise the combination of colorful walls and decor will ripple in your eyes. And on a neutral background, for example, on a white wall, you can afford to place plates with any patterns.

  • The design of the room is also very important. In the interior in the style of Provence, country and shabby chic, cute plates with pastoral landscapes, floral patterns or images of animals will look great. Scandi and minimalism are well complemented by sets of plates of different colors or with abstract patterns. In more industrial and modern styles like loft or hi-tech, you can give preference to plates of unusual shapes or made of metal. nine0014

  • It is not necessary to hang the plates in a line . If there are a lot of them, then hang them in the shape of a triangle, diamond, circle, or just randomly.

  • Make sure your plates match in color, size and theme.

Our dishes can be both wall decor and serve their intended purpose. Stylish plates will give your home a personality and fill it with an inimitable Provencal atmosphere. Order decor from us and get bonus points that can be used to pay up to 50% of your next purchase! nine0003

Go to the section WARE

Decorative plates as an interior element.

Beautiful interiors are judged by individuality. That is why it is customary to decorate the walls in houses with paintings, photographs, carpets, and also - decorative plates . This is a fairly simple and also economical way to diversify the interior, transform and add zest to it.

If you are a collector of decorative plates , then it is quite appropriate to use them to decorate a free wall in a room. Thus, your collection of decorative plates will be in sight, and will be an exclusive decoration of the interior of the room. Although it is quite possible to decorate the wall with ordinary assorted, but beautiful plates. It will also be beautiful and unusual. In this way, you can give your interior an individual look, but at the same time not going beyond your budget. nine0003

Wall plates come to every home for different reasons. Someone gets them as a gift, someone brings them as a keepsake from other cities and countries, someone buys them as a decorative element. Plates are made from environmentally friendly materials. They are made from glass, clay, ceramics, porcelain, wood or wicker.

Decorative plates are most often found on the walls of the kitchen area. Although different styles of modern interiors allow their presence in literally all rooms. nine0003

They will be appropriate in the living room, dining room, hall, bedroom. A wide range allows you to choose plates with a print suitable for the atmosphere of each room. From this decor you can make beautiful, original and unique compositions. It is important to learn how to properly place the plates - so that they fit into the interior of the room and merge with the general style of the home.

Interior decoration with plates is a spectacular and original technique. However, this decor method is not as simple as it might seem at first glance. And like every decor technique, this method has its own rules. nine0003

Decorative plates should be sensibly placed on the wall. In the arrangement of decorative plates, symmetry or asymmetry is possible, but there is no chaos and meaninglessness. The asymmetric arrangement of decorative plates gives dynamics to the composition, the symmetrical arrangement - rigor and stability. Asymmetry can be obtained by using decorative plates of different diameters in the composition or by asymmetrical arrangement of plates on the wall.

How to get symmetry is clear. Decorative plates should be in the same color scheme as the interior of the room. This means that the color of decorative plates should match or be close in color to any interior decor items. In this case, the wall with decorative plates will not look “alien” in the interior of the room. Ideally, if the color palette of decorative plates and the color palette of the interior of the room will completely match. nine0003

These decorative elements look especially good on plain walls. Products of dark or variegated color look favorably on light walls, and the beauty of snow-white ones will be emphasized by a contrasting dark wall.

If the color scheme of the interior is restrained, then the color scheme of decorative plates can be richer and brighter. And in interiors where there is enough color, the color scheme of decorative plates should be more restrained or even monochrome. If there is wallpaper with a small pattern on the walls, then plates with a colorful pattern should not be placed on them. Decorative plates look interesting against the background of striped wallpaper. nine0003

The style of the decorative plates should match the style of the interior design of the room. If the interior of the room is in a classic style, then decorative plates for such an interior should be in a classic style in shape and pattern. Classic to classic, country to country, modern to modern. But modern interior design styles are not so strict and decorative plates of any style fit them in style.

Decorative plates with small patterns are the right way to decorate small rooms. Since the smaller the pattern on the plates, the closer you should look at them in order to consider the pattern. Conversely, a large drawing looks good from a distance. nine0003

Decorative plates on the walls are placed on special shelves for decorative plates, on special hanging hooks, which can be purchased in specialized stores. You can put decorative plates on table holders, a cornice above the window, a narrow console shelf. For souvenir plates, special stands are produced that allow them to be placed on a flat surface - cabinets, fireplaces.

Thinking about how to quickly and inexpensively bring something interesting and attractive to the interior of your home? And why not think about how to create a kind of collage of decorative plates? Currently, this technique is not used very often and is even considered a relic of the past, but if you look at how effectively such a collage can look on the wall and be an addition to even a completely modern interior, you may change your mind. Creating something like this is not at all difficult, and most importantly, it is not expensive. See how you can decorate your home with decorative plates on the walls. nine0003

I hope that after reading this article and some tips, you will have a lot of your own creative ideas. For example, about how best to decorate your plates.

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