Decorating with Plates for Creative Wall Displays

Creative plate wall display

Your china cabinet is probably the last place you would look to find wall hangings.  Not so fast.  Plates are a great way to add color and interest to your walls.  Display them on wood plate racks, metal plate hangers or simply hang them on the wall in interesting patterns.  Decorating with plates gives you many options for creative wall displays.

A fluid display of plates
A fluid display of plates (livingbetter50)
An upcycled pallet makes a rustic plate rack
An upcycled pallet makes a rustic plate rack (blog.builddirect)
Plate racks can be used alone or as the center of a plate display
Plate racks can be used alone or as the center of a plate display (Pinterest)
An all-over plate display
An all-over plate display (cromalens via Pinterest)

When choosing plates for display, you can set a theme based on pattern, color or type of plate.  Display a group of similar dishes in varying sizes or plates in the same color family.  You may have collections of plates that would look great as a grouping on the wall.

Whimsical fish plates make a creative wall display
Whimsical fish plates make a creative wall display (displaydays)
A collection of plates as a unique wall display
A collection of plates as a unique wall display (seaseight.blogspot)
A collection of plates in varying designs makes an impact
A collection of plates in varying designs makes an impact (Pinterest)

If you have a collection of broken or mismatched dishes, use them to decorate an outdoor area.  Display them on a fence or deck railing.  Hang them on the side of the house by the patio or on the garden shed.

Plates decorate an outdoor space
Plates decorate an outdoor space (patchworkharmony.blogspot)
Colorful display of plates outdoors
Colorful display of plates outdoors (followpics.co)
Plates decorate a garden fence
Plates decorate a garden fence (gardenworldimages)

To come up with a design, lay the plates on the floor and experiment with different arrangements.  Then you can place them on the wall accordingly.  Use paper to cut outlines of the various plates and tape them to the wall to see how the arrangement will look.

Trace objects onto paper for wall layout
Trace objects onto paper for wall layout (decoratorsnotebook.wordpress)
Paper shapes for wall display layout
Paper shapes for wall display layout (decoratorsnotebook.wordpress)

An asymmetrical arrangement is an interesting way to work a plate display around furniture, such as a console table in the hallway.  Contour an arrangement of plates around a headboard or a curved cabinet for a pleasing display.

An asymmetrical plate display works well in this foyer space
An asymmetrical plate display works well in this foyer space (thakatswspiti.blogspot)
A plate display extends the headboard
A plate display extends the headboard (nottinghillinteriors)

Spread a grouping across the wall over a sofa or fireplace.  Extend plates up the wall above a mantel on which plates are displayed.  Embellish plates with vintage photographs, ribbon and other mementoes for classically charming style.

A pretty plate display above the sofa
A pretty plate display above the sofa (domesticfashionista)
Plates embellished with mementoes add charming detail over the fireplace
Plates embellished with mementoes add charming detail over the fireplace (lolalina)

Display plates with artwork and other wall hangings and even layer plates on top of one another for interest and dimension.  Cluster plates closely together on the wall, overlapping edges, for added interest.  Hang plates within empty picture frames.

Framed plates make for a unique wall display
Framed plates make for a unique wall display (Pinterest)
Creative display of plates
Creative display of plates (ilovethatjunk)
Green plates work well with artwork in this dining room
Green plates work well with artwork in this dining room (decor4all)
A tight cluster of plates adds impact to this breakfast nook
A tight cluster of plates adds impact to this breakfast nook (Pinerest)

Decorating with plates has many possibilities.  Open up your china cabinet or search those back shelves of the kitchen cabinets for inspiration.  Stop saving the good china for a rainy day.  Take it out for display and enjoy it every day.

 

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