Spruce Up Your Space By Throwing Some Plates on the Wall

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Spruce Up Your Space By Throwing Some Plates on the Wall

For years, people have been decorating their spaces by putting their collections of plates on the wall.  I normally associate plates on the wall with more traditional homes, such as in Pasadena, where I grew up.  Way back when,  I remember the ubiquitous Dutch Delft blue and white plates adorning the walls of some of the more affluent homes in the area.  While the tradition of hanging plates on the wall still remains, it is done drastically different than in years past.  There are the traditional homes that still have the same Dutch Delft blue plates on the wall, but I find that the manner of  hanging plates on the wall has evolved. Now the world is as diverse as ever, so why shouldn't your plate collection be too? Different colors, patterns, and sizes are combined together to form an eclectic and sometimes vintage unified composition of plates.  There is nothing like a collection of plates that is carefully curated, as it tells a story and hints at the personality of the curator.

Placing plates on the wall looks easy, but I can assure you that putting together a successful composition is not as easy as it looks.  It's easy to go overboard, resulting in a cluttered composition.  Too few, and it looks empty and fails at making a statement. 

Below are several samples of plates on the wall that work.  They aren't contrived or cluttered.  Each plate is artfully arranged, add life to each room, and tell a story.  In each composition, there is at least one unifying element that holds everything together.  

The same plate in a soothing color palette and different sizes, randomly placed, make for a beautifully composed wall.

A variety of styles, colors, and sizes spread out above a media center fill out the space above without clutter.  The colors of the plates pick up the color palette of the room. They provide just the right amount of visual interest to the wall without being over bearing.

Fornasetti inspired plates lined up vertically make a statement on this living room wall.

The colorful and whimsical selection of plates on Fab.com founder, Bradford Shelhammer's kitchen provide a nice pop of color against the dark walls.

Porcelain flowers adorn this wall in the Tiffany suite at the St. Regis in New York City.  Don't you love the hint of the much coveted Tiffany blue on the headboard and pillow?

This is one of my favorite selections of plates on the wall.  I love how the edges of the plates were cut to form a composition in a perfectly formed rectangle and how the focal point, the teal plate in the center, is slightly offset.  Using different sizes and shapes but keeping the colors in the same color family keep this wall from looking too cluttered.

An eclectic mix of plates fill in the empty space on the wall and compliment the black and white stripe tablecloth.

The large plates on the lavender walls of this boho/Moroccan inspired room provide just the right amount of color and punch on the wall.

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And for those of you so inspired that they'd like to go out and put together their own "plate wall", here are a few whimsical selections selections to get you started:

1.  L'objet by Fortuny

2.  Dot Pop Dinnerware

3.  Old Havana Dinnerware, mint

4.  Nathalie Lete dessert plate

5.  Attingham Dinnerware

6.  Mottahadeh Peacock Feather dessert plates, set of four

7.  Nathalie Lete dessert plate

8.  malachite dessert plate

9.  Hand painted dotted dinnerware

10.  Potter's workshop dinnerware, blue

11.  Potter's workshop dinnerware, green

12.  Old Havana Dinnerware, lime

Also, if your travels find you in the vicinity of New York City, stop by one of my favorite spots, Fishs Eddy, right around the corner from Parsons School of Design, my alma mater.  They have a great selection of vintage dinnerware, diner whites, color ware, and if you're lucky, some random but interesting finds.  You can also visit their website, although it's not as fun and inspiring as visiting the actual store, but they deliver.  Another great place to pick up inexpensive plates is your local flea market or swap meet.  I'm fortunate to live in a place where they have one of the best in the country - the Rose Bowl Swap Meet, held the 2nd Sunday of every month.  Happy shopping!