Most of you know you can use an arrangement of plates/dishes to add color and personality to a wall. But how about getting a little more creative about it? Try creating a plate collage. Take a look at some of these beautiful examples – this first one makes me think of water dribbling down the wall . . . .
Photo Credits: Down and Out Chic (1-4) , Discover Interior Design, My Sweet Savannah(6,7), Apartment Therapy (8, 10), I Dream of Letters(9, 11).
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I love how the next to last one’s dishes are overlapping a little bit. Never would have thought of that!
beautiful! a way to hang grandma’s plates without the formality. i just love the older plates in a modern hanging pattern. i doubt my ability to pull this off — it would just look like i goofed.
I just watched a video of some art glass work done by Tom Holdman. He does some beautiful art glass arrangements. He has a terrible stutter and struggles to speak to the world, but has learned to speak through his glass. My parents have a window in their living room that he did. But, he also does beautiful plate like pieces.
Love your blog. I enjoying hopping over to see what you are doing.
Cheryl
I need more explanation – none of these are symmetrical or even very ordered – is that the point? I’m not sure I could do this on my own. How would one go about making a collage like these? I have seven favorite plates on my kitchen wall but they are definitely hung in a pattern. Do I need to redo it?
Jamie, that second to the last one is my FAVORITE. Andrea, you could definitely pull this off – I’ve seen your beautiful plate arrangements!
Lee, the asymmetry is definitely the point. Hanging plates in a pattern is GOOD. Don’t redo it. But sometime when you’re feeling really confident, play around with a grouping like one of these. It has to look intentionally unintentional. Randomish, but with a lot of planning. Like if you do it halfway, it’s just gonna look like you didn’t mean to do it. It’s definitely a gutsy thing to do. Your family will probably think you’ve lost it 🙂 I’m gonna try one soon, and I’ll post some pics to see if it works!
I love the 2nd one! The way it is arranged moves your eye across comfortably and I think that helps emphasize each plate.
I had plates hanging a long time ago in my once dining room, that changed into a downstairs nursery. I realized it was not a good idea to keep them up over the changing table when one fell and almost hit one of my babies. So down they came. I’m thinking the kids are old enough now that I might be able to hang some again. An arrangement over the old piano my look really cool.
I love the green plates that look like lily pads! So cool. I think I finally know what to do with the last wall in my living room that has had me stumped for 3 years. I have a few plates already but will be on the look-out for more! Thanks for the idea!
i keep wanting to stare at this post, kb. i just love it. plates are my very favorite thing to find at junk stores/antique malls.
also, i’m trying to figure out why i love the second to the last pic. that kitchen is charming. then i realized the paint color is really close to what i just painted our bedroom! (a really skin, champagne-y color. looks good in natural light and lamplight.)
have to say — that dark green velvet sofa is pretty fabulous against the pink wall. and the blue willow-y dishes really work with that modern orange paint. i am always drawn to opposites!
Andrea, as for that next to the last picture – the plates themselves are fabulous and that arrangement is sooooo artistically done. But I also just adore that retro stove. Really want my own retro stove! My 1980’s one just isn’t cutting it.
Wow, I love the movement of the arrangements! So cool!
Kristie,
These are some really fun ideas. I have only a few plates to hang, but I don’t know if there are other options besides the typical claw and spring hardware I find in craft stores. Can you fill me in, please?
Love the pics especially the green collage that looks like the lily pads. does anyone know what brand they are?
Kris,
I found that image on Apartment Therapy (from Feb 2008) – they said they saw it from Room Service Home Catalog. I hope you’re able to track them down! Thanks for stopping by The Decorologist 🙂
I am completely excited by this idea…and am thinking about doing it as the back splash in my kitchen…I have been wanting to add color in a creative way…and this way I can change up the look whenever I want…and just take the plates down and wash them when dusty or dirty…thanks for the plates on the wall idea.
you’re welcome, katie! would love to see what you put together 🙂
How did I miss this post? YOu know I love hanging dishes. I’ll have to work on this in my new kitchen or dining room. Maybe I an recruit a little help.
i think that can be arranged. literally. 🙂
what kind of glue and what kind of bracket are used to hang these. love the look of nothing
showing
kim, you can get plate hangers at Lowe’s or Home Depot – they are made of wire and clasp around the plate in 4 areas – they are inexpensive and you can barely see the wire clasps. there are other hangers i have used that have a glue that you get wet and adhere to the back of the plate – they are completely undetectable, but i had a few plates that fell off the wall and broke after hanging there several years. i wouldn’t recommend those!