If you're looking for artwork, it may be right under your nose! Plates aren't just for the table anymore, hanging them as art is a fun, unique and resourceful way to make a custom wall arrangement. Whether you already own the plates or you're buying second hand — this method of decor is both responsible and resourceful —
Yankee Belle featured a simple DIY (photo 1, above) which is given a extra level of punch thanks to spray paint - this bright and bold arrangement was put together for a whopping $14, and the custom colors and arrangement fits perfectly into what might have been an overlooked spot between a door and cabinetry. If you are going to give it a try yourself, pay attention to size and shape of the plates — the most successful arrangements showcase a variation of form (as well as the color mix!).
And of course, If you don't want to paint — don't worry! We love the eclectic and worldly look of groups of plates of all different shapes, sizes and colors (as shown in photos 2-4). Because you're grouping them together as a collection, paying attention to common colors isn't relevant — that's the great thing about collections!
More info on the spray painted plate project: Yankee Belle
Images: 1. Yankee Belle, 2. I Dream of Letters, 3. Marimekko, 4. Jess Chamberlain, 5. House and Home
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oh, but such a pain to clean. Even once a year is too much.
How do you attach them to the wall?
i love decorating with plates!
abt--there are plate hangers at most hardware stores, and they're very easy to put up and quite sturdy!
I think all but the spray-painted version are okay and I especially like #2, which was in one of my all-time favourite house tours here on AT:
http://www.apartmenttherapy.com/sf/house-tours/lisa-and-clays-artsy-and-calm-collaborationhouse-tour-093593
@abt: Martha Stewart has a couple of tutorials on how to do it somewhere in her great dot com imperium.
I love arrangements of plates on the wall - but spray painting them just ruins them for me.
You could just go to Goodwill and find random plates in the colors you love, rather than spray-painting them.
The spray paint is a good idea, but with all the cool vintage patterns you can find in thrift stores, it's fun to just go with the patterns they come with.
This is what I did with my plate collection on my kitchen wall. It was actually pretty fun searching out patterns I liked. After I had a cohesive set, I laid them out on the floor in different arrangements, picked my favorite, and put them up with a combination of plate hangers and 3M sticky removable strips. I wrote all about it on my blog: http://vitaminihandmade.blogspot.com/2010/09/kitchen-plate-wall.html
like I needed another reason to run over to the Goodwill, which, unfortunately, is only 2 blocks away.
I love this!!
That last grouping is almost ok (just too "country" for me.) At least they have some qualities of design and scale in common to make the grouping have some cohesion. I could see all blue-and-white china patterns, or all vividly bright modern patterns, or something, but just all being patterned plates isn't enough to make this work for me. And the spray painted grouping doesn't either.
vitamini - I couldn't agree more! I like the idea of spraypainting to match the colorscheme or what not, but there's no need to when there are so many neat vintage patterns out there!
What is so wrong with spraypainting some plates? I love the first photo -- I think it's a great idea. If you're so worried about devaluing a plate with paint, buy some plain white ones from Wal-Mart.