How To Arrange A Decorative Plate Wall
Plate collections are one of my favorite things to use to decorate large areas of wall space. They are so versatile, and can be used in almost any style of home, from the most contemporary to the ultra traditional and everything in between. Plate walls can also be done very inexpensively, with mismatched plates from yard sales and thrift stores, or cheap plates from discount stores like Ross and Marshall’s. Since the debut of Kelly Wearstler’s mother of all plate walls at The Viceroy in Santa Monica several years ago, the popularity of decorative plate walls has remained pretty constant.
I personally have one wall (pretty much the only expanse of wall space I have in my tiny little condo) in my living room that I’m considering decorating with a plate wall. So I’ve gathered up some inspiration, not only for myself but also for you, from various sources. Ready for some plate wall inspiration?
2011 Princess Margaret Showhouse, via Canadian House & Home
Randomly organized monochromatic plate wall via Nesting Place
Freeform colorful plate wall via Sunset
Colorful plate wall with overlapping plates via Better Homes & Gardens
Freeform plate wall wrapped around a corner, via View Along The Way
Colorful free form plate wall via Apartment Therapy
Free form entryway plate wall via Mmmcrafts
Monochromatic plate wall via Liz Marie Blog
Graphic white plates on black wall, via The Nesting Game
Dining room plate wall via Eclectically Vintage
Bedroom plate wall via My Romantic Home
Plate wall with a quote, via Country Living
Plates accented with a frame, via Nest. Nesting. Nested.
Plate wall accented with jute twine, via Adventures In Decorating
Free form plate wall, from Cassandra’s dining room makeover
Plate wall in stairway, via Reese Dixon
Colorful free form plate wall, via Dwell
Symmetrical plate wall, via AB Chao on Flickr
Linear plate wall arrangement, via Creative Home Idea
Monochromatic plate wall, via Cottage and Vine
Aren’t those amazing? I personally have such a hard time deciding if I like the colorful ones or the monochromatic ones better. And I’m such a stickler for symmetry, so I love the ones that are perfectly symmetrical, but there’s just something about a free form arrangement that really grabs me. How about you? Do you have a favorite? Do you have a plate wall in your home? If so, be sure to leave a comment with a link! I’d love to see it.
Addicted 2 Decorating is where I share my DIY and decorating journey as I remodel and decorate the 1948 fixer upper that my husband, Matt, and I bought in 2013. Matt has M.S. and is unable to do physical work, so I do the majority of the work on the house by myself. You can learn more about me here.
Thanks for featuring my plate wall – it’s one of my favorite things in my house!
Kelly
It’s amazing how much value a few well place plates can add to a room. You have some very pretty examples here. I’m always looking for plates with green in the thrift stores but they are either very rare or someone has gotten there before me 😉 I’m not going to give up though.
Have a wonderful Christmas, Kristi!
I love decorating with plates. Thanks for more great ideas Kristi.
What FUN … thank you so much for including my plate wall (plates wrapped in twine) … such a great surprise! The other plate walls are amazing … such inspiration! Thanks again! Becca
Love the ideas!!! Now the biggest question – how do you secure the plates to the wall?????? lol
I always use Disc Hangers: http://dischangers.com/ They sell them at Hobby Lobby. They’re the best, because once they’re hung on the wall, you can’t see any hardware from the front.
Lovely inspiration! I hang A LOT of plate and art groupings for clients. Here’s a link with a few recent examples: http://thedecorologist.com/wp/how-to-hang-plates-groupings-on-a-wall
Some beautiful placements…thanks for sharing Kristi. Wishing you a beautiful Christmas
What a great round-up! I had not seen many of those before. I loved the one creeping around the corner and the layered state plates. Thanks for including mine in such good company!
I agree the one that is creeping around the corner was great, a matter of fact I am going to see if I can do that with my Plates.
What great ideas! You could use these tips to hang a grouping of small framed pictures too.
Verry pretty walls – I love the first one, and the Romantic Home bedroom 🙂 – thanks for sharing!
Those are beautiful. What do you use in sticking them on the wall? I like both the colorful and monochromatic designs. The monochromatic design looks elegant and sophisticated. Thanks for sharing. I might be trying this out next year! 🙂
Fantastic arrangements! How do you hang the plates on the wall without using the metal plate hangers? Do the adhesive plate discs really work?
Oh yeah…they work amazingly well! I’d never use any other kind now.
Hi Kristi – sorry I am only seeing this now – but you have really amassed quite a collection of plates collections! I love your project as well (truly lovely and creative!). I have been thinking of doing a plate wall – with one central piece of artwork…and the plates surrounding it – over my bed. I have quite a collection of Quimper plastes from France – and I want to add some newer plates as well to mix it up a bit. I love the asymmetrical look, but I think I’ll be going for symmetry in my bedroom. I just have to get my husband to OK it – he’s afraid of plates and artwork falling on his head!
I’ve purchased those Disc plate hangers – but I have the old fashioned kind as well. Any advice on the best ones to use in situations like this – the ones least likely to fall off and hit us on the head? I feel confident about either one – but I have to convince my husband that he won’t get a concussion while he sleeps!!
Thanks…Linda
PS – Love your blog. And thanks for having CommentLuv – it helps get more people to my (and others’) blogs! Plus, it defintely makes people want to comment more…and that’s what we all want!
Really you have gorgeous ideas and have great blog
Hello – I love your posting! Such beautiful ideas for hanging decorative plates. I paint plates, and have them listed in a shop on Etsy – http://www.etsy.com/shop/TheMagicWithin. With your permission, I would like to post the link to your site on my shop page in order to give the shoppers some ideas. Please let me know if that would be okay with you.
Thank you,
Lari
Hi! Thank you for sharing these wonderful ideas on how to decorate bare walls using plates. I’m considering hanging some in our dining room but I’m a little hesitant to drive a nail through the walls! Anyway, thank you for sharing these ideas! xo, Yami
Wall plate decoration is a unique and new way of decorating the dull walls. I love how the arrangements are done especially the fourth picture. Thank you for sharing this one.
I like your graphic white plate on walls! Very classy… I think that would be perfect for my bedroom. Thanks for this blog!
please advise from where i can source/buy these plates for my apartment in india. really want to include these to my wall.. pls help.. thanks
I’m so glad I found your article! Very Nice. I love the pattern. This is such a creative artwork!I have been wanting to try this for so long, but I have worries if they will fall. I think I should start it right now, I would love to do this in my living room. Thank you for the inspiration.
I had never heard of this, but it looks absolutely amazing! I am so in love with the creativity behind this project and i definitely feel it is time to get out and start thrifting for some wonderful finds. I would love to be able to have these sweet little accent pieces in my home, it sounds wonderful! Thanks so much for sharing!
Oh, and keep up the amazing advice and wonderful ideas!