Inspired Room: Adding Character with Plates

domino

I finally found some plate hangers. So, tomorrow, I will see about getting some of my little vintage china plates up. They are certainly not as colorful as one the ones here, but they will do where they are going. Collections, take time to grow, after all. However, I love how Liz of Mabel's House said, "Sometimes, when decorating, you need to draw a line in the sand with your toe and say to yourself, "OK... enough. Don't buy anymore of __________, you don't need them."

The thing I love about using plates, is you can change them around anytime, you can make a formal design with matching sets or all whites, or you can build a quirky collection. There are no rules, but some great ideas on how to best maximize the living sculpture.

Lisa Congdon of Bluelines created waves with this wall. See her home here on Apartment Therapy.

 decor pad

Design Sponge wrote an excellent plate wall post along with a video from Home Goods on how to achieve the look.

The Nester has some great tips on creating plate walls as well. She used hot glue to attach wires to the back of very small pieces here, and has designing tips here.

Bluelines has a good little article on how to build your own  plate wall, because the blog is closed, I will go ahead and post their directions here:

 english muse

jowrites365

Step 1: Collect, Collect!
Think ahead about where your plates will hang. Gather as many as you need to fill the space. It’s wise to get more plates than you will you use. You’ll find (like me) that when you start hanging them, you need many to choose from to achieve the right balance in your design. You may not end up using them all.
When I started collecting, I looked for plates that appealed to my design taste.
* I like both worn-out vintage and modern looks, so I found plates that fit both of these categories but that also went well together.
* I also looked for a particular color palette -- bright colors that would pop on a white wall.
* Scale was also a factor. I looked for different sizes. I know from my art background that creating an interesting balance requires a certain lack of uniformity. (Incidentally, it took me two years to gather all of the plates that I did!) I collected most of mine at thrift stores and flea markets, but others I bought on the Internet. My “wall” ended up with items from the turn of the century, mid-century, and new melamine plates (my favorites by fellow blogger Lena Corwin).

 apartment therapy

imperfectly beautiful

mabel's house

Step 2: Purchase Plate Hangers and Hardware
I used conventional plate hangers on my wall, which can be found at most hardware stores. Again, make sure you are getting the proper size hangers for the plates. (They won’t work if they are too small or too large for the plate.) One option is to buy newer ones that are invisible from the back. Get your screws or nails, hammer, and ladder ready, too.

Design Sponge adds,if you want extra support behind your plates, you can try securing the backs of the plates with “quake secure”: http://www.safetycentral.com/qusereeapuad.html

sunset

hillary wallace design, country living

 Step 3: Plan Your Design
I must confess: I did not plan the design of the plate wall pictured above ahead of time -- except in my mind. I just started to hang and the design was born as I went along. Like hanging a cluster of artwork, it’s something you acquire from years of practice (I had done this many times before). That said, I recommend planning ahead if you are new to the process. To get the end result you envision:
* Make a sketch on paper
* Lay the plates on the floor to create the overall shape. While doing this, ask yourself: Is the form I see an organic one? A geometric form? A diamond shape? A circle? Visualize this shape on the wall and sketch.
* Once you’re satisfied, find a space on the floor to lay out the plates to create your basic shape. Move the plates around to balance color, size, and type of plate.
* Finally, start to hang your plates based on the shape you’ve outlined on the floor. You may find yourself changing things around once you have started, and that’s okay. It’s part of the design process. Remember to step back and look at your work often as you go. This will help you to create the right balance.

 the nester

 the nester