Monday, June 22, 2009

Hanging Plates

I'm linking to an older post and joining in Amanda's Decorating Dilemmas Party. Be sure and visit Serenity Now for more dilemmas and solutions!
I don't know about y'all, but I absolutely love to hang plates on the wall. I think they are a beautiful and inexpensive way to fill up that empty wall space. Or add just the right finishing touch to an existing wall hanging. OR...



to cover up that hideously random phone jack from 1975. Can you see it? Yes, I know that's funny... of course you can see it. Here let me show you a close up of it in all it's horrible splendor.




Yuck, right?
There was also another little box with no purpose that I took off. I attempted to remove the silver one, but when I did, I realized there was a big gaping hole in my wall with lots of unknown wires poking out from it.
Ummmmm...no thanks. I think I'll just cover it with some pretty plates instead!




I played with this arrangement till about 2:oo this morning. I'm a recovering perfectionist...what can I say? I really liked this one, but I was limited because the large platter HAD to go on top of the ugly box. It sits pretty low on the wall, so it looked weird to hang anything below it.




Now, I'm sure this tip is nothing new to y'all, but I had to share it anyway. I used to just eyeball the placement, and it looked ok. (Remember...I'm a LAZY perfectionist). But if you want it to look really good AND have the option of playing around with the arrangement... with no commitment...then do this. Take all your plates and trace them onto a sheet of paper, cut them out, and use double stick tape on the back. Now you can play around with placement till the cows come home. When you get it just right and you love every single thing about it...then you're ready to hammer in those plate hangers and make some holes in your wall!



Not only did I hide an ugly useless feature on my wall, I also was able to showcase some of my favorite collection. I got a box full of these beautiful brown and white ironstone dishes at a flea market several years ago for $20. I think there were 6 dinner plates, 2 dessert plates, 4 teacups and saucers, and an oval serving dish. The instant I saw them, I fell in love. I had absolutely no where to put them, but I knew that I was going to take them home. At the time we lived in a 1000 square foot apartment with 2 kids and 1 closet...for all 4 of us! I had no storage space and no china cabinet or buffet to display these lovely dishes on, but that didn't stop me. I eagerly brought them home and proceeded to hang them on my ugly white walls and display them on top of my hideous white laminate cabinets. They were worth every single last penny. What a difference they made to an otherwise stark and boring space. They brought life and personality to the decor of our little home. And they made me happy every time I looked at them. When we moved I packed them up and stored them in a closet. I am so happy to have them out again, gracing the walls of our new/old home. And now that I do, they make me happy all over again!



46 comments:

mary said...

It looks great! And thanks for the tip, I am a Lazy perfectionist as well!!

Jenn said...

I've got the exact same phone jack in my house! Unfortunately, mine is a little more difficult to hide.

Great idea!

Kristina P. said...

Once again, it looks awesome! What a great way to fix up something ugly.

Maybe I'll hang plates on my thighs.

Ashley said...

I like it!

Unknown said...

That's a great idea! I have some "ugly things" to hide and this might just be the trick to do it!

Unknown said...

Last time I eyeballed, it didn't come out so well. The arrangement or the wall:) It had too many holes. (I am NOT going to say how many...)

Unknown said...

Perfect...I love it!!!

Nancy

Amanda @ Serenity Now said...

"Lazy Perfectionist"--I love it...describes me to a "T." I should have called my blog that.

I love your arrangement, and I saw that tip about the paper "testers" several years ago on Martha. I tried it and it made a HUGE difference. Yes, it took me longer (which I didn't like), but it made my walls look better with less holes.

Brilliant way to cover up the nasty silver wall plate. :)

Dawn said...

That looks beautiful!

I think most of us have that same ugly phone jack in our homes! Thanks for giving me an idea of how to hide mine!

Jen - Balancing Beauty and Bedlam said...

Love it...i have been gathering some white ones as well. Now I just need to get them UP!

Mandi Shandi said...

Hey friend! Don't you just love it when a plan comes together? The plates look fantastic! Those brown and white dishes are gorgeous.

Jennifer {Studio JRU} said...

Wow... that looks amazing! So beautiful!!

trish said...

Your wall looks fabulous and I am a wee bit jealous of your plates! :o) I love transferware and always hunting for it!

Kathi said...

Looks great! Wish I had known about the paper plate idea before I made all of those holes! I still have one plate that it a bit too high and is driving me crazy!
Should I just make another hole??

Kim said...

Just gorgeous Amanda. And yes, I love decorating with plates. That is a great tip about the templates - thanks for sharing your wisdom with other recovering perfectionistas!
Kim

Unknown said...

Wow! Great minds do think alike...
I'm kinda wishing you would've posted yours first, 'cuz I could've used that hanging advice today! :)

Tausha said...

I love the plates. I have done this for many clients, but for some reason-not myself. What is wrong with me? DOn't answer that. I am thinking that I must go around the house and try and find a wall to put up some pretty plates. I have a pluethra of plates. Way too many if you ask my husabnd, but I didn't ask him! :)

Cindy said...

Very pleasing visually. I'm a recovering perfectionist so, close enough is good enough.

Carmen @ Life with Sprinkles on Top said...

Looks great! I have a phone jack in my kitchen that I covered up with a hanging basket. :) I also found some plate hangers in packages at a garage sale awhile back for 20 cents. I haven't used them yet though.

Allidink said...

Oh sweet! Great idea to cover up that jack and great idea about how to arrange them before hand so you don't make unnecessary holes!

All the best,
Allison

Stacey said...

You are talented with a capital T!! LOVE IT!!!

Anonymous said...

Looks just beautiful now! I also love decorating with plates. I actually have some drying in my garage right now that I just sprayed!

Shannon said...

Those are beautiful and I love the arrangement!

Mandi @ Sweetly Home said...

Love the brown ironstone! I'm starting to collect ironstone pitchers...which is nothing like a plate...but I do love ironstone. ;)

Anonymous said...

I love it when something we've bought a long time ago just because we knew that SOMEDAY it would be just the right thing FINALLY DOES become just the right thing! As you said, "It makes [us] happy all over again!" (That the best kind of recycling, isn't it!)

Your arrangement looks gorgeous!

mary said...

I got the faucet at Home Depot.

Debilou ~ Mississippi Mama said...

love what you did with the plates,. and a good tip for hanging them too.

Laurel @ Ducks in a Row said...

That is a great find - I love brown transferware, but it's hard for me to find something that I love. It looks fabulous.

frillsfluffandtrucks said...

Ooooh, nice camo job! Two thumbs up!

~ Sarah

janet said...

great tips and love your plate arrangement, it looks fantastic!
hugs
janet

Stacey said...

Real quick about your window. I was thinking about what to do with mine last night and thought of an idea that I wanted to share with you. I am thinking about putting some old pictures of family on mine but also wanted some kind of saying. Then the lightbulb turned on...what about adding a clear saying sticker with black writing. Hmmm? I am learning!! Thanks to you!

Melissa Miller said...

Amanda this turned out beautiful!
Love the "S" plate. :)

SarahJarnagin said...

Love this arrangement! I'm a bit of a perfectionist so I haven't hung a grouping of plates because I'm always afraid it will be a little off and not perfect! Ha!

Marie said...

Hello Amanda - I love your plates! I would love to try to hang some in my home. Thank you for the inspiration! I think the look is fabulous.

Blessings,
Marie
http://emmacallsmemama.com

Kristina P. said...

Amanda, I am an idiot and didn't save your email address, but I have Emily's, the giveaway winner's. Will you email me again?

Victoria Hayden said...

Love this! I just did a post a couple of weeks ago on my plate addiction! Plates aren't for just eating on, they look beautiful on the walls! It is so pretty!!

Hugs to you!
~Victoria~

Robin Johnson said...

I love hanging plates also. Hubby thinks I'm crazy and makes fun of me constantly but they looks so great hanging up how can you go wrong.

After all your work, the arrangement is wonderful.

Jen said...

I'm a recovering perfectionist, too;)

Anonymous said...

I LOVE the tem lazy perfectionist. I also love the way you put together such a wonderful display to hide the imperfection of the wall !! Great job !

Barbara Jean said...

That looks wonderful!!

Great tips.

blessings,
Barbara Jean

Melissa said...

That looks great! I wouldn't have thought of an arrangement that covered the phone plate but keeps the plates higher on the wall. I really like what you've done with it!

Xazmin said...

I love this! I can't wait to start working on my kitchen and decorating with plates!

Also, thanks for the great idea about the phone jack...we have one of those nasty things in a ridiculous place in our kitchen too!

Laura said...

Love the idea, and the plates! Great solution.

Amanda @ Serenity Now said...

I think this was a great one to post! :) Thank you so much for linking it up with the par-tay! Wish I could mingle around with some lemonade or something.... ;)

Wendy @ Ramblings from the Sunshine State said...

looks great! i love the look of plates on the wall, but i havent gotten around to doing it yet.

the decorating chica said...

love it. Thanks. I am looking at doing a similar project.

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