How to Decorate with Plates for a Cozy Collected Look

Open your kitchen cabinets and learn how to decorate with plates to bring charm, character, and personality into your home.

When you think about decorating with plates, your mind might go straight to a perfectly symmetrical plate wall in your grandmother’s dining room.

And honestly?

There is nothing wrong AT ALL with that classic style.

I personally love it.

But, there’s a whole world of creative ways to decorate with plates that feel fresh, personal, and maybe a little unexpected.

Plates aren’t just for eating off of.

They’re little works of art that can add warmth, color, and character to your home.

They have a way of making a space feel collected rather than decorated.

So if you’ve got a cabinet full of dishes you only pull out for special occasions or even just a few mismatched pieces from the thrift store, you’re already halfway there!

Let’s take those plates off the shelf (or out of storage) and put them to work in your decor in a way that feels cozy, creative, and uniquely yours.

Why Plates Make Great Decor

Before we get into how to decorate with plates, let’s talk about why.

If you’ve ever wandered through a thrift store or inherited a stack of old dishes and thought, “What the heck do I even do with these?” you wouldn’t be the first.

But plates are one of the most overlooked and budget-friendly ways to add charm and character to your home.

They’re easy to collect, simple to style, and full of personality.

You don’t need a matching set or make a big investment to create an impact either.

In fact, half the fun is in the mix…different sizes, colors, and stories coming together to create something that feels layered and special.

Here’s why I think plates work so well as home decor:

Where to Use Plates as Decorative Accents

Nope, decorative plates aren’t only for the kitchen or dining room.

They can add charm, texture, and personality to just about any room in your home and that even includes the bathroom.

Your imagination is truly your only limitation!

Here are a few ideas on where you can decorate with them:

• Above a console or sideboard.
• In a hallway or stairway.
• Above or on open kitchen shelving.
• In a dining room hutch or china cabinet.
• As a focal point above a bed.
• In the bathroom.
• On bookshelves.
• Around a mirror or artwork.

Creative Ways to Decorate With Plates

Now that we’ve covered why and where to decorate with plates, let’s dive into the fun part…how!

You can hang them on a wall, but that’s just scratching the surface.

Here are some simple, creative ways to incorporate plates throughout your home that feel cozy and thoughtful.

Hang Plates on the Wall

We’ll start with the obvious.

Yes, hanging plates on the wall is a classic.

But it doesn’t have to look stiff or overly formal.

You don’t need a perfectly symmetrical grid or a full set of matching china to pull it off.

In fact, it’s better if you don’t!

Try mixing different sizes, shapes, and patterns to create a plate wall layout that feels more collected rather than formal gallery.

Group a few above a console table, over a headboard, or on a kitchen wall.

Even just a single plate hung in the right spot can make a statement.

Style Plates in a Hutch or Cabinet

If you have a hutch, a glass front cabinet, or open shelving, plates are one of the easiest ways to add character without buying a single new thing.

They’re a great way to fill in those awkward gaps or blank spots that can make a shelf feel unfinished.

Lean a few plates against the back wall to create layers for your everyday dishes or display pieces.

Stack smaller plates next to mugs, tuck one behind a teapot, or mix them in with vintage glassware and pitchers to create a styled-but-not-staged look.

What I love about using plates this way is that they give your shelves depth and dimension.

They draw the eye in and make everything feel more intentional, even if it’s just the pieces you already use every day.

DO NOT be afraid to mix and match patterns.

A little floral next to something neutral, or a pop of green and white in an otherwise neutral color scheme, adds interest without feeling busy.

Use Plates in Vignettes

If you’ve ever styled a tray, coffee table, or a kitchen countertop and felt like something was missing, here’s my little secret…try adding a plate into the mix.

It’s a simple touch that adds structure and visual interest without stealing the spotlight.

Use a single plate or a small stack of plates as a base underneath a candle, plant, or vase to create a layered look.

It helps give height to your display and helps anchor smaller items so they don’t feel like they’re floating in the middle of nowhere.

I especially love using plates with a bit of pattern or detail here, they act almost like a backdrop, but with personality.

Incorporate Plates into Seasonal Displays

Think a red or green transferware plate at Christmastime, a delicate floral for spring, something with soft blues in summer, or a brown or amber toned plate for fall.

It’s a small detail, but it goes a long way in making your home feel in tune with the season.

What makes plates especially useful is how easy they are to rotate.

Swap out one on a shelf, layer a seasonal piece into a hutch, or place one on a tray with coordinating accents.

You can keep your base decor the same and just change out a few plates to refresh the look in just a couple of minutes.

And when the season ends?

Wrap the plate in a dish towel and store it in a drawer or a small bin with your seasonal items.

They take up barely any space unlike half the bulky stuff we all drag out and put away each time the season changes.

Layer Plates in Tablescapes

Yes, plates obviously belong on the table.

But, this isn’t about setting the perfect formal dining room.

This is about using them creatively to add texture, color, and a little charm to your everyday table.

Try layering a decorative plate beneath a centerpiece to create definition and to make the whole setup feel more intentional.

You can also tuck a plate under a glass cloche to showcase something special like a mini pumpkin in the fall, a gingerbread ornament during the holidays, or even a bundle of herbs in spring.

Remember, it’s always the small details that add loads of personality wherever you’re decorating.

Now to be perfectly honest, I’m not the biggest fan of those perfectly styled tablescapes (it’s just not how our family rolls), so one of my favorite tricks is to create a deconstructed tablescape by stacking mismatched plates, topping them with folded linen napkins and silverware right in the center of the table.

It’s simple, it’s cozy, and it looks like you’ve thought through every detail…without trying too hard.

Curating Your Own Plate Collection

I think the biggest misconception when it comes to decorating with plates is that you need a full set of fine china or a cabinet filled with matching patterns.

That is simply not true.

The best displays come from collections that were gathered over time.

One thrift store find here, one hand-me-down there.

When plates are mixed thoughtfully, they tell a story.

And that’s what makes them feel collected, not styled in a day.

Here are a few tips to help you start curating your own collection…

• Start with what you have. Dig through your cabinets, storage bins, or that box in the basement you’ve been meaning to sort. Even one or two plates with a pretty pattern or shape are enough to begin.
• Shop secondhand. Thrift stores, flea markets, antique shops, and estate sales are the best places to find unique, affordable, old plates. You’ll be amazed at what you can uncover for just a few dollars.
• Choose a loose theme. Your collection doesn’t need to match, but having a thread that ties things together (blue and white, floral patterns, scalloped edges, or transferware) will help your display feel cohesive.
• Mix old and new. A vintage dish with worn edges next to a new plate can look incredibly charming.
• Look for character. Tiny chips, faded details, or slightly off-center design the front of the plate aren’t flaws, they’re signs that its been loved and used! Those imperfections make the piece more interesting.
• Play with scale. Collect a variety of sizes like dinner plates, salad plates, bread plates, saucers. Having a mix gives you more flexibility when styling walls, shelves, or displays.
• Collect with intention. If a plate makes you smile, grab it. It doesn’t have to be rare or valuable to earn a spot in your home.

How to Hang Plates on a Wall

If you’re ready to hang a few plates on the wall but don’t love the idea of hammering a dozen holes into your plaster (been there done that), I’m right there with ya.

The good news is that Mr. ERH and I have found an easy way to hang plates that won’t damage your walls.

You might be surprised to learn that we use (drumroll please)…Command Strips.

Yes, Command Strips.

They’re strong, easy to apply, and even easier to remove when you’re ready to switch things up.

Which as you know, happens quite frequently in our house.

That said, it’s really important to follow the manufacturer’s instructions when using adhesive strips.

Clean the plate and wall surface first, apply firm pressure for the full recommended time, and be mindful of weight limits.

If you skip those steps, your plates will fall and no one wants to hear that crash in the middle of the night.

Now if Command Strips seem a little too scary for you, here are a few other options…

• Adhesive Plate Hangers: Adhesive discs stick that to the back of the plate and have a small metal loop for hanging. They’re discreet and work well on flat surfaces.
• Spring Style Wire Hangers: The classic option. These have metal arms that stretch around the plate and hook onto a nail or screw. A wall plate hanger is visible from the front, but secure especially for larger or heavier plates.
• Wall Mounted Plate Holders or Ledges: If you want to display a whole row of plates (without committing to individual hangers), a shallow ledge or plate racks are a great way to go.

Final Thoughts

Decorating with plates might seem simple because…it is!

But that’s what makes it so special.

No matter where you’re decorating with them, plates add an instant layer of charm that feels thoughtful without trying too hard.

You don’t need a huge collection or a perfectly curated theme.

Just start with what you have, add what you love, and let it come together over time.

That’s the beauty of a collected home.

It’s never finished, and that’s kind of the point.

So if you’ve got a cabinet full of pretty dishes or you spot a $2 gem at the thrift store this weekend…you know what to do!

Shop My Favorite Products

Shop my favorite home decor & lifestyle products, my LTK sources, and my Amazon Storefront. 

By making a purchase with one of my affiliate links, I earn a small commission which helps me continue to create meaningful content for you! 

I look forward to sharing more of my home with you and inspiring you to enjoy simple cozy living! 

Follow me on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, and LIKEtoKNOW.it.

xoxo, Heidi