Displaying Your Antique Plates and Platters

Antique plates can add whimsy and interest to your décor. Many people hang them right on the walls for a unique look. You can hang them up on special holders made just for this or use ribbons to hold them and hang from fancy hooks. Learning how to arrange your plates so that they look best is key to making them a successful part of your wall décor.

You’ve just returned from the flea marked with a great antique plate that will look great hanging in the bedroom. Marking the perfect spot, you set a nail into the wall near the window and slide the antique plate on. Perfect!

You stand back, pleased with your accomplishment. You tip your head to one side and then the other. Then you squint at the plates. It just doesn’t look right, but you have no idea why.

There are a few common errors that are made while hanging and arranging items on a wall. These errors look awkward to the eye, but you cannot put a finger on exactly what is wrong or how to fix it. Use the guidelines below when arranging décor on a wall:

Hanging Large Platters:

Large platters or chargers can be a focal point so you should be careful to place it in an appropriate area. What’s the best spot for larger pieces? Try over a couch, behind the dining set, over a fireplace or on a feature wall. A feature wall is where the placement of furniture or the layout of the home naturally guides the eye to a wall - a great place to feature plates.

Hanging Small Plates:

Grouping smaller pieces can add interest and keep them from getting “lost”. Using similar or matching frames and matting make this look more pleasing. A smaller piece can look strange if you try to put it in the middle of a wall so you should hang it lower on the wall and near a piece of furniture.

Grouping Of Plates:

Whether you are creating a grid of equal sized frames or composing a collection of various sizes the rule of spacing is the same. Each item should be spaced about 3 inches away from the items on either side. Try positioning them on the floor or a table to get a pleasing arrangement before placing the nails and measure carefully before making any holes.

HEIGHT:

Plates looks best when hung with the center point at eye level. That means the center should be about 60 to 66 inches from the floor. If you've visited a gallery you will see that the frames are not lined up by their top or bottom edges but that the pictures are all centered at the same height.

If the platter or plates is usually going to be viewed sitting down (as at a dining table or when viewed beside a couch) you would hang them at the sitter^s eye level instead.

Anything hung behind the couch should be placed no more than 8 or 10 inches above the back of the couch.

These tips will help you bring focus and appeal to any arrangement that you choose to decorate your walls with.