It's no exaggeration to say that Martha Stewart considers every nook, cranny, and square inch of her home in terms of its design. Dead space? Non-existent in Martha's world, as evidenced by a recent post shared to the Martha Moments Instagram page of a decorative wall.
The snap shows Martha in her Turkey Hill home library in 1988, and behind her floral sofa, the wall is adorned with antique ceramic plates.
While hanging art on the wall is a tried and true way to enliven a space, hanging dishes creates further intrigue by adding texture and dimension to the wall. In Martha's case, the plates are 19th-century porcelain botanicals made by Spode for Tiffany's (very similar to this Spode plate on 1stDibs), but depending on your home's design scheme, there are endless options.
Shop the wall plate edit
This antique English Spode porcelain cabinet plate, dated from 1914, features a chinoiserie landscape with two birds perched on a flowering prunus tree. It's enriched with colored enamels that Martha would surely love.
They might be on the pricier side, but these dinner plates are heirlooms in the making, which I can see being passed down through the generations.
With its decorative strawberry plant display, this vintage plate could certainly add some whimsical charm to a gallery wall. It'll invite just the right amount of color to the wall without going overboard. Style it with plates of all shapes and sizes for a unique look.
While I'd love to take home every plate I've listed here, I confess, I'm starting with these appetizer plates, which can be paired with my existing tableware for a layered look.
Reminiscent of vintage styles, this Anthropologie spring botanical plate is delicate and whimsical. It's an easy one to style too as almost any style of vintage ceramic would make this piece look even more vintage and charming.
In order to hang plates on a wall, you'll need proper plate hangers. This set of 14 comes in multiple different sizes and is sold with protective rubber grips as well as no-show wall mountings. They're perfect for safely holding your vintage plates.
According to design experts, varying colors, materials, and designs is encouraged when decorating your wall with dishes (for a look that's aligned with Martha's, we love these floral plates from Etsy).
'Hand-thrown pottery, vintage transferware, and artisanal glazed ceramics all make striking wall decor,' designer Nina Lichtenstein explains.
'Bowls with bold interiors offer a pop of pattern or color, especially when hung at eye level where their depth can be appreciated. Plates with scalloped edges, painted motifs, or textured surfaces add richness and shadow, making them ideal for walls that need subtle movement.'
She continues, 'For a modern look, stick to matte finishes and irregular shapes. Want something more rustic or global? Layer Moroccan ceramics, Mexican talavera, or African tribal bowls for an eclectic, well-traveled aesthetic.'
Nina also says that hanging these pieces in an unusual space, like a library, is an excellent choice to give your space a more eclectic feel.
'While kitchens and dining rooms are natural fits, plates and bowls work beautifully in unexpected spaces, too,' she says. 'A hallway can come alive with a vertical stack of dishes in gradient shades. In a living room, an arrangement of oversized white plates above a sofa can soften the space and replace traditional framed art. Even a powder room benefits from a trio of small, intricately patterned plates above a towel hook or next to a mirror.'
