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Art of the Plate

The secret to a sophisticated gallery wall is hiding in your china cabinet

Consider the Mix Start with the plates that are most meaningful to you, and fi ll in the gaps with pieces that are complementary in size, color, and design. A healthy dose of variation—in the widths of the plates as well as the scales of the patterns—is key.

Arrange Creatively For a clean look, go with a grid (or a line in a narrow space). To achieve a more organic eff ect, start with your largest platter and arrange around it. Hanging a paper template of each plate will allow you to play with the design before you commit.

Select the Right Surface A peppering of plates can fi ll many blank spaces, but for a true gallery wall, you’ll want a medium to large area. Kitchens and dining rooms have long been popular spots, but these days, designers love an unexpected location. Try an arrangement above the bed in a guest room. Hang Tough Plates can safely be hung two ways: adhesive or spring-style hangers. If you don’t plan on using the pieces for meals, opt for an adhesive. Spring-style hangers curl around the plates, providing a solid grip and the fl exibility to move them.

Let’s Dish

Three display-worthy fi nds to complete your look

Dansk Vandvid Ceramics Serving Platter, $40; food52.com

Marlo Thomas Scenic Appetizer Plates, $65/set of four; williams-sonoma.com

Mottahedeh Tobacco Leaf Dinner Plate, $200; williams-sonoma.com

Ask a Designer

Where’s the best place to shop when starting or building on a plate collection? “This is a perfect opportunity to incorporate vintage items! Websites like Chairish and 1stDibs are great resources, and you can often fi nd gems on Etsy or at local thrift stores (or even in your grandmother’s kitchen!) with some digging.” Kara Solito,

designer with Decorist, an online decorating service