Thursday, June 10, 2010

wall mount plates

I'm back!

Things have been crazy around here! I've had computer upgrades and all kinds of issues going on, my life just seems to be getting busier,and it's summer time and we want to play outside all day long! Blogging is the first thing I let slack when things get busy, so I've been a bad blogger for the past little while, but I still have some fun projects to share!




Ta-Da!

I've collected these plates over the past year or so, some from Ikea, some from Target, like those colorful crazy patterned ones that I picked up for about $1.50 on clearance about a year ago! They are probably my favorite, and some I've just had hanging around for a while.

I really have a thing for pretty plates, and I decided it was time to show them off.



As I find more that fit with my collection I can just add them to the wall.

I borrowed some of my things from the mantle for the table top, like the B's and a candle stick (I took it all down for a project I'm doing with the mantle so stay tuned, so far I'm loving it and can't wait to tell you about it!)

I used a combination of plate hangers and simple 3m mounting tape to attach them to the wall, the heaviest plate was the large blue and white one in the middle. She got the special treatment with a heavy duty plate hanger, believe it or not some of these are plastic and very light, so they only needed the mounting tape. Just make sure you've got it where you want it though, it may or may not remove paint when you take it off... just sayin'.

The challenge with this little spot is that the cabinets and countertop are to the right and kind of stop abruptly and I had originally put plates and things on the top of the cabinets, but I never really loved that and didn't know why. I finally figured out why... It made that side with the cabinets look so heavy that it just wasn't balanced enough and the side in the dining area just needed more of a focal point. (I'll have to take a picture of the whole wall, I realised just now that I don't have one, so you'll have to imagine.) This helps that though, and I think I'll keep the tops of the cabinets clear for now while I decide what else will help. I'm thinking I might try to find something different than this console table. It's great, but maybe I need something bigger that can balance out that side a little better. Here's the before of this spot:

That dinky little shelf just wasn't doing anything for that spot. Again, I'll have to find a picture with the whole wall, but you get where I'm going, right?

Who knows? For now I'm so much happier with this. It's a lot more colorful and I love being able to see my collection all in one place.

It was inexpensive and easy, but it adds a lot more color and interest to the dining area.

9 comments:

Jessica said...

I've bought and returned so many plates over the last four years. This makes me wish I had kept one or two of each.

Frank, Heidi and Family said...

I love it! Maybe I'll take up plate collecting.

Desiree said...

I really like this and it came at a good time for me as I am in the middle of collecting plates to make a collage above my bed. My husband thinks it is strange to hang plates in our bedroom. Do you think that is crazy or cool? Also, can you tell me more about the 3M tape that you used? I want to hang my plates as inexpensively as possible but also make sure they are not going to fall down. Thanks!
-Desiree

Laurel @ Ducks in a Row said...

I love your plates - they are so cheery and make that wall!

Holly said...

Very cute, I love how you use color in all your decorating, you have an eye for it!

Wall mounting tape... the love and pain of my existence. It created mega damage in a room downstairs, and I am dreading taking down some mirrors up here when we move in a few weeks that also use it. It's so great in theory, but I haven't had luck with removal - even using a blowdryer and all. Let me know if you find any handy tricks. :)

Mindy said...

Momma to bug n' bear-
I think plates in the bedroom are beautiful! I've seen lots of examples that I love, I say go for it! :)

the mounting tape comes in squares or strips, you can get it at craft stores or regular stores like target/wal-mart, grocery store, etc. You will probably find it in the school supply department. I had a few plates hung the same way in my previous home and when it came time to move they came off pretty well, it did pull off some paint, but it was fixable. I did however, have one of my plates fall off in the night last night, I must not have pressed it in hard enough, or I didn't use enough mounting tape... it didn't pull any paint off this time, so I wonder if it just wasn't secure enough...

Holly, how long did you have your mounting tape up? Just a theory, but I wonder if the longer you leave it, the more bonded it becomes to your wall? I haven't had any mega damage... but I've used the smallest amounts possible and mine have never been on for very long before taking them off, so I don't know.

I think when I remount the one that fell off I might just use some plate hangers I have left over, they were only $1.99 at the Hobby Lobby, I just don't like them to show... but in this case, this particular plate was obviously a bit heavy for the tape...

Anonymous said...

I too love plate 'art'!! I use vintage and antique plates where ever I can - from groupings on a wall, to holding soap in the bathroom, to a tray for my soap/stain remover in my laundry room. Here's a link to one of my posts that shows one wall grouping (I haven't blogged about the others - but you have just inspired me to do that!!)

http://alliswellathome.blogspot.com/2009/10/these-are-few-of-my-favourite-things.html

Your collection is beautiful - thanks for sharing!

Colleen said...

so pretty - love the colors!

Unknown said...

I'm so glad I found your blog from Just a Girl: Show and Share! I daydream in pottery barn catalogs too! You're plates are so cute!