Calling All Dishaholics...This Ideabook is for You! :-)
Eighteen months ago, in my very first blog post for, Between Naps on the Porch, I mentioned an idea I had for a weekly blog party. It would be a party where dish lovers all across Blogland would gather to create and display beautiful tablescapes. Over the weeks, as Tablescape Thursdays came and went, I begin to realize just how many of us truly delight in “playing in the dishes.”
If you are a serious dishaholic, your collection tends to grow and grow over time. I won’t mention any names (cough, cough) but some of my dearest blogging buds have been known to even store their dishes behind curtains and under the bed. :-) If you are a self-professed dishaholic or even a closet dishaholic, this Ideabook is for you! It’s way past time to pull those dishes out of hiding. In fact, it’s time to show off your beautiful collection…even put it to work full time. Here are some great examples of just where and how:
If you are a serious dishaholic, your collection tends to grow and grow over time. I won’t mention any names (cough, cough) but some of my dearest blogging buds have been known to even store their dishes behind curtains and under the bed. :-) If you are a self-professed dishaholic or even a closet dishaholic, this Ideabook is for you! It’s way past time to pull those dishes out of hiding. In fact, it’s time to show off your beautiful collection…even put it to work full time. Here are some great examples of just where and how:
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Open shelving has become quite popular in recent years. It provides a great place to store an eye-catching collection that will beautifully compliment the colors in your kitchen.
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Is your collection really colorful...like the Fiestaware shown here? If so, it would be stunning displayed on open shelving in full veiw.
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If you are in the process of building a new home or renovating a kitchen, butler's pantry or hallway, consider making use of an area that might otherwise end up as dead space. Shallow, built-in shelving makes a a great display area, and keeps your serving pieces readily at hand.
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Have a wonderful collection of ironstone pitchers? Show them off by lining them up along a shelf or special spot in your kitchen. Again, they will make a stunning display and will be easily available when needed.
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One last idea for the kitchen area: Next time you empty the dishwasher, instead of putting the dishes away in your cabinets where you'll just have to pull them all back out, come meal time...consider keeping them out to enjoy all day. Your table or eat-in bar will be all set and ready when dinner time rolls around.
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A collection of majolica makes a wonderful display against the dark wood tone of this hutch/sideboard.
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| If the china you collect happens to be antique or a highly treasured import, you'll find it makes a gorgeous display in the most formal or elegant rooms of your home. Private Comment
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| Don't have enough books to fill all the shelves in your library or family room? Plates will gladly fill the gap until your book collection expands. Private Comment
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Sometimes a china collection will actually help ease an awkward transition. Just imagine for a moment if the lovely red and green pieces displayed on the shelves behind the sofa, were no longer there. The green sofa with the red pillows would look stark and out of place against the bright white of the shelving and kitchen.
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Use pieces out of your china collecton that work with the colors in your room. These platters with touches of the color blue, create a wonderful display in an area that is sometimes hard to decorate...the wall space behind/over the sofa. Additionally, they pull the eye upward, giving the illusion of height.
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Here's another beautiful example of using a collection of dishware to create a beautiful focal point that once again, pulls the eye upward giving the room a more open feel.
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Are you a lover of "blue and white?" Do you collect Flow Blue or Blue Williow? Gather it all together in one location for a nice display on an old, pine, plate rack.
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| Use your dish collection to accentuate the lines of a mirror or special piece of furniture, like this dresser that belonged to my mother-in-law when she was just a little girl. Plates work well to display around and over a piece to give it more presence. Private Comment
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Can you think of anything more perfect to go around this window than a wonderful plate collection. The round shape of the plates works perfectly with this beautiful window.
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This room reminds me so much of the dining room in the movie, Something's Gotta Give. What a gorgeous display that completely "makes" this room, while being totally practical since it keeps the dishware right at hand for setting the table.
Now, go get those dishes out from behind the curtains. It's time to unpack all Grandma's heirloom china. You have beautiful little porcelain works of art just begging to decorate your walls and home.
Do you use your dishes in your decorating? If so, please share by leaving a comment with a photo for all us dishaholics to see. :-)
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Now, go get those dishes out from behind the curtains. It's time to unpack all Grandma's heirloom china. You have beautiful little porcelain works of art just begging to decorate your walls and home.
Do you use your dishes in your decorating? If so, please share by leaving a comment with a photo for all us dishaholics to see. :-)
Comments
ellenw says:
Thank you for including my recently completed dining room in your Dishaholic ideabook! I do love the dining room in the movie Something's Gotta Give and did, indeed, use it as a basis for the redo. I enjoy having my ironstone collection displayed prominently. I added new slipcovers recently which gave the room the final touch it needed. You can see them here: Nouveau Stitch
Ellen
Ellen
2 years ago ·
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silver69 says:
Great Ideas! I love the look of the Tracy Murdock Allied ASID room- Beautiful!
2 years ago ·
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oldcharm says:
Cindy (the romantic home blog) has quite a few beautiful displays. Here is one of them: http://www.houzz.com/photos/32938/romantic-home-traditional--
Great post Susan!
Great post Susan!
2 years ago ·
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Karen Haberstro says:
Beautiful images! I am now inspired to go unpack some crates and boxes.... :)
2 years ago ·
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itlldo says:
Absolutely beautiful! I am adding to my dishroom daily in hopes of becoming a member of the club. Thank you Susan!
2 years ago ·
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Susan N. says:
My dishes were packed away and hard to access -- until we renovated an old house. I knew immediately that this pantry with L-shaped shelves (used for food storage by former owners) would be a perfect spot for displaying a part of my dish collection. Why in the world would I ever want to use it to store food when I can use it to display dishes?!!! I've absolutely loved having easy access to my dishes, and now I use them all. Besides this wonderful pantry space, I'm blessed with built-in back-to-back china cabinets between the kitchen and dining room, complete with a pass-through. I guess I could have included a pic here of the glass-front china cabinet in the dining room, but the one with closed doors in the kitchen is overflowing with dishes and needs to be organized. If I only had a blog, that project would make a good post for Metamorphosis Monday! ... Pull out those dishes AND PLAY!
2 years ago ·
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patscats2 says:
I love that wall shelving/cabinet in the last photo. This makes a much better statement than a china cabinet. Really nice.
2 years ago ·
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karenyang says:
Love this ideabook, but I have a question for all your dishaholics (and I am one, but a newbie when it comes to displaying them) - how do you keep the plates that are displayed vertically from falling over? Especially those of you with vintage hutches which likely don't have the little grooves that I've seen carved in some wood or glass shelving. I live in CA (earthquake country), and the idea of propping up a plate terrifies me, yet I know people do it....safely.
2 years ago ·
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My Place to Yours...I am soooo jealous of this dish room! It's awesome! I soooo agree...why waste that amazing space on food...dishes are a million times better! :-) Oooh, send me your pics and I'll post them on my blog for you on a Met Monday...would love to do that! Thanks so much for sharing these great pics...totally drool worthy! Susan
2 years ago ·
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Hi Karenyang, The china cabinets I have, all have a groove, but when I've propped up dishes on regular shelving here's how I do it. I buy those fuzzy little sticky pads that you normally put on the bottom of chair legs to protect the floor from scratches and I cut them in strips. You can buy them in a big sheet instead of just the little round pieces. Anyway, I peel off the back and stick the strips I've cut down to the shelf...then the plate can lean against that. Normally, you don't see the strips because of other china and things that are in front of the plates. I'm not sure how that would work in earthquake land. You might need to also use something on the back of the plates to secure them...but that would be a pain when you get ready to eat...you'd have to pull it off. Hope this helps a little.
2 years ago ·
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Suzanne says:
Hi, Susan. I opened this from my blogger dashboard (or a weekly email from Houzz) because the title got me. I was delighted to see it was YOUR Idea book (i'm a follower of your blog). And then I was even more excited and most pleasantly surprised to see my bedroom featured in here!! :-) I forwarded your link to Susan Taylor, the lovely and talented lady who designed my room and the plates over the bed. I'm sure she'll be flattered to see her work featured here.
Thanks for a great post. I'm loving the ALL of these inspiration pictures.
Have a great day!
Suzanne
Thanks for a great post. I'm loving the ALL of these inspiration pictures.
Have a great day!
Suzanne
2 years ago ·
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dabsdabs says:
On a different note...
okay, okay, is there anyone else out there who has an aversion to china plates displayed all over a livingroom or above a bed?
I find it a bit queer. Sissy-like. To me, it looks like the Mr. (if there is one) is duct-taped to a chair in his den and has absolutely no say in the decor of the rest of the house. I mean, geez, are you going to use those plates to snack in bed and then hang 'em back up? Yuck. I'm all for using attractive things and collections in different ways, and all, but it seems like it's just making do, like they have nothing else to put there. I'd rather wait and see nothing until I find something more room appropriate.
okay, okay, is there anyone else out there who has an aversion to china plates displayed all over a livingroom or above a bed?
I find it a bit queer. Sissy-like. To me, it looks like the Mr. (if there is one) is duct-taped to a chair in his den and has absolutely no say in the decor of the rest of the house. I mean, geez, are you going to use those plates to snack in bed and then hang 'em back up? Yuck. I'm all for using attractive things and collections in different ways, and all, but it seems like it's just making do, like they have nothing else to put there. I'd rather wait and see nothing until I find something more room appropriate.
2 years ago ·
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dabsdabs says:
slap!
a friend, and fellow houzz-er, just emailed me to say that I may have been a little harsh. I apologize for my bluntness- I do tend to be impulsive. Next time, I'll try to get my point across more gently.
a friend, and fellow houzz-er, just emailed me to say that I may have been a little harsh. I apologize for my bluntness- I do tend to be impulsive. Next time, I'll try to get my point across more gently.
2 years ago ·
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Catherine Gardner says:
This is a great idea book. I am a closeted dishaholic, and now I feel vindicated and may even come out after seeing these inspirational displays. Thank you for assembling this.
2 years ago ·
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bsmccl says:
While I love my dishes and I love using them, I'm not that fond of all the dusting having them all over the house would entail. I do LOVE the idea of setting the table from the dishwasher. What a great chance to have a little tablescaping fun during a regular chore!!!
2 years ago ·
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pwalter says:
Love the trays in the bookcase! They break up the monotony of book spines so nicely. www.satisfiedsole.com
2 years ago ·
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pianolegs says:
Talk about a dishaholic! We finally got a TJMaxx in our town on August 18th and I've already purchased 6 sets of dinner plates! Thankfully I have a husband who can build places for me to store them.
21 months ago ·
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