Budget Decorating

Part 2

Go Shopping in Your China Cabinets

Why keep all your dishes behind glass and hidden away in cabinets? Why use "the good stuff" only a few times a year? There are many ways to use these pieces throughout your home that will allow you to enjoy them in a whole new way- not to mention adding character and charm to your home decor.

Plates and Platters

Plates of all sizes look great hanging in groups on the wall. Don't be afraid to mix different sizes and patterns. Here are some ideas to get you started...

*Plates and saucers look great when mixed in with a grouping of artwork. It's common to hang china in the kitchen, but it will work beautifully in any room of the house.

*Use plates on stands on your shelves, mantles, bookcases, and accents tables.

*Plates and Platters can serve as trays to corral a collection of small decorative items in your living room or soaps and toiletries in your bathrooms.

*A single pair of plates get elevated to a work of art when displayed in a dramatic way, such as in this picture taken from Mary Carol Garrity's book "Feather Your Nest." (All of Mary Carol's books are great, and we carry her line of home goods here at the store)

Saucers, Cake Stands, and Everything Else

*Saucers make a great soap dish in either your bathrooms or the kitchen. A saucer placed on a bedside table with a little hankerchief in it makes a charming place to put your jewelry at night. They can also be a unique alternative to drink coasters in your living rooms.

*Use cake stands as risers in your displayes. Put a potted plant on a cake stand to give it some height. Put a stack of wash clothes on a cake stand in your guest bathroom.

*Sugar bowls, creamers, and teapots can be displayed anywhere in the house. They especially look good when grouped together.

We hope we've given you some ideas to inspire you to dig through your cabinets. We have a variety of plate stands and hangers here at Chamberhouse to help get you started. We also have a variety of antique and new china and serveware. Mention this blog post and get 50% off one plate stand or hanger! Take a look at the picture below and notice the variery of ways that china and serving pieces are used in the room...