Decorating
10 Clever Ways to Show Off Your Ceramics and Tableware
Discover how to display your beautiful objects and add elegance to your home
Curating vases, plates and other ceramics is a great way to add interest, colour and style to any room. Using these design tricks, you can easily create an eye-catching display, and the great thing is you can move it around whenever the mood takes you.
Use the whole area
Replicate that feeling of walking into a shop and wanting everything on show by making use of floor-to-ceiling shelving. This gives you the chance to display your best vases, as well as serving plates and glasses.
This dining space has built-in shelving, but you could achieve a similar look with freestanding units side by side.
Replicate that feeling of walking into a shop and wanting everything on show by making use of floor-to-ceiling shelving. This gives you the chance to display your best vases, as well as serving plates and glasses.
This dining space has built-in shelving, but you could achieve a similar look with freestanding units side by side.
Frame your pieces
Even if your plates, jugs and bowls are all white, make a feature of the shelves you’re displaying them on by using colour. Paint the shelves themselves or the wall behind, or even include brightly coloured doors among open shelves, as in this kitchen, to really make your tableware pop out.
By using sliding doors that also allow for partially open shelving, you can access your crockery easily and switch what’s on display.
Even if your plates, jugs and bowls are all white, make a feature of the shelves you’re displaying them on by using colour. Paint the shelves themselves or the wall behind, or even include brightly coloured doors among open shelves, as in this kitchen, to really make your tableware pop out.
By using sliding doors that also allow for partially open shelving, you can access your crockery easily and switch what’s on display.
Go all out
Don’t feel you have to stick to one or three pieces pushed to one side on your mantelpiece. Make use of all the space with different colours, shapes and textures that will really give an interesting effect. These homeowners have used almost every finish here, from shiny metallics to glossy glazes and natural matts.
Find ideas on how to be brave with colour
Don’t feel you have to stick to one or three pieces pushed to one side on your mantelpiece. Make use of all the space with different colours, shapes and textures that will really give an interesting effect. These homeowners have used almost every finish here, from shiny metallics to glossy glazes and natural matts.
Find ideas on how to be brave with colour
Be clever with awkward spaces
Building in shelving around doorways or under the stairs frames the area and makes a lovely display feature in what would otherwise be dead space. You could re-create this look by using ready-made box shelves – perhaps with some light reconfiguring by the handiest person in your household – fitted around your door frame.
Check out more ways to make a feature of your shelving
Building in shelving around doorways or under the stairs frames the area and makes a lovely display feature in what would otherwise be dead space. You could re-create this look by using ready-made box shelves – perhaps with some light reconfiguring by the handiest person in your household – fitted around your door frame.
Check out more ways to make a feature of your shelving
Collect and display
Perhaps you’d like to introduce a colour to an interior scheme, but don’t want anything too permanent? Collecting various vases or ceramics in the same colour is an easy way of doing so. If you don’t have a spare wall to create an effect like this, you could use a mantelpiece, windowsill or sideboard for similar impact.
Perhaps you’d like to introduce a colour to an interior scheme, but don’t want anything too permanent? Collecting various vases or ceramics in the same colour is an easy way of doing so. If you don’t have a spare wall to create an effect like this, you could use a mantelpiece, windowsill or sideboard for similar impact.
Make use of all angles
Having open shelving as a room divider gives you the chance to make the most of the ceramics and objects you want to display. In this room, the pieces can be seen from different areas and angles.
You could also use half-height open shelves if you don’t want to commit to a room divider. They are often inexpensive and easy to assemble yourself.
Having open shelving as a room divider gives you the chance to make the most of the ceramics and objects you want to display. In this room, the pieces can be seen from different areas and angles.
You could also use half-height open shelves if you don’t want to commit to a room divider. They are often inexpensive and easy to assemble yourself.
Vary the height of your ceramics
Height is important when organising a cluster of objects. You want your eyes to dance around the display, not just be stuck at one height, with items at the back getting lost. Here, the homeowners have varied the height but kept the shapes of the vases fairly similar to create an air of uniformity.
Height is important when organising a cluster of objects. You want your eyes to dance around the display, not just be stuck at one height, with items at the back getting lost. Here, the homeowners have varied the height but kept the shapes of the vases fairly similar to create an air of uniformity.
Don’t hide away
Do you like the idea of having your key pieces of tableware on show, but aren’t a fan of open shelving in the kitchen because of the extra cleaning it might involve? You could include glass doors in your kitchen design as an alternative. A good tip is to add hidden LED strip lighting underneath each shelf to really show your pieces off.
Do you like the idea of having your key pieces of tableware on show, but aren’t a fan of open shelving in the kitchen because of the extra cleaning it might involve? You could include glass doors in your kitchen design as an alternative. A good tip is to add hidden LED strip lighting underneath each shelf to really show your pieces off.
Display your plates
Plates don’t just have to be piled high in a cupboard. If you own some beautiful or antique plates, make a feature of them. They don’t have to be left gathering dust just because you’re reluctant to use them every day.
Your local hardware store should sell different-sized plate hangers, which are inexpensive and easy to use, to accommodate your collection.
TELL US…
How do you display your favourite objects? Share your tips or photos in the Comments below.
Plates don’t just have to be piled high in a cupboard. If you own some beautiful or antique plates, make a feature of them. They don’t have to be left gathering dust just because you’re reluctant to use them every day.
Your local hardware store should sell different-sized plate hangers, which are inexpensive and easy to use, to accommodate your collection.
TELL US…
How do you display your favourite objects? Share your tips or photos in the Comments below.
Look at the colour scheme of the room you’re working with. You might have a cushion, for instance, with subtle hints of a particular colour in it. Pick out some of the key shades and find objects or vases that match or complement them to really bring your scheme together.
Here, the homeowner has picked out colours from the artwork, furniture and walls to create a cohesive, pleasing result.