The Vintage Kitchenware Martha Stewart Loves Styling As Wall Decor

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If you have gorgeous vintage kitchenware that you're afraid to use because of potential damage, you'll be happy to hear about an old school kitchen decor tip we learned from Martha Stewart. Stewart uses colorful vintage plates as wall decor so that they can be admired and enjoyed without the risk of breakage. In a 2021 blog post, Stewart discusses her process for redecorating the dining room at her Bedford farmhouse.

One of the things she did was to hang vintage Wedgwood drabware plates on the dining room walls. Wedgwood is an iconic British ceramics company that has been in business for close to 300 years. Vintage Wedgwood plates are both gorgeous and potentially valuable, which is why you might hesitate to use them for daily dining.

Plus, while vintage Wedgwood ceramics are safe to eat on, some vintage dishware is no longer food safe and can pose health or safety risks. If you're concerned about whether a favorite antique dish, plate, or serving platter is safe to use, but it's too pretty to toss out, displaying it in your kitchen or dining room is a fun alternative. As long as you take steps to protect the plates and choose the perfect hanging position, Stewart's idea can be a fun and easy DIY project.

It's important to use the right tools and materials when hanging vintage plates. If you don't, they could fall off the wall and break. For heavy or valuable plates, do not use Command strips or adhesive hooks. You also want to avoid permanently attaching any hardware to the plates because that could damage them and diminish their value.

Before you begin, clean and dry each plate carefully. Then lay the plates out on a sheet of butcher paper to decide how you want to position your budget-friendly wall art. Draw around each plate with a pencil and then remove them and tape the butcher paper to the wall. Mark the spots where the plate hangers need to go and then insert your screws in place through the paper. When you're done, just pull the paper off the wall, leaving each fastener in the perfect position.

Stewart's also offered some great tips on the right plate hangers to use. The hangers that Stewart used are from her own brand, Martha by Mail. You may still be able to find them on eBay or Etsy, but you can also use another brand. These Hillman plate hangers are just $3.98 each on Amazon, and plates between 8 and 11 inches. Be sure to choose hangers that are rated for the size and weight of each plate to prevent accidents. When positioning the hangers, use a level to make sure the plates will hang straight so that they won't slide off and break.