Four ways to display your decorative dishware

Are you tired of keeping your beautiful dishes hidden away? Why not use them to decorate your home so you can enjoy them all year round? Here are some ways to turn your dishware into decor:

1. Exhibit them in a cabinet. If your dishes are family heirlooms or especially valuable, the best way to display them is behind glass. Choose a glass-fronted cabinet or hutch with shelves for showing off your collection.

2. Hang plates on the wall. Hang your most beautiful ornamental plates and other dishes on the wall using hooks or plate hangers, either individually or as part of a tasteful arrangement.

3. Use individual pieces as accents. Choose a few key dishes to use as decor in your living room, kitchen or bedrooms. Larger pieces like teapots and tureens can stand on their own on small tables or shelves while smaller dishes like teacups can be used to dress up bookcases and bathroom counters.

4. Re-purpose them in your home. If you have dishes you’re holding onto but no longer use, consider turning them into something new. Old teacups, plates, bowls and pitchers make great vases, planters, candleholders and soap dishes.

Another way to display your dishware? Remove the doors of your kitchen cabinets so the shelving is exposed. This way, you can show off your best dishes while keeping them near the stove so you can easily use them whenever the occasion arises.