When I revealed my dining room a few weeks ago, I still had a few tweaks I wanted to do.
In fact, I loved this comment Kim left on that post, “I love how you can always improve on things. That is how stuff becomes outdated, because we decorate once and think we are ‘done’ But half the fun is knowing you will never be done! I LOVE the molding BTW. Beautiful!”
She is sooo right! You can’t just decorate a room, say “I’m done!”, and shut the door for the next 5 years. Style changes around you, your style changes, you find a great yard sale find that would go perfect in that room… No, I am not saying constantly redecorate your entire house, but always be looking for little ways you can update, improve, and freshen your space.
One of the little changes I had been wanting to make was to put something on the wall in between the two curtains. In fact, I knew what I wanted – I wanted plates! Preferably white plates maybe with a fun design or a square plate in the middle.
Enter this picture that I found a few weeks ago on Pinterest and it just happened to be from my friend Laine’s blog, It’s Just Laine. So I emailed her and asked her how she had put up the plates around the edges on the wall without plate hangers. You will never believe what she told me – large paperclips glued on the back! Brilliant, I tell you!
And then enter these plates I found at Value Village. The smaller floral pattern plates were $0.80 each and the larger ridged plate was $1.21. So $2.81 total. Under $3, my type of project, just like my $3.00 green spring wreath.
I asked Laine if she had used anything on the back besides the paperclip and she said no. I thought maybe some felt would help secure it to the plate, protect the wall, and give some added protection. She agreed. So I cut out some felt circles from some felt scraps I had, bent 3 large paper clips to be hangers, and glued them all on with lots and lots of hot glue! 🙂
You can see on this plate how the paper clip is just sticking over the rim of the back of the plate so it makes a perfect hanger.
And here are all 3 plates done. On the smaller plates I was able to glue more of the paper clip under the felt so only a small little circle is sticking out. And let me tell you, those paperclips and felt circles are not going anywhere! I tugged and pulled and yanked and they were firm as can be.
Now let me enter a disclaimer: I am not necessarily recommending that you hang your grandmother’s antique china on your wall with hot glue and a paper clip. Nor am I recommending that you hang plates by this method in a high traffic area where they could get bumped. Nor am I suggesting that you hang them over a crib. Basically – this is what I did, it worked wonderfully for me, if you think it will work for you go right ahead, but you do so at your own risk. 😉
I used one of these little hook things from my IKEA picture hanging kit to make them even a little more secure. That way the hook of the paperclip is actually hooked OVER this hook, not just sitting on a flat nail.
Here is my finished look! Invisible plate hangers for FREE!
I love the white plates in between the patterned curtains.
And I don’t know, maybe it just me, but plates in a dining room just seem to be fit?? 
Before:
After:
Before:
After:
So do you have any spare paperclips hanging around?? Go ahead and hang some plates on your wall!
By the way, Laine (yes the same Laine that gave me the idea for the paperclips) is hosting today’s part of our Bloggy Progressive Dinner. So head over and check out what she has chosen for a side and bread. 🙂
{cj}
Sometimes I link up to these wonderful parties:
Sarahndipities, Skip to my Lou, Today’s Creative Blog, How to Nest for Less, Home Stories A to Z, Apron Thrift Girl, Tools are for women too, Not just a Housewife, A bowl full of lemons, Uncommon Designs Online, Someday Crafts, No Minimalist Here,Somewhat Simple, 36th Avenue, Sew Much Ado, The Style Sisters, The Thrifty Home, Domestically Speaking, House of Hepworths, The Shabby Creek Cottage, Weekend Blogging party at Serenity Now, Home Happy Home, Tatertots and Jello,Funky Junk InteriorsThe Girl CreativeMiss Mustard Seed, Chic on a Shoestring Decorating, Remodelaholic, The Lettered Cottage, Before and after party at Thrifty Decor Chick, Pinterest Challenge at Young House Love
Love this!! What a great idea, though you and Laine are both so brave trying this out, b/c the idea of hanging something breakable with a paperclip does seem a bit risky! BUT… just cuz it isn’t conventional doesn’t mean it won’t work awesomely!
Did you just happen to run across the pin from Laine randomly? Funny how small of a world the facebook and pinterest makes it. 🙂
The plates look great and have to say again I love your dining room!
I think I was searching the pins from her blog on Pinterest – you know the source/justlaine.com thing. 🙂 and saw the plates but couldn’t find them on her blog cause they weren’t linked right. so I messaged her and she told me her secret – fun! 🙂
So…what type of glue did you use? I have colorful plates hanging from my kitchen wall on traditional plate hangers, but everytime the air conditioner kicks on, they vibrate and make an annoying humming sound…all 6 of them! :/ Hung them like this because i thought I might pull them down occasionally and use them. Been there going on 6 years now…. 😉
sorry, I updated the post. I used hot glue but I am sure you could use super glue or gorilla glue too. and maybe try a little square of felt on the bottom to help them not vibrate 🙂 or those little felt bottom of the chair pads things that just stick on.
Love it!
This is a genius idea! I’ll keep this in mind for future plate hangings. 🙂
thanks!
What a great idea! I love your disclaimers..lol. Megan
ha! well, I don’t want anyone’s family heirloom falling off the wall but I really think it won’t be a problem 🙂
Cute idea! I really love your curtains! Where are they from?
I made them. Get fabric name and details in my re-do post here – https://thefrugalhomemaker.com/2012/03/07/beforeafter-dining-room-reveal/
Love the curtains as well! Someday I will redecorate our home… but we’ve only been here 2.5 years so I guess I still have time to catch up? 5 years on this room? Yes, that makes me feel better. Thanks!
LOL! Oh, you should see my upstairs – I haven’t even touched it. horrible. and it has been 8+ years 🙂 But I blame it on finally finding what I like, knowing what I want to do, and being inspired 🙂
I am so excited to come across this on your blog!! I have a small (growing) collection of thrifted plates on my dinning room wall. I have currently only hung 5 of them because honestly I cant stand the sight of the little clips over the edge of the plates. Also the fact that my collection also calls for a few plate hangers that arent your typical shape. I picked up a hanger that claimed it would work on any size and shape! not! This is a perfect answer to my problem! I once tried ribbon but it didnt give a sturdy stable hold. It allowed the plate to much wiggle room. I dont have enough paper clips however I do have a roll of galvanized wire that I picked up for making a center piece paper/photo holder….that is a perfect use of the left-overs. and I can make the hangers a complete circle! …..your dinning room is beautiful!
thank you! and I hope they work for you! would love to know.
I tried it…I need a higher temp glue gun I guess. I did not get a good bond and was able to pull the hanger off with little effort. I tired the paper clip thinking maybe the wire was just too much for the glue but that didnt hold either…so getting a new gun and trying again.
Misty K
hmmm…did you put the felt over the paper clip? and maybe the shininess/smoothness of the plate could have something to do with it too?
Thank you for sharing. That is a great idea!
you are welcome!
OMG – I have been buying the expensive version of the invisible plate hangers – this is a fabulous DIY idea that I will definitely be using!
Pinning this!
Kelly
Thanks, Kelly! I was glad to find it too – who wants to pay for plate hangars? Save that money for decor or yard sale finds! 🙂
I have done this with great success on plates that are fairly light weight. I did not have such good luck with a 10″ ironstone plate and your disclaimer is important. Several plates in my dining room have been hanging for over a year and no problems. I definitely would not hang up Granny’s platter! That being said, I think your using the felt circle is a great idea as it has to provide more glue support to the paper clip. I think I may do an experiment with another ironstone plate and see how it goes!
Yes, I don’t want someone to do it and put it in a high traffic area or it not work for them. I will be checking mine randomly just to make sure it is still holding strong. I think the felt will help 🙂
Thanks for visiting, Suzan!
I loved this idea, I had to pin it! Now everyone is repinning it! Would love to hang some plates up on one of my wall one of these days and now I know how to.
Thanks, Mandy!
Hope it works for you one day too.
I LOVE your curtains!! Where’d you get them?
I made them! 🙂 You can get fabric details in this post – https://thefrugalhomemaker.com/2012/03/07/beforeafter-dining-room-reveal/
This is a great idea! I have the invisible hangers from the craft store and they are expensive. I read your dining room post too – beautiful! I used the same shade of gray in my house – first time I’ve read where someone used that exact color too!
Do you happen to have a tutorial on how to make the curtains?
wow! too funny that you used the same gray! I have more of it and plan to use it elsewhere in my house – I really like it 🙂
I don’t have a tutorial on the curtains – they were simple. I just made them the length that I needed and hemmed all side and then did loops on the back to make invisible hangars. This tutorial shows you basically how I did mine – http://justagirlblog.com/tablecloth-curtains/
Thanks – I will take a look at that tutorial. I currently have tab backed curtains, but I need to learn to make something probably – they are too short and I want a change. I have thought of going to pinch pleats on traverse rods so they will be easier to open and close and I like the mid century look.
It is a great color! I used 3 shades on the same card throughout my house lighter in smaller rooms and middle for the big rooms and the darkest for the accents – which I could have done without lol:)
And I forgot – a card or too over that is more blue/gray for my bedroom and kitchen.
that is a great idea to use different shades off the same card. that way you know they all match/fit together! I might have to try that in a room! thanks for the tip!
AH!! finally a great DIY way to hang!!! LOVE it! I’ll be doing that for sure – thanks for sharing – found you off TDC….I have a clay wall that I did in my powder room that I have been collecting plates from the Thrift Store, can’t wait to put them up now.
http://creativejuicesdecor.blogspot.com/2012/03/house-tour-part-three-kid-cubbies-and.html
Hi Selina! That is going to look great in your bathroom! So glad you found this idea.
Your entryway is so nice! LOVE the place for the dog dishes.
Hi there, thanks so much for this tip! You are really extremely creative and I appreciate you maintaining your blog. I hung my plates as you suggested and it worked marvelously!! YAY!!
thanks again.
yay! so glad it worked for you!
Clever Idea. It seems to me I have seen something similiar to the white felt circles, like nursing pads. Just an idea, if anyone has left over ones and wonders what to do with them.
Enjoyed your site, and will surely be back again. As a self-professed unorganized perfectionist, who loves to decorate but has –like so many of us today– a rather limited budget, I tend to spend forever actually getting things done because if it means spending too much money it isn’t “perfect” for me. You, dear lady, have provided lots of inspiration to get me going. Like the paperclip plate hangers. What a fabulous, super-simple idea!
I recently saw a post on Pinterest (ack! what an addicting site!) where they put wallwords on plain white plates hung on the wall. I could so see something like, “Love” “Lives” “Here” on yours. 🙂
You know, I completely debated about putting words on those plates! I haven’t completely dismissed the idea – so we shall see 🙂
love your curtains! the room looks great. are those gray walls, I’ve been thinking of maybe trying gray walls in one of my rooms.
thanks, Terry! Gray does seem to be popular right now. It is becoming the new neutral and I love it.
What a great idea if you have something light-weight to hang up! I’ve pinned so I’ll remember when that time comes.
Debbie 🙂
I can’t believe I found this!! I have been searching for something to hang my plates on for 6 months and everything is so expensive. Sooo glad for this post… I will be trying this tonight!
Love this idea! I found some beautiful plates at Home Goods and I was going to buy 3M strips to hang them because I don’t want the edges to show from the plate hangers. I’m not planning on using these to eat from so this is a great idea! Thank you!
Loved the idea and I’ll go back to Japan with a new way to hang simple things and I do have a glue gun or a bottle of gorilla glue all my own!! I am excited! Thanks for sharing and I love your house and your decorating! You are so great at it!
Thank you so much for sharing this Christine. We recently did some home improvements, and I now have a beautiful county porch on my home. I wanted to put our house numbers on the front of the house, and decided to hand paint the numbers onto a plate, and then find a way to hang the plate. Then decided to start to find a way to hang the plate. Your site was my first and only place I needed. I cant wait to hang my new plate on the porch. Thanks again for a easy affordable way to finish my project.
Dianne
I came across your blog recently on one sleepless night (I suffer from horrible insomnia) and found it quite enjoyable. I am a “thrifter” too and have always practiced frugality, whether or not it was necessary. I feel the need to comment on your DIY plate hangers…I had two small decorative plates I purchased some time ago at Dollar Tree. They came with plate easels, however, I wasn’t really pleased with the look of them, they were black plastic, flimsy and not very stylish. I decided I wanted to hang them on the wall, but had trouble locating plate hangers! Then I saw your blog…I consider myself a Glue Gun Goddess, so I whipped out my gun, a couple of paper clips and some saved cardboard from which I cut circles and…. viola! my cute little plates are now hanging on the wall, at no extra cost to me, as I had everything I needed on hand! So thank you for a great idea!
Thanks for this great idea! ?
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Thanks a lot!
Just what I needed! Thank you 🙂
Thank you for this helpful post (lovely dining room by the way!). I recently bought a set of tiny little ceramic coasters at an estate sale that look like little plates with fruit on them, thinking that I could hang them up in the kitchen. Then I discovered that you can’t get plate hangers to fit plates that small (they are about 3″ in diameter). This will be the perfect solution!
Just found this post! I am so happy to report that I used your method by hot gluing a picture hanger to the ceramic plates (which have been waiting to go up on the wall for a couple of years now). Instead of using paper clips, I used the picture hangers with teeth and hot glued them to the plates. I then nailed picture hooks into the wall and then hung the plates on the hooks. It all seems pretty secure, though, I’m obsessing about putting a couple of pillows beneath the plates on the floor tonight just in case! Just so happy to have finally completed this project! Thanks again. Linda
It worked! Thanks for posting this. I found plates that I wanted to hang up in my bathroom. I told my husband I was going to try this and he did not think it was going to work.
Im so glad I found this! Such a good idea!!! 🙂
Your dining room is beautiful. May I say your chandelier is too high. Recommend at least 30″ from table top.
Just wondering if these still holding sting 5 years later? Thanks so much. ?
You need more color on your curtains. they are pulling the whole room down.