CasaSugar

DIY: Hang Plates on a Wall

CasaSugar — Thu, 27 Aug 2009 15:00:46 -0700

If you read my slideshow on how to decorate on the cheap with pretty plates, you might be feeling inspired to hang some in your own home. Before you get started, there are a few steps you should learn, so you don't wind up with shattered materials for a mosaic instead. While you can just hang a trio evenly spaced on a wall, you'll make more of a statement if you group them in a more unique arrangement. To learn how to hang plates, read more.

Lay a large piece of craft paper (or even tape a few pieces together) on the floor, the size of the space where you'd like to hang them.
Place around with the arrangement of the plates on the paper before you begin hanging them. Once you've settled on design, trace the plates onto the paper. If you want a more traditional look, go with a symmetrical arrangement. For something more eclectic, arrange them asymmetrically, in a flowing pattern or a cluster as shown here.
Leave a half a foot or so between the arrangement and the ceiling to give it visual balance.
Use your traced paper as a guide to mark the placement of each plate on the wall with a pencil.
Then, hang away! For a free-floating look, you can use these heavy-duty, peel-and-stick Disc Hangers, which are available in range of sizes. Or, you can use a traditional wire plate hanger, readily available at your local hardware store. In either case, you'll need to hammer a nail into the wall to hang it from, and remember to adjust your marks on the wall according to where the plate hanger's hook is.

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Steal of the Day: Gothic Dessert Plate

CasaSugar — Tue, 18 Nov 2008 13:00:28 -0800

If ever I come across a discounted Thomas Paul design, my ears perk up; I love his work. But, in this case, the Thomas Paul Gothic Dessert Plate Set ($23.10, reduced from $38.50) caught my eye because their creepy silhouettes look straight out of The Ring Two. We've got a young girl (Samara), a horse (from the old Morgan horse farm), a boy (Aiden Keller - Naomi Watt's son), and a black crow thrown in there for good measure. Hung on a wall of your kitchen or dining room, they create a dark contemporary motif. You like, or is it too dark for your home?

Cool Idea: Another Use For a Plate Hanger

CasaSugar — Tue, 21 Oct 2008 09:15:49 -0700

Su Casa member Brendelwoman recently shared her inventive use of a plate hanger that she bought at a consignment shop for $12. Since she didn't have any plates to display with the plate hanger, she needed to think out of the box. Brendelwoman decided to use the plate hanger to display some other trinkets. Can you guess what they are? To find out, read more.

She decided to use the plate hanger as a necklace and bracelet holder! She says, "The great thing about displaying my jewelry out in the open versus in the armoire is that I am actually wearing more of it now that I can see it!" Adorable, right? If you're not on the hunt for a necklace display but you need a place to display your earrings, check out my Shutter Earrings Display DIY.
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This Just In: John Derian Coming to Target

CasaSugar — Tue, 19 Aug 2008 05:30:19 -0700

On Sept. 14, home accessories dynamo John Derian will introduce a collection for Target based on the découpage pieces that made him rise to shelter world fame. The collection will feature antique print imagery like the fruit, flower, and animal prints that Derian typically layers and pieces together under his glass accessories, but instead they will be printed on melamine. "All my designs tell a story. And the prices allow you to live happily ever after," says Derian. To give you an idea of the fairytale prices, a 12-by-12-inch tray will go for $16.99; a set of coasters, $12.99; and a 5.5-inch plate, $5.99. I always love it when Target gets designers involved, and I'm a big fan of Derian's work. But, knowing how easy and inexpensive it is to DIY your own découpage on glass, I think I'd prefer to create the real thing on my own.
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Casa Quickie: Porcelain Por Favor

CasaSugar — Tue, 01 Jul 2008 13:00:27 -0700

Whenever possible, you should try to create a home (and office) that is "free of tree." Considering that most of you use cloth napkins and towels, you're probably well on your way. But, when it comes to giving yourself reminders, and jotting down notes, I'm going to venture to guess that many of you probably still use paper (Post-Its, notepads, journals, etc.). If it didn't scream "college dorm room," I'd suggest using a dry-erase board instead, but unfortunately the memories of freshman year run thick wherever dry-erase boards hang. So, consider cruising over to your cupboard, or stopping by your local thrift store, and picking up a porcelain plate. You can jot notes and lists down on plain ol' porcelain just as well as you can with a tree-killing notepad, using a dry-erase marker of course. And, at the end of the day, when you've checked A through Z off your laundry list, you can wipe off those letters with your handmade cloth napkin.
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Love It or Hate It? Chat Plates

CasaSugar — Thu, 12 Jun 2008 07:00:47 -0700

These quirky Ikuko Nakazawa Chat Plates ($45) are the epitome of a conversation piece, designed to resemble conversation bubbles from Japanese comics. I think they'd speak wonders laid on your nightstand to hold jewelry and odds and ends.

Etsy Find: Rae Dunn Little Bee Dish

CasaSugar — Tue, 20 May 2008 09:15:43 -0700

Reeled into a great local sale a few weekends ago, I treated myself to a pair of small Rae Dunn dishes that read "EAT" and a larger one with a chartreuse border, perfect for serving up cheese and crackers for a party of two. They've since become a favorite possession of mine. So, I was ecstatic to come across Rae Dunn's pottery in Etsy. This Rae Dunn Little Bee Dish ($25) is also fit for a bit of Brillat-Savarin and apricot compote, but would dole out a bar of lavender soap in the bathroom equally well. If bees aren't your thing, perhaps a little chicken, pig, or crown dish or her "Home Sweet Home" plaque would be more your speed — they're all solid, handmade, and one of a kind.

Steal of the Day: Novelty Cocktail Plates

CasaSugar — Tue, 15 Apr 2008 13:00:37 -0700

I love buying charming little plates and repurposing for something nonkitchen related. These Novelty Cocktail Plates ($12.99, normally $19) come in a set of four, which includes two frogs and two birds. Though they're dishwasher safe, I'd forgo placing edibles on these and use them for other house-decorating purposes. I'm loving the idea of seeing these cute plates on an entry table, used to hold change, keys, or mail. How would you use them?

Crave Worthy: Chinoise Garden Bird Toile Plate Set

CasaSugar — Fri, 07 Mar 2008 11:14:45 -0800

I must admit, I am, in most cases, not a huge fan of chinoiserie. I'm also a nonfan of toile, aside from Hazelnut's New Orleans toile and Sheila Bridges' Harlem toile. But, the two styles blended together in this Chinoise Garden Bird Toile Plate Set ($224) is actually quite the eye pleaser. Too pretty to eat off of, I'd hang this plate set on the walls of a midnight gray kitchen with slick, white-lacquered furniture, or place one on my dresser as a jewelry catch-all. Do you love it?

Nice and New: Barbara Barry Barware and Plates

CasaSugar — Tue, 26 Feb 2008 09:00:17 -0800

From renowned interior designer Barbara Barry, the Barbara Barry by Wedgwood Barware and Plates ($100-$120) feature her iconic chairs in whimsical, delicate designs, so you can "take a seat" with your favorite cocktail or hors d'oeuvre. Fun for a girly brunch or a nightly gimlet, and delightful simply as décor, pick up a set for yourself or as a housewarming gift for a Barry-loving friend.