Hello friends! Today is a Lifestyle of Love hop. A hop for those of us who love antique, vintage, farmhouse and repurposed goodies. You could say it’s also for us who like dead peoples stuff but that feels like I’ve gone too far. Is it too far? 😉 If you’re visiting here from Shiplap and Shells, welcome! Were you swooning over Kim’s home? Wouldn’t you just love sitting at her table chit chatting all day? Me too! I’m sharing 5 pretty ways to use dishes when decorating a home. You can see the other fun posts at the bottom. Don’t miss it!
5 Pretty Ways To Use Dishes When Decorating A Home
I get so excited when I see a piece of ironstone at a garage or estate sale, a flea market or antique store. Same goes for any vintage mismatched plate, with or without a chip, transferware and even old Corelle pieces although I don’t have any of that. And I like to use or display what I find. Sometimes it’s as an everyday dish or sometimes in decor. But whatever I find, I’m not one to store it away and never see it. So here are a few ways I use them around my house.
~use dishware as wall art~
The most obvious way is to hang them in a frame or on a wall. I’ve always loved hanging things inside empty frames and my favorite has to be using a plate or charger. This is a charger and if I kept it inside a cabinet and only used it when a special occasion popped up, I’d rarely see it. I bought them because of the beautiful scalloped edges so why not let everyone love it like me? Don’t even get me started on the beauty of full plate wall collages!
~use a pitcher as a bookend~
One of my favorite pieces is this ironstone pitcher. I’ve used it several times as a vase but this time it’s pulling double duty to hold up the books on the mantel. When I look at the grouping, the first thing I see are the Lamb’s Ear stems then my eye goes to the pitcher. If the books were extra heavy and could possibly fall over, I’d add heavy rocks or something else inside the pitcher to protect it from falling.
~use dishes for seasonal vignettes~
If you’re going to showcase your pretty dishes inside a cabinet or hutch, use them to add seasonal touches. You probably pass your display everyday and not notice a change. But when you add moss and eggs, ornaments at Christmas or plants during spring, you’ll notice it all the time. At least I do. It’s a rare occasion that there isn’t something sitting inside the dishes in the vintage hutch.
~use dishes as a centerpiece~
Why not use your favorite or everyday dishes as a centerpiece? I plan to do this again this summer hoping that people have had their vaccines (lol, that sounds weird to say. like we’re rabid or something) and will stop by unexpectedly! I’ll be ready with a pretty centerpiece. I can whip out that frozen key lime pie, make some lemonade and enjoy the company. How cute is that? Your guests will love it and feel welcome. Then maybe they’ll tell other friends to stop by too! 😉
~use them for dressing up your canisters~
I always enjoy changing out the cups in my canisters. I use vintage teacups that are the color of my kitchen most of the time. But the Santa mugs come out at Christmas, nice warm colored cups during fall and every once in a while it will be just plain white cups. It’s one of the easiest things to do when wanting a decor change in the kitchen.
Well that’s 5 pretty ways to use dishes when decorating a home but there are so many other ways. I bet if you hop over to Follow the Yellow Brick Home you’ll see more beautiful ideas. But don’t forget to check out my other friends. They’re beautiful too! And if you missed the last (first for 2021) Lifestyle of Love Hop, it’s all about tool boxes! Click here to see it.
You have such a pretty collection of dishes, creamware, ironstone, and milk glass Cindy! I love the way you styled it all and the fabulous ways we can get the look too. I know I’ve said this before but if you ever get a party bus that shops for goodies like these I’m definitely going to be on it. Big hugs and thanks for putting these hops together, CoCo
Author
Thank you CoCo. Very sweet of you to say. And I’m all in for the shopping party bus! Honestly, I think where Lora B or Amber live (2 different states) seem to have the best stuff. I’m jealous of their goodies. Have a great weekend.
We can’t have too many dishes! Live shopping estate sales and flea markets for them. Great ideas, Cindy. Great hop.
Author
Thanks bunches Carol. I love shopping estate sales too but am to lazy to get up and get there at the crack of black so I get the leftovers. 😉
I loved the pitcher with the lambs ear- I would turn it so you see the front and not the spines since it is faux. Would be even more striking!!
Author
That mantel sits so high it’s hard to not see the bottom of everything but I totally see what you mean about the spines. Those things and I have quite the wrangle when it comes to fluffing and making them look good. I’ll definitely do better next time. Thank you so much Tracey.
I’m going to head over now and put teacups in my flower and sugar bowls. Great idea🌺🌺🌺☕️
Author
Yay Ann, you’ll LOVE it! Just be careful not to chip one as you bring it out of the jar. Been there done that – but only once! 😉
I love these ideas! I hang mine but have never thought about using them in canisters, what a great idea! Thanks for sharing!
Author
So glad you found a new idea Cheryl. I really do love using them in the canisters.
Yes, drop all the dead people’s stuff on my porch, please! And when I’m dead, my estate sale will be epic!! All wonderful dishware ideas, but those vintage teacups in your canisters; brilliant! I never would have thought of that one in a million. Wonder what my house-full of men will think if I try that? Thanks so much for always coming up with awesome LOL ideas; these are my favorite (and google’s too, which is nice;)
Author
You are so right when it comes to our estate sales when we die! They will be epic! Yours way more than mine but still epic. I love the LOL hops too. Let me know if you try the tea cups in the canisters. Would love to know what your guys say. 😉
Cindy I love all your great ideas for dishes and how you created such beautiful vignettes! Thank you so much for organizing such a fun hop. Have the best weekend!
Author
Thanks so much Stacy. I love dishes so it was easy. The hard part was keeping it to only 5!
Hi Cindy, thanks so much for putting together this fun Hop with dishes. Haha that sounds difficult doesn’t it? I think my fave idea is using the vintage cups in your cannister jars. Such a pretty way to bring seasonal color onto our kitchen counters. Loving the creamers and cups filled with moss and eggs to brighten up our cupboards. Hope you’re having a great weekend!
Author
The cups in the canisters has always been a fave for me too. Then I think using dishes in a centerpiece. I need to do another post with 5 more ideas because I love all the ways to use them. Thanks Debra!
I just don’t know what I love the most Cindy! The seasonal vignettes, the dishware being framed, the teacups in the glass jars. So much inspiration. Thank you for hosting such a wonderful blog hop. This was so fun!
Author
I’m so glad you think so Kim. I always enjoy the Lifestyle of Love hops. We have a talented group of ladies, don’t we?! Hope you have a great weekend.
Adorable. I love the teacups in the canisters. Great idea. All your ideas are fun. Dead people’s stuff. Haha.
Author
Well that’s kinda what it is, isn’t it? I know I don’t use the stuff my mom gave me. Maybe because she’s still alive – LOL! Thank you Katie
I love a good estate sale and I will be more than happy to take their possessions and love them as they have. Thanks for all these ideas, you always have good ones, have a blessed weekend.
Author
Me too. I was at an estate sale last year (beginning of mask season) and I almost talked myself out of a cracked teacup. Then I thought no one else will want that little cutie and my good sense prevailed. I still love it propped up there with all the others. Have a good one Marlene and thanks for the visit!
I adore ALL of these fabulous ideas! Thank you so much for hosting.
Author
You’re the best Laura, thank you.
WOW I love the use of the cups in your canisters! I had never thought to do that and I have so many beautiful cups that I would love to use more. I used to collect cups and saucers but only have about 10 or 15 now that I really love and couldn’t bare to part with. Unfortunately my canisters are not see through right now but I think I’m going to change that up now…lol. I really love the plates in the frames as well.
Author
Do it Shirley! You can find cute inexpensive clear canisters at Target and Walmart. Tons online as well. I stopped buying the vintage plates but feel like I need more. One day I’m hoping one of my daughters will say – hey mom, let’s use all of the pretty plates for my wedding. If that’s the case, I need get more. Maybe I should just wish for a bridal shower instead? 😉
Cindy,
you have so many cute dishes! I love the single platter in the vintage frame, such a cute idea! And, I am definitely going to copy you on using a cute teacup in flour and sugar canisters! such a great idea!! So much inspiration!!!
Thank you so much for hosting this fun blog hop!!!
Author
Awe, thanks so much Emily. I’ve done the teacups inside my canisters for years and never tire of it. Especially because I switch them out frequently. It’s super fun to also hang vintage cookie cutters on the outside with ribbon. Love that look for spring and Christmas time.
You had me at dishes! I love your pretty china teacups in the canisters!
Author
Thank you Rita! I am about ready to switch them out for a little while. Might as well get good use out of all the teacups in the cabinets, right?! Hope you have a wonderful weekend.
Dishes are my weakness at estate sales, flea markets, antique stores & thrift stores. I already use vintage coffee cups in my glass canisters, but never thought to change them out for fall and Christmas. I must consider you an enabler!! Thanks
Author
LOL, I suppose I am an enabler. But it’s the good kind! Maybe think of it as a re-homer instead. I want all the little lovely vintage items to have a good home. Is that stretching it? Neh. 😉
Cindy your dishes make me swoon! I want them all! I love that pitcher as a book end and the tea cups in the canister. I have some ironstone mugs in a canister of coffee beans. Of course I love your framed platters and also your lovely tablescapes and the way you fill your dishes with seasonal treasures.
This was such a fun hop! Thanks for hosting.
Author
You’re the best Amber. No one I know can hold a candle to your gorgeous collection but you still have sweet words to encourage and make me smile. Thanks so much!
I love your gorgeous collection of Ironstone. I too am a dish addict. I have a ton of transferware that I display in practically every room in the house. Thanks so much for sharing all the beauty!
Author
I wish I could find more transferware around here. Seems like everyone else but me has some and I’m mad about it! 😉 Thanks for the visit today. Hope you have a great week Lisa.
Cindy,
This was such a fun idea for a tour! I absolutely adore your cups in the flour and sugar canisters. Such a pretty, vintage touch!
Author
Thanks bunches Christy. I loved this hop too. I think everyone to some degree has an affinity for dishes. Some have an obsession (ahem) but hello, what’s not to love?!