From plates and vases to urns and figurines, showcase your ceramics with inspiration from these creative displays by leading designers and tastemakers. By Rosalind Sack
WALL-HUNG PLATES COMPLEMENT THE KITCHEN ISLAND AND ACCENTUATE THE CEILING HEIGHT OF THIS KITCHEN DESIGNED BY JOANNA WOOD. IMAGE: MARK NICHOLSON
Few things bring warmth, texture and soul to a home quite like ceramics. There is something deeply human about an object shaped, painted or glazed by hand with all its glorious imperfections. Whether a single sculptural vase catching the light on a windowsill, or an entire gallery wall of plates foraged from charity shops and antique fairs; the beauty of ceramics lies in their remarkable range. We explore the most creative and considered ways to display your collection.
This collection of plates, serving platters and dishes cleverly ties into all the tones of the striking kitchen backsplash, while also introducing shades of blue and green. Each has a painterly, textural quality which softens the stainless steel units and black marble countertops.
IMAGE: GUILLAUME DE LAUBIER FROM THE PARISIANS: TASTEMAKERS AT HOME BY CATHERINE SYNAVE, FLAMMARION
Interior Designer Nicola Harding often uses rich, inky shades to create depth and atmosphere. Here, the aubergine colour on the walls and joinery highlights the homeowner’s belongings in bright block colours. Single ceramics, such as the yellow vase, tie in with other decorative elements within the room and give the space a bright punch of colour.
IMAGE: DEAN HEARNE FROM NICOLA HARDING: HOMING INSTINCT BY NICOLA HARDING AND BUSOLA EVANS, RIZZOLI
Textile artist and designer Alice Palmer displays her decorative plates in what is often a forgotten and under-utilised space. By hanging them above the wall cabinets in her kitchen she draws the eye upward, creating the illusion of height. This is further accentuated by painting the walls and ceiling in the same shade, blurring the boundaries of each surface.
IMAGE: ASTRID TEMPLIER
This collection of plates by ceramicist Ben Hughes humorously depict vegetarians through time, referencing the famous women dinner service on display at Charleston House. Homeowner and art curator Lizzie Glendinning has hung them in a simple, but striking grid formation in the kitchen of her Georgian house in the Pennines.
IMAGE: EMILY BOWDEN
When grouped by colour, a collection of varied styles, shapes and designs can look strikingly cohesive, such as these varied blue and white pieces filling the open shelving in the home of fashion editor Katherine Ormerod. She opened up the space in her home by building scalloped shelving in an old kitchen, painted in a coordinating blue, which houses her ceramic collection.
IMAGE: YUKI SUGIURA, FROM NOT YOUR FOREVER HOME BY KATHERINE ORMEROD, QUADRILLE
Even the simplest forms and colours of ceramics can be beautiful. In this kitchen/living space designed by De Rosee Sa with joinery by WG Studios, the ceramics don’t steal the show. Instead they add interest and warmth and, displayed on this open shelving unit, they help to create a clever divide between the rooms.
IMAGE: PETER MOLLOY
Designer James Coviello’s farmhouse in the Hudson Valley is a mastercalss in decorating and living with antiques. James uses colour to combine and unite objects in his home, more than their style. Here, his antique white ceramics have impact against the yellow walls and the symmetry of his collections on the mantel brings a sense of order to the myriad of treasures on display.
IMAGE: JAMES COVIELLO
This characterful kitchen in a listed Georgian house designed by HollandGreen, brings a contemporary edge to a historic space. The narrow shelf and suspended objects below include cups, vases and storage jars in earthy, textural glazes which add warmth, depth and a timeless quality to the space.
IMAGE: RACHAEL SMITH / HOLLANDGREEN
The owner of this colourful living room in London has created a fun talking point with their display of green and white ceramic parrots perched on ornate plinths above the fireplace. Their zingy colours add punch to an already colourful space, while the symmetry creates enough elegance to sit comfortably in the grandeur of this Victorian townhouse. The trio of large chinoiserie urns on top of the carved cabinet also provide pleasing silhouettes.
IMAGE: SMARTER
Plate collections need not be confined to the kitchen. These wall-hung collections in bathrooms look equally as striking and glazed ceramic is the perfect material to withstand any splashes or steam that comes its way. The creative Nottingham home of Jodie Hazlewood, Founder of The House Upstairs, boasts interesting details at every turn and her collection of vintage plates, in coordinating blues, whites and turquoise, is no exception.
IMAGE: OLLY HUNTER
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