7 Simple Plate Rack Decor Ideas for Thrifty Style

Do you have a plate rack? Do you only fill it with plates? These 7+ simple plate rack decor ideas will expand your decorating horizons. Here are creative ways to style an inexpensive plate rack for every season.

Do you own a plate rack? Is it filled with plates? You may be thinking I’m so 80’s by suggesting you decorate with a plate rack. But this thrifty find can be an amazing seasonal chameleon for your home decor. If you don’t have one already, I’m hoping today’s 7 Simple Plate Rack Decor Ideas for Thrifty Style will inspire you to find one!

Thrifting with the Gals Series

Today’s post is part of our monthly Thrifting with the Gals series where four vintage-loving friends share their thrifty ideas. We all live in different parts of the country and have a wide variety of decorating styles. But you’re sure to come away inspired! I’ll have all the thrifty posts linked at the end; hope you can enjoy them all!

Enjoy more of our Thrifting with the Gals series HERE.

7 Simple Plate Rack Decor Ideas for Thrifty Style

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Why You Should Own a Plate Rack for Yourself

Plate racks are a classic home accessory. They can be found in horizontal or vertical versions. Shop wall plate display racks HERE. There are many different styles available in several finishes. You can also find them secondhand when you’re thrifting (for cheap).

Luckily, plate racks don’t take up much wall space, so they can give you great decor impact even if you’re space challenged. You could even hang one on a porch wall.

A couple years ago I inherited my mom’s plate rack. And instead of sending it to the thrift store (thinking it was outdated), I attached it to our pantry door. It’s been one of my favorite decorating decisions! So many possibilities for every season:)

Decorating with Plates and Beyond

You can definitely style a plate rack with seasonal, pretty plates. But take the display a step further and add bits of foliage for texture. Mix up the shapes of your plates, combining circles with ovals. Use three matching versions, or mix and match within a color scheme.

Because our plate rack is on our pantry door, I use wire plate hangers on each plate and wire them to the display so they don’t fall off and break. {Find wire hangers HERE and get a various size multi pack. I use THIS to attach everything}

Plate Rack Styled with Thrifted Baskets

Baskets are an easy thrifted find. For an easy any-season look, fill your plate rack with three different woven baskets. To get them to hang straight without flopping, you may need to attach with bind wire. This look gives a great boho vibe, and would be perfect in a small bathroom. These baskets were only $12 total!

See “25 Tips and Tricks for Decorating with Baskets (all over the house)” for more basket ideas.

Fill a Plate Rack with Seasonal Wreaths

Instead of a round plate, fill your plate rack with a round wreath that has seasonal texture. Three boxwood wreaths with a simple red and white ribbon looked perfectly classic for Christmas. I’ve also been wanting to make three different pinecone wreaths in different varieties for winter. To make them hang evenly, I hung some of them from the plate holder above. Do what you have to do to get the look right;)

Vintage Metal Trays Add Seasonal Style

Vintage metal trays have been a great way to add seasonal style and a different shape to the plate rack. You can find them in a wide variety of colors and styles for every season. The smaller versions fit better into the rack.

Find vintage metal trays HERE.

Enjoy the different ways I use vintage metal trays on this Instagram reel HERE. (and follow me while you’re there:)

More Unique Ways to Style a Plate Rack

I love to push myself and come up with unique decor ideas. What other items could I display in a plate rack? It’s like a game for my brain:)

Old books could be interesting. I decided they looked better layered with a tray behind them, more substantial. This would be a great “quiet” look for winter. Wouldn’t it be neat to paint some art on the open pages?

Displaying a few of my vintage wheel collection was so unique that it got this pic in Country Sampler magazine a while back. This was a winter look, but you could switch up the foliage for a summer look, or add a flag.

Shop vintage wheels HERE.

Display a Themed Collection on a Plate Rack

Last, but definitely not least, create a themed collection on a plate rack. This bird themed collection features a framed art, a foliage wreath and a plate with feathers. It’s a perfect combo to celebrate the busy birds of Spring.

Are you inspired to run out and find yourself a plate rack? Or maybe dig yours out of storage, or display it with something different? I hope so!

The humble plate rack is a wonderful chameleon for decorating. It can be switched up easily for every season with what you already have, or with thrifted finds.

Thanks for reading 7 Simple Plate Rack Decor Ideas for Thrifty Style. If you enjoyed your visit, be sure to Become an Insider so I can send the ideas right to you! You can Sign Up HERE.

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Enjoy the rest of the inspiration from my Thrifting With The Gals friends, and be sure to Pin and Save below!

Rachel, The Ponds Farmhouse, “Vintage Stoneware Crock Decor Ideas for Charming Farmhouse Style”

Ann, Dabbling and Decorating, “7 Things I’ll Never Thrift Again-and the Vintage Decor I Buy Now Instead”

Robyn, Robyn’s French Nest, “Simple Patriotic Decorating Ideas for Summer Under Five Dollars”

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