8 Inventive Ideas for Your Unused China

Whether you have inherited your grandma’s collection of china or, like me, have amassed an eclectic secondhand collection of your own, there are more ways to make use of these delicately crafted beauties than to occasionally pull them out when company calls for tea.

There’s just something about china cups and plates that appeals to me. Be it the way they are finely crafted, the vintage-style patterns or the elegant illustrations that adorn them, I can’t walk past a secondhand store or charity shop without having a peek at what forgotten china treasures are hidden among the shelves. The only problem with this obsession (that I can see) is what to do with the pieces I have accrued over the years. It seems a shame to store them, but having stacks and assorted piles all over the place can make a home look cluttered — or much like one of the shops they were originally rescued from.

Being that each and every design really is a work of art, why not display them as such? Display your fine-boned pretties as a wall vignette, or use them as a dainty storage solution. Check out some of the ideas below and be inspired about how you can incorporate your china collection into your home in cute and quirky ways.


1. Use pieces as jewelry storage. Create an elegant jewelry display. This cake-stand-style jewelry tower is as practical as it is pretty. Multiple levels keep bracelets, earrings and necklaces easily accessed and easy to find. Just think, no more rummaging through bedroom boxes and drawers!

Create a Pretty Jewelry Stand From Vintage China


2. Create a teacup planter. Decorative teacups filled with pretty flowers, herbs or succulents can make an attractive display. Create your own windowsill kitchen garden, or group pieces together on a table or chair for an outdoor display.

DIY Project: Teacup Planter Pots


3. Turn them into candles. If you fancy a bit of weekend DIY, turn mismatched teacups into pretty candles. If DIY isn’t your style, you can simply pop a tealight candle into a cup for an instant teacup votive.

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4. Display them in shadow boxes. Make shadow box shelving out of old wooden crates. The pretty china and glassware paired with the repurposed wooden crates makes for a sweet and welcoming cottage look.


5. Lay a mosaic backsplash. Whoops, broke a plate? Don’t worry, just pop it on the wall for a colorful kitchen backsplash. This mosaic backsplash made with broken tile and dish pieces really creates a point of difference in this kitchen — and how gorgeous is that teacup pencil holder!

Broken China Makes a Splash in This Kitchen


6. Grow your own china flower. Wow, who would have thought that china plates could make such a sweet garden flower? The person behind this decorative flower and others makes them with dishes foraged from garage sales and sells them locally.


7. And, of course, there’s the traditional plate wall. Mix and match old and new styles of plates, but keep to a color theme for your wall feature. The assorted green and yellow plates pictured here, in a mix of patterns, shapes and designs, make for a fun display.

DIY: The Secret to Hanging a Plate Collection


Create an eclectic corner with a mix of salvaged finds. This pretty farmhouse look features a range of serving and dining plates paired with vintage suitcases used as storage — cute and functional!

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Create a simple, pretty country-cottage display by grouping different shapes and styles of white plates. White china plates are timeless and can be easily purchased at a charity or antiques shop. This can be a particularly effective feature on a colored wall, as pictured here.


If you are an avid collector, a grouped wall display is a brilliant way to display your beloved wares. I just love this kitschy royal vignette.

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Group colorfully patterned plates against a boldly colored wall for a pop of color or a playful accent. You can also play up a wall feature by adding a lighting element. Simply add a lamp or, for a more dramatic effect, add spotlighting to really illuminate your china collection from above.


8. Liven up your walled courtyard. Plates don’t have to be relegated to indoor use. An outdoor display may not be suited to your family-heirloom fine bone china, but it is perfect for some thrifty garage sale and thrift shop finds. Adding art to your outdoor walls will draw the eye up and add interest.

More: How to Organize and Style Your China Hutch

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