Don’t throw away old or chipped plates! Discover creative and practical ways to reuse them as beautiful home décor, garden accents, plant saucers, and DIY projects.
Old plates don’t always belong in the trash. Even when they’re mismatched, scratched, or no longer suitable for serving food, they can often be transformed into useful and decorative items around the home.
Turn Old Plates Into Garden Decorations
One simple way to reuse old plates is to bring them into the garden. Decorative plates can be placed around flower beds, used as accents near plants, or mounted on an outdoor wall.
You can also paint plain plates with outdoor-rated paint and create floral designs, patterns, or seasonal decorations.
If a plate has sharp cracks or broken edges, avoid placing it somewhere where children or pets could accidentally touch it.
Use Them as Plant Saucers
A shallow plate can make an excellent saucer underneath a flowerpot. It catches excess water and helps protect shelves, tables, and patios.
Choose a plate that is slightly wider than the bottom of your pot. Floral or vintage plates can look particularly charming underneath simple plant pots.
Just make sure the plate is stable and doesn’t have sharp broken edges.
Create a Decorative Candle Tray
An old plate can also become a simple centerpiece. Place candles in proper candle holders on the plate and decorate around them with stones or other nonflammable decorative items.
Always keep candles away from curtains, paper, dried flowers, and other flammable materials, and never leave a burning candle unattended.
Make a Vintage Wall Display
Have several mismatched plates? Instead of trying to make them match, use their differences to create a vintage-style wall display.
Arrange plates of different sizes and patterns together. You can create a symmetrical arrangement or place them in a more relaxed gallery-style pattern.
Use proper plate-hanging hardware and make sure each mounting point is strong enough to safely support the plate.
Turn Broken Plates Into Mosaic Art
Even broken plates can sometimes be reused creatively. Small ceramic pieces can become part of a mosaic project.
You can use them to decorate:
- Flowerpots
- Picture frames
- Garden ornaments
- Decorative boards
- Mosaic stepping stones
- Planter boxes
Because broken ceramic can have very sharp edges, wear protective gloves and eye protection when handling the pieces. Avoid using homemade mosaic surfaces for direct food contact.
Create a Small Catch-All Dish
A slightly worn plate can become a convenient place to keep keys, hair accessories, coins, or other small items.
Put it near your entrance, on a dresser, or beside your vanity. It’s an easy way to give an old plate a useful second purpose without requiring complicated crafting.
Important: Don’t Use Damaged Plates for Food
If a plate has deep cracks, significant chips, damaged glaze, or sharp edges, it’s better not to use it for serving food.
Instead, repurpose it as decorative or non-food-use décor. This lets you enjoy the plate without worrying about damaged surfaces coming into contact with food.
Give Your Old Plates a Second Life
Before throwing away old dishes, consider what they could become. A forgotten plate can turn into garden décor, a plant saucer, a candle tray, wall art, or part of a creative mosaic.
Sometimes, the most beautiful DIY decorations are made from things we were about to throw away.