Vintage Platters – How to Style and Use Them

Explore creative ways to use and style vintage platters in this fun post.

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Favorite Vintage Platters – Styling and Uses

Are you looking for ways to style and use your vintage platters? Then you’re at the right place. Today I’m joining my vintage-loving friends are we’re all sharing our favorite platters and how we use them. Our group is led by Cindy at County Road 407, and I always find so many inspiring ideas from these creative ladies. If you’re coming here from Le Cultivateur, welcome! Emily’s home is always so beautiful and her plate wall rack is perfection! You can see everyone else’s ideas at the bottom of this post.

My Favorite Vintage Platters

Our theme for this blog hop is favorite vintage platters which is one of my favorite things to collect. There are white ironstone, blue transferware, Jadeite, and more in my platter collection. I’m not sure if I can pick one favorite, but I do have a few that I really love. Several of them are seen below in my spring hutch with white ironstone pieces.

The top center platter with handles in the image below is one that I adore because I’ve never seen another one just like it. I bought it from an elderly lady a few years ago who said it had belonged to her mother.

And my mom gifted me the gorgeous vintage blue willow platter from her collection last year. I currently have it in our dining room on a plate stand. It was part of my colorful eclectic Christmas decor last year.

How to Style and Use Vintage Platters

Now let’s take a stroll through my archives and see some different ways you can style and use your vintage platters throughout the year. Spoiler alert – it’s mostly about layers and colors.

1. Line the back of a hutch or bookshelf

This is one of the easiest things to do with your vintage platters. My Christmas hutch from a few years ago was mostly white platters propped against the back side. I added some smaller items like creamers, teapots, and sugar bowls as well as some greenery and small Christmas decor for interest.

For a fall look, add layers with a few white pitchers, dried hydrangeas, pears, and vintage wooden butter molds in front of the platters for some texture and subtle color.

2. Layer with various sizes

Placing smaller platters and plates in front of the larger ones adds depth and interest. My Halloween hutch from a couple of years ago has a couple of examples of this. It doesn’t matter if it’s a slightly different color. That just adds to the character of the scene.

3. Mix different color platters and plates

Using white platters as a backdrop allows you to use any color your like with them. This look with blue and white with copper accents is a favorite of mine and could be used any time of the year. It looks especially good for late summer or early fall.

Black and green is another fresh and fun combination to pair with the white platters. Our lily of the valley flowers were the inspiration for this look. I added some black checked napkins and little artichoke tea light holders along with the white creamers.

For summer you can use the white platters as a backdrop for a blue and green theme. Cabbage plates, blue willow saucers, and blue hydrangeas from your backyard create a fresh and clean summer look.

For a quick and easy patriotic look, use a red transferware platter and a few blue accents.

Vintage Jadeite platters and bowls can be layered with the white ones at various times of the year. This hutch with Jadeite and blue accents is from Christmas a couple of years ago.

4. Use as a base for other decor

As a more practical use, platters can be used as a base for items like sugar bowls and creamers.

Or as a fun way to display little Christmas decorations.

Little white pumpkins and dried pods look nice on a rectangular platter for fall decor.

Having a picnic on the porch? Use a vintage platter for your teapot and more.

If you need a quick and easy spring table decorating idea, simply place some garden-themed items on a pretty vintage platter.

During the holidays, use a large platter to hold smaller items. We created a hot cocoa cart a few years ago and had this big platter on a shelf with some festive food items.

On our bar cart, I simply tossed a few colorful ornaments and bar tools on a Polish pottery platter for a dose of festive color.

5. Use small platters as soap dishes

Use a small platter in the bathroom as a soap dish. It will keep your counter a little cleaner.

6. Platters Displayed as Art

Got a platter with a pretty design? Leave it out for display as art! My favorite blue willow platter is currently displayed on a console table in our dining room and looks amazing.

And a turkey platter makes the perfect Thanksgiving art.

7. Use Platters to Serve Food

Of course, serve yummy food on your platters. These red velvet whoopie pies look so pretty on the white platter.

I hope you’ve been inspired to find and use vintage platters in your home. They really are so versatile and fun to collect.

Now head over to see Cindy at County Road 407. I adore the ideas she’s sharing for using vintage platters.

And you can see all of today’s ideas below.