How To Hang A Plate Wall With Aluminum Foil

When it comes to making your house feel like a Southern home, there are a few old-faithful decorative elements you can rely on—one of which is a classic plate wall. “Plate walls are a design secret weapon because they are typically more budget savvy than art, come in a million patterns and colors, fill up a large wall quickly, and often have deep sentimental value,” says Bradley Weatherly, one half of Sorella Interiors, the design firm she runs with her twin sister, Elisabeth Hanes. 

But while you might love the idea of displaying your favorite dishes in this way, the execution of the project can feel a bit intimidating. Here, the designers share their genius plate-wall-hanging hack that promises a perfect installation on the first try, no tears (or spackling over errant nail holes) required. 

How To Hang A Plate Wall The Designer Way

To hang a plate wall, the sisters rely on a clever Amazon find, plus a pantry staple you’ve almost certainly already got at home. 

Their first trick of the trade is skipping the traditional plate hangers with metal arms. “They take away from the actual plate,” Weatherly notes in her Instagram story tutorial, plus they don’t work particularly well with dishes in unique shapes, like diamonds or hearts. Instead, she calls for Disc’s Invisible Plate Hangers, which adhere to the back of the plates with a little water (“like a stamp,” she explains) and have small rings that hang easily on nails. “What I really like is you get a plate hanging flush to the wall,” as opposed to the other plate hangers which by their nature stick out a bit more, says the decorator. 

How to Hang a Plate Wall With Aluminum Foil

Of course, anyone who’s ever hung a plate or gallery wall knows that the real complications begin when you’re trying to hammer every nail into the precise spot you wish to hang your accent. That’s where the aluminum foil comes in. “Remember in elementary school coloring over a leaf with a crayon? Basically that’s what we’re doing,” explains Weatherly. 

First, tape together however many widths of aluminum foil match the width of your plate wall display. Then, with all your plates turned face down/hanger side up, lay the aluminum foil over top of them and begin pressing in an outline of the plates and the hanging rings. These indentations in the foil provide an easy-to-follow template.

Using painter’s tape, tack the foil to the wall where you’re hanging your plates and then hammer the nails into each of the ring’s indentations. Once your nails are properly placed, remove the foil from the wall and hang your dishes in their intended spots for a picture-perfect plate wall—on the very first try, no less!