Hand-painted dinner plates that look good enough to hang on the wall — for every budget

The prettiest hand-painted plates currently on the market
The Amalfi yellow dinner plate, £38 from Maison Margaux
Maison Margaux

As we’re in the full throes of maximalist trends like #cluttercore and #cottagecore, it feels natural to want to decorate and embellish every surface.

From brilliant hand-painted lampshades by Alvaro Picardo to Bloomsbury Group-inspired painted furniture by talents such as Tess Newall, our belongings feel more treasured and unique when there’s a hand-made element to them (or at least that’s how I feel) and that extends to the tableware we eat from.

Now we’re all spending more time at home, ordinary things need to feel more special and when you’re on your 389th round of mid-morning toast and jam, a hand-painted plate can go a long way towards brightening an otherwise mundane experience.

The co-founders of independent homeware brand Late Afternoon say, “Hand-painted means unique, one-off pieces made by humans, which appeals to our customers who are increasingly seeking to craft homes that express their personalities and say something about them.

Blue Circus dinner plate, £20, Late Afternoon
Late Afternoon

“When high-street homeware offers a cheap thrill that won’t stand the test of time, savvy shoppers are investing in quality and skill”.

If you’re ready to upgrade your plain white plates in lieu of something that brings you more pleasure to use, look out for independent online (and bricks and mortar) stores who stock plates traditionally handmade and hand-painted by family-run businesses in Portugal, as they’re likely to be well priced considering you’re buying something that someone has carefully decorated by hand.

If you’re lucky enough to be going away this year, artisanal ceramics are excellent souvenirs to fill your suitcase with.

Angel’s Delight plate, £52, Willemien Bardawil at Liberty
Willemien Bardawil

Puglia in Italy is another excellent place to look out for colourful splatterware – or spatterware, depending who you ask – ceramics.

If you’re not heading to the heel of Italy’s boot any time soon, Hot Pottery is a great first port of call.

For something a little more pared back, John Lewis and Feldspar both sell beautifully simple white plates with traditional hand-painted blue rims.

If you’re going to hang your plate on the wall and display it as art, Pollyanna Johnson is creating some really clever designs – I bought one of her ‘cheer up love’ plates only yesterday and I certainly won’t be eating from it.

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