Like most people, I spent lockdown staring at the walls in my home. Not bare ones, I hasten to add. Rather I was trying to decide how and where I could mount some plates which had been languishing unseen in my cupboard. To say I have dish delirium is an understatement. My bottom drawer runneth over with assorted china tea sets, jugs for flowers, Victorian ribbon plates and oddly enough, pot lids. If the old adage is true “there is a lid for every pot” then my home is the place to come first should your blue and white tureen have a missing element.

Started by my mother, I’ve been adding to this collection since my early 20s. The adrenalin buzz of its acquisition balanced by the angst of display. I have spent many hours trawling Instagram (the hashtag #platewall has 17.5k inspiring posts) as well as lusting over a tear sheet of garden designer Butter Wakefield’s kitchen – a happy marriage of posies, plates and paintings.

I’ve noticed that displaying dishes is enjoying a revival. Perhaps the trend is a direct result of tabletop tastemakers such as Alice Naylor-Leyland, who are responsible for a resurgence of interest in pretty china and renting sets for special occasions: I recommend Irish companies AD Design and Signature Rentals.

Photograph by Simon Upton

It-girls are also driving the trend. Northern Irish fashion editor Jane McFarland has a burgeoning plate wall comprising ceramics by Dylan Bowen, while event designer Fiona Leahy loves to add the prototypes of plates used in her fabulous tablescapes for fashion events.

International style mavens Lauren Santo Domingo and Aerin Lauder juxtapose impressive heirlooms from their grandmothers with modern art, as does textile designer Carolina Irving, also creative director for Oscar de la Renta Home, who has a colourful display of Turkish Iznik plates at her house in Portugal. Legendary plate collectors include Norman Rockwell, Charles Schulz, Salvador Dalí, and Andrew Wyeth. At his Punta de Cana residence, in the Dominican Republic, Oscar de la Renta had a sunroom in which blue willow plates were mounted on a madly busy wallpaper.

Emma Sims Hilditch, founder and creative director of Sims Hilditch, believes a plate wall can be a wonderful accent feature in a room. “For those looking for a more economical and slightly different way to fill a blank space in a room, then a plate wall is a great solution and easier to do than you might think.” Hilditch recommends selecting a range of sizes and a variety of origins. “Plates which carry a message are great additions to the design as they help it to become a meaningful part of the home.”

Auction rooms are great for picking up pretty plates. Take Lot 249 in Adam’s recent “At Home” auction, a collection of 20 blue and white saucers and dishes, mostly Worcester – the estimate of €200-€400 a steal given the provenance. (There will be more impressive porcelain pieces in the upcoming Asian Art sale taking place on November 19).

A connoisseur of Asian art is Aldous Bertram whose recent book Dragons & Pagodas: A Celebration of Chinoiserie is not for shy retiring types. I asked him for display advice. “For impact, consider a pyramid – think interior designer Veere Grenney’s dining room in Tangier. In most instances, plates look wonderful in lines – I love vertical columns best, but if you have a low ceiling, consider a horizontal row along the top of the wall. Display your collection where you can enjoy it!” To these tips I would add, ask a handyman to install rather than any male relative. My pot lids are finally in situ, diamond shape.

RHONA ROE, FOUNDER OF HEDGEROE, SHARES HER DISPLAY TIPS

1. Go big or go home. One plate will look lost on a wall; a group adds impact and looks great when co-ordinated with china ornaments.

2. Decide on a general colour palette. Blue and white is always a winner. Vibrant green is super for dining rooms, lavender and white stunning in bedrooms, black and white in a guest loo and all-cream in a kitchen or drawing room.

3. Gather all the plates together on a white sheet on the floor – it’s easier to see colours against a neutral background.

4. Do some online research. I find Pinterest great for layout inspiration. For a diamond pattern, position the largest plate at the centre and set the others around it.

5. Take a photo of the final display while it’s on the floor. Measure the distance between items before mounting.

6. Start by hanging the central plate and build your design around it.