The Designery

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Blue Willow Swoosh


Y'all, we had a cloud parting, angels singing moment in our dining room last night.

It all happened pretty fast actually, let me fill you in... 

So, last week I shared how we had installed an additional 6 corbels/succulents to our dining room wall. While we were loving the way the space was coming together, it still felt as though the wall overall was missing a little something on the far right side by the dining hutch.


I didn't concern myself too much with the thought because I figured we'd just add a few more corbels/succulents to that wall and call it a day. Then, out of nowhere we had a thought....what about adding a cluster of Blue Willow China.

I Inherited the most beautiful pieces of Blue Willow China from my Grandma and had been looking for the perfect place to display them. I had a mixture of saucers, small bowls and two larger plates, all of which have been crammed into my dining hutch just waiting for their day in the sun. I've long admired Blue Willow, mostly because of the gorgeous blue and white coloring, which I knew would work so well with the white walls and green succulents.

As we considered the layout, we  knew we wanted to stay away from typical symmetrical patterns like vertical or horizontal arrangements. While those looks can be beautiful, we felt this space called for a bit more funk. We envisioned a fun cluster mix, something with movement - a curve...a curl.......a SWOOSH!!!!

We got all of the pieces out and started playing with the arrangement.  We took measurements of the wall and used a tape measure and paper to form our boundaries on the countertop.


We wanted the plates to be installed close together with some overlap for depth and interest. Once we finalized the pattern, Brent got to hanging.  With each plate that went up I ooo'ed and ahh'ed until the swoosh was complete, at which point I ooo'ed and ahhh'ed some more. In fact, I'm still oooo'ing and ahhh-ing 24 hours later. I'm in love...


The whimsical curve of the plates mixed with the vibrant blue make for such a fun statement.


I love that we found a fun way to display these pieces that are so special to me in a way that we can enjoy everyday. Not only are the pieces beautiful, but they belonged to someone that I look forward to thinking of each and every time they catch my eye as I pass through the room.

Soooooooo with 9 corbels, 10 succulents and a 13 piece Blue Willow swoosh, I'd say this wall of our dining room is complete!

All photos are my own.