DIY Decorative Plate

My DIY Decorative Plate is a fun, easy and inexpensive project that will make your Spring table beautiful and personal!

decorative charger plate with teacup, faux flowers and a vase — *As an Amazon associate I make a small commission on qualified purchases at no extra cost to you. See my full disclosure* *here*

Years ago I made a decorative plate for my mother. It’s the size of a salad plate and she leaves it out year round. It got me to thinking…why not make a larger version to use as a charger for my Easter table? Chargers are a decorative accent that sit beneath the plate you eat from. Purely an aesthetic function!

small decorative plate placed amongst faux flowers and a wine glass filled with eggs

The nice thing about this project is that you can make all the chargers the same or tailor each one to each person coming for dinner! Keep in mind what your dinner plate looks like so the two don’t clash. Although I don’t like to use anything that is disposable, I am going to use clear Chinet plates. They can be washed and used again next year and everyone can see their own charger!

The Method of a DIY Decorative Plate

Tools needed:

chargers (I got mine at Hobby Lobby for $2.99 each)
scissors
decorative paper- wrapping paper, tissue paper
decorative accents- old cards, magazines and scrapbook paper are great for this
Mod Podge or Elmer’s Glue
sponge brush
sponge
small paint brush
sharp blade

Some of these items you may find at the dollar store which will save even more money! Gather all the materials to your work space. I started outside with newspapers on a table (until the rain started lol). Turn the plate over on your background paper and cut around it leaving a 2 inch border. Set aside. Next cut out any decorative accents. Using a sponge brush or your finger, spread Mod Podge or Elmer’s white glue all over the front of the accent piece(s) and press on the backside of the plate. Let dry completely.

blank clear charger sitting on newspaper

bow decorative accent for DIY decorative plate

Spread more Mod Podge or glue all over the back (and on top of the decorative accent). Place your main paper on it. Press down and use a sponge to remove any air bubbles. Place a large plate or pot lid (not too heavy of course) on it while it dries. Ideally let it dry overnight.

a pot lid pressing glued paper down onto DIY decorative plate

When the paper is dry, use a small paint brush with Mod Podge or glue around the edge and carefully press the paper down. This is a bit tricky because there is a curve so you will have to make small creases in the paper for it to glue flat. That’s it!

Crafter’s Notes:

This is a great craft to involve the kids with! I would suggest having them cut out smaller sized images and gluing them down randomly. Then paint the background with acrylic paint and seal. This way they don’t have to worry about trying to get the paper just so.

To make this washable, smear some glue at the seam then coat the back with varnish.

Add names to the chargers by using decorative markers on an accent piece. For example: I could have written my name in gold marker on the bow.

Make just one for decorating purposes!

Think seasonally or holiday! You can make a set for each!