Plates are useful when you need to eat but they can also be useful when you need to decorate. There are so many cool and unique decorative plates that you can find at various thrift stores that you are sure to find something to match your decor.
We found the above shallow bowl at a thrift store for only $2.99 and we found the stand at the same thrift store for only $1.99 - so we were able to use this very shallow bowl for some fancy decor for around $5.00. We did have to hunt around for the right size stand - which was no where near the dinnerware but we did end up finding the perfect stand for our decorative bowl.
Obviously, you don't need a stand to display decorative dinnerware - there are other cool ways to display your dinnerware. You can hang your dinnerware on your walls (which is pretty popular) by using adhesive plate hangers like the ones below available on Amazon.
You can also display your dinnerware by using a plate shelf, this way you can use the plates for actual dinning as well. The one below is available on Amazon but you can sometimes find wall plate shelves second hand, at thrift stores or garage sales (or even online in social media groups).
Using dinnerware for decor doesn't have to just be plates, it can also be a really cool serving tray with a design on it. So when you are looking to spruce up your decor, make sure to head over to the dinnerware section, you may be pleasantly surprised by how easy it is to update your decor on a budget by shopping secondhand for some dinnerware.