DIY Piero Fornasetti Plates
I really love Piero Fornasetti’s designs. He inspires me so much.
I’m sure you have seen the theme and variations (Terma e Variazion) plates by Piero Fornasetti. You can see some of them in the image below.
image via fashionclassandjetlag
I’m infatuated with those plates and Lina Cavalieri‘s face. Her classic beauty inspired Fornasetti and she reminds me of my beautiful grandmother.
Aren’t they fun? You know that I love silly things around the house here and there.
You can buy the originals for about $185 each (HERE). I don’t have to tell you that it’s just not within my budget to buy plates for for that much money, right?
I was thrilled when I found and purchased Fornasetti inspired tile stickers from a shop on the German version of Etsy for 10.50 Euros. Since I don’t have tiles in the kitchen or bathroom walls, I wanted to use them for something else. Unfortunately those sticker are not available anymore but I found a way you can still make your own plates.
DIY Piero Fornasetti Plates
This post may contain affiliate links from which I will earn a commission at no extra cost to you.
View my full disclosure policy.
Supplies needed:
- plates (HERE or HERE)
- cheap downloadable Fornasetti images HERE)
- Mod Podge Waterbase Sealer (HERE)
- foam brush (HERE)
- plate hanger discs
You can see my pinecone art decoupage tutorial HERE for more info on how to apply and decoupage images.
And I recently made pet plates similar to this with video tutorial. Â
Print the images on standard white printer paper and cut out the images to the size of the plates.
Apply some Mod Podge the plate and place the image on top of that. Press it down lightly and apply more Mod Podge to the top of the image. Smooth out bubbles and wrinkles. Then let it dry! That’s it.
There is also a second way to do this. You an buy clear glass plates (HERE) and apply the Mod Podge and Fornasetti image to the back of the plate with Lina’s face looking through the glass (which I did in this plate tutorial HERE). When you see the image from the front through the glass then it has an even glossy surface from the glass. You can fill in any empty area on the back with white paint or more paper to make it an all white plate if necessary.
I honestly prefer the second version with the clear glass plates as you can see in my animal plate tutorial.
You can even make the faces fill the entire plate if you print them large enough like they are in the originals since you have the freedom to adjust the images. I wanted to defer a little from the originals though.
Below they are mixed in with my vintage Bjørn Wiinblad plates (read more about them and the artist HERE)
similar black and white fringe pillows HERE| fur HERE | similar jeans pillows HERE and HERE | similar table HERE | candle HERE | disco ball HERE | rug HERE | star burst HERE | similar mirror HERE | similar pouf HERE | similar coffee tables HERE | similar sofas HERE | similar lamps HERE and HERE | similar black lamp shades HERE |
To hang them I bought plate hanger discs (click HERE
) which you can see in the picture below. I can’t stand the look of the metal contraptions that go around a plate to hang them. I also wrote a blog post about how I hang my plates which you can read about HERE.
Or you can watch my little video tutorial below which is so so super easy.
I know that there are many people who despise people like me who make cheap imitations from expensive designer pieces. But you know what? I don’t care. It’s not in my budget, I love the original and wish I could have it but it’s not going to happen. Bottom line!
You can see more of them and the rest of my plates in our kitchen by clicking HERE:
Check out where they are hanging now by clicking HERE:
(and my photography has thankfully improved too since this post)
I also found this Etsy shop HERE that sells all kinds of cool plates and some of them are Fornasetti (Lina Cavalieri) inspired like THIS or THIS one.
I like my plates with the white border. The originals are completely filled with the image.
So what do you think? Cheesy or Cool? And I won’t be mad if you tell me the truth… I can handle it, but I will still like them no matter what you say, haha! (Y’all know I love your comments!)
Guten Tag und Tschüß,
I think it looks really GREAT!
Thanks Heidi!
Julia, You are brilliant! I love love love this look and it soooooo fits your style! Thanks for the creative juices this morning. Wendy
Thanks Wendy
You’re so creative! I love them! I’m with you, $195 is way too much for a single plate.
Thank you Caitlin!
Besides, you didn’t steal the design and started selling them… you just reproduced what you liked in a more simple and cheap way.
If you are intelligent and you have time… why not doing them at your own budget!?
It looks great! Congrats!
Amelia
Julia, you are so inspirational – and your Fornasetti vignette is uber COOL!! Have you lacquered the stickers, or is it not really a requirement? Keep surprising us with your quirky, workable fun! heather x
Thank you and NO I didn’t have to lacquer them. Very easy!
Hi Julia, nice to meet you! I’ve discovered your blog via Censational girl! I’m finding lots of inspiration here 🙂
I’ll come back 🙂
😉 Thank you, I’d love to have you back!
I don’t like the expensive originals at all, but YOURS are amazing! I agree with you that the white border of the plates is awesome and I prefer the images too. I love how you have used them on your walls. You are so gifted…and show superior intelligence to not spend that ridiculous amount on the originals! This is not a style I would have gone for, but you have opened me up to it by your excellent adaptations and use. Awesome!
WOW, thanks 😉
Love your plates! Doing things yourself is the American Way!
Yes it is and thanks!
Definitely COOL!!! I believe in achieving “the look” one loves at the lowest possible cost. Especially because so many housewares are enormously over-priced. You have achieved (and improved on)the decorative effect of the originals at a fraction of the cost. No one visiting your home will turn over the plates to see if they’re “genuine,” & if they did, would they be friends whose respect you valued? I’ll pay more when function & durability are involved as in buying a sofa, but decorative plates from Target will hang on the wall just as well as ones made by Wedgwood. I admire your ability to create a beautiful, personalized decor on a budget
which is a special talent.
Thank you so much. You are right, but my friends wouldn’t do that anyway!
These look wonderful! I love how you found a way to get the look for SO much less!
Thanks Linda!
Wow! I have been admiring those plates myself and wondering how I might go about DIYing them. These turned out lovely. Good job!
Thank you!
Love it!!
Thanks
I share your love of Fornasetti but don’t have the budget either! I clicked on your link to the website for the stickers but, alas, it is in German, which I do not understand! Did they ship it to you in the US?
thanks,
No, I had my brother buy them for me and I took them home with me when I was there this summer. But I’m sure if you’d write to them, they’d ship it. Almost everybody speaks English in Germany. Shipping won’t be a lot since the stickers don’t weigh much.
If you use google it will translate the page for you. It states they will ship to other countries for 3.40 euros.
Thanks for the info Lyn
These are perfect! I LIKE the fact that they don’t cost a jillion dollars. That would just be wrong! I’m going to try to buy some of those stickers – have the website open now! Thanks for sharing.
I love a good knock off WAY more than an expensive original! LOVE!!
This is awesome! Looks like something out of a magazine;)
The look is stunning. I will look for these kind of tile stickers and peruse the different categories, (not just Fornasetti, whose art I love). As Oprah says, “opinions are like butts, we all have one.” I love your blog with all of the DIY, especially the cat enclosures to keep the precious little hearts safe whilst they are enjoying being outside.
Thank you for your beautiful blog.
What size are these plates? I don’t see the plates on Target’s website.
Nice job and thanks!
They probably don’t have the same anymore. These are regular dessert plates
Thanks for the quick response.
Great DIY! it’s true that Fornasetti plates are beautiful but too expensive…
Thanks so much!
Absolutely brilliant. What’s the point of being creative if you’re not using it to save some bucks, right? I think that going and buying original stuff are for those who aren’t as creative as you (although I do make an exception for art and this in borderline art, but still) Love your blog by the way. Wish my home would look like yours and not like a constant work in progress with half-painted walls and dingy thriftfinds all over the place 😀
What a brilliant idea. Thanks for sharing. Can you tell me if you used dinner (11.5″) or salad (9.25″) plates? I bought the stickers and disc hangers but couldn’t figure out the plate size from the picture.
I’m pretty sure they would be called the salad or dessert plates. What I did was take the cut out circles of the stickers to stores like Target and HomeGoods to see which plates they would fit best.
Hope that helps and good luck.
I just found your blog – I LOVE your plates! You go, girl – I think you did outstanding on your budget – who cares that they weren’t the real thing – they certainly look it!
Thank you so so much!
just found you on Pinterest . . . BRILLIANT!
What is tacky about saving $935?? 195X5=975 minus 20 for stickers & 20 for plates…. GORGEOUS!!!
do you sell these plates and how much do they cost and how much is the shipping cost to greece?
I don’t seek the plates, sorry. I made them with stickers that I bought in Germany. You can find the links inside the post.
You are a genius!! I’m blogging about these plates tomorrow and linked to your DIY. I can’t believe it. Yours look amazing! You are so creative!
Thanks so much for the sweet words Albertina!
Love the plates. How did you make the ones with animals? Are those stickers as well?
No you can buy them. The link is in the post. They are made by an artist and I love them so much.