Dishes can be painted to match with the existing surrounds - making them blend in fairly easily.

I was in Siena, Italy - a city that didn't develop during the Renaissance after losing a war to Florence - and there were dishes all over that were painted to match the stone and brick work of that city.

If a city that old can have dishes without looking bad or distracting, I think a house in New York will be okay.

Never give up on the easy solution - it's probably the best one.