White dinnerware

[ProudGrandma]

I like colored table cloths on my dining room table.  Do white dishes look ok on a colored table cloth? In my mind the contrast is so stark.... and I am not sure it will look good.  My former red plates looked so rich on my table clothes (usually in colors of reds, greens, golds, browns)... but white?? Thoughts?  (If you haven't followed my other threads about dinnerware,  I am in need of new dishes that will fit in my dishwasher washer and considering corelle,  which are all white or white based)

[Bambam]

I've only used my white corelle with a dusty blue and bright yellow table cloth, and I thought it looked fine. My table is golden brown, and they look fine on that too. So I vote it will look okay. If I wanted to add more color to the table, I'd get contrasting cloth napkins.  Can you just cut some printer paper into rough plate-sized circles and set the table with those to get a visual how it will look? 

[regentrude]

I have always had white dishes. I love that I can use any color table cloth or placemat, and that I can use colorful accent pieces like serving platters and bowls. It's the most versatile. 

[Arcadia]

4 hours ago, kfeusse said:

Do white dishes look ok on a colored table cloth?

e.g. https://www.williams-sonoma.com/products/hotel-tablecloth/

 

Edited November 30, 2023 by Arcadia
resize photos

[ProudGrandma]

Those are beautiful.  But they have a colored plate or something under the white....but I can see that it would be equally nice just the plate on the table....what about a patterned tablecloth? 

[Arcadia]

1 hour ago, kfeusse said:

what about a patterned tablecloth? 

https://www.amazon.ca/Wracra-Checkered-Tablecloth-Rectangle-Anti-Fading/dp/B08M5R41YP

https://www.perigold.com/Couleur-Nature--Gooseberry-Tablecloth-2442-L1228-K~P100350946.html

https://www.macys.com/shop/product/elrene-barcelona-damask-60-x-144-oblong-tablecloth?ID=6716823

https://www.amazon.com/Yun-Nist-Eastern-Tradition-Spillproof/dp/B09F9MBZSR

 

 

Edited November 30, 2023 by Arcadia
resize photos

[Carol in Cal.]

I use white plates on patterned tablecloths all the time.  I think it is striking!

[ProudGrandma]

7 hours ago, Carol in Cal. said:

I use white plates on patterned tablecloths all the time.  I think it is striking!

must be the colors of my tablecloths because mine are more browns (so a cream or an off white might look better?  Or maybe I need to get new tablecloths. 

[ProudGrandma]

I do LOVE the pictures Arcadia posted....beautiful....striking and elegant.  Thanks. 

[Grace Hopper]

If I am using good china that has a pattern (ie, Christmas), I’ll set the plates on the table. Also if I’m serving family style wish passed food dishes on the table. However, I often serve big groups buffet style and stack the white plates on the starting end of the buffet. For that I use white plates - like most caterers. I have a set I bought at Costco a while back, they are like Corelle but a bit sturdier. 
 

When I redo my kitchen I plan to replace all the lower cabinets with drawers. At that time I’ll likely swap to corelle because it’ll take less drawer space. My goal is to get rid of most of my upper cabinets; I’m short and would prefer to install another window where some of the uppers are. 

[Arcadia]

2 hours ago, kfeusse said:

must be the colors of my tablecloths because mine are more browns (so a cream or an off white might look better?  Or maybe I need to get new tablecloths. 

What shade of brown? 
https://www.amazon.com/Benson-Mills-Spillproof-Tablecloth-Chocolate/dp/B07L9QLRKG/

https://www.macys.com/shop/product/continental-solid-texture-water-stain-resistant-tablecloth-70-round?ID=16288297

https://www.macys.com/shop/product/elrene-elegant-woven-leaves-jacquard-damask-tablecloth-52x52?ID=10017041

Edited November 30, 2023 by Arcadia

[Pam in CT]

(About to overshare my FOO, lol)

One of my grandmothers considered table-settings to be an avenue of great creativity and expression. She was an excellent and creative cook, an exuberant hostess for small and enormous gatherings, an extremely capable seamstress, an avid collector and creator of unusual items, and she made as well as collected ceramics. She used to say that in 55 years of  marriage she had never set the table the same way twice for my grandfather, and unbelievable though such a statement might sound... I believe it. The woman had a walk-in "pantry" where she stored at least 30 sets of dishes and a LARGE basement where she kept her centerpiece stuff.

Her counsel about white plates and table linens were (because, this is precisely the sort of counsel she bequeathed to her granddaughters )

• They can go directly on autumnal colors
• They can go directly on patterns that include white in the pattern
• Otherwise they need a contrasting charger between the plate and the table linen
• Cream is better than pure white, especially with candlelight

 

 

(my grandmother's charger plate point}:

11 hours ago, Arcadia said:

e.g. https://www.williams-sonoma.com/products/hotel-tablecloth/

 

 

(my grandmother's pattern point)

9 hours ago, Carol in Cal. said:

I use white plates on patterned tablecloths all the time.  I think it is striking!

 

OK I've revealed enough for the day....  Anyone interested in her counsel re: table seating principles can PM me, LOL.

 

 

[Carol in Cal.]

To the OP:  This is pretty easy to check for yourself.  Why not put cut a piece of white paper and a piece of cream paper into rounds, and put these on your favorite tablecloths, and see how you like it?

[marbel]

We had cream colored dishes for years, and replaced them with bright white. I so much prefer the white as they are more versatile with accessories. The cream would look sort of dingy on some colors of tablecloths. Now I typically don't use tablecloths anymore, but if I used a pure white one, I'd put a charger between tablecloth and plate. 

Edited November 30, 2023 by marbel

[Arcadia]

4 hours ago, kfeusse said:

Or maybe I need to get new tablecloths.

Get new tablecloths 🤣 Kidding aside, my dining room lights are the warm glow kind and tablecloth colors that would look okay in the daytime in my living room’s dining table would not look as pretty in my dining room. Those that to me look nice under warm glow lights (e.g. hotel banquet lighting) look just as nice in daytime. Same with cream or white dishes, cream usually doesn’t look as nice to me under warm glow lights. Its personal preference of course. If you have a William Sonoma kind of store nearby, it might be worth going because they usually have at least one table setting there that is white. 

[ktgrok]

I mean, restaurants seem to always use white, so I figure it's good, lol. I'd think it would be much harder to have colored/patterened dishes go well with different table cloths. 

[KungFuPanda]

My dishes are off white. I like the warmth and don't care for stark whites or too many cold colors.  The drawback is that I use corelle and they don't make that color anymore so I have to grab them at the thrift store when I see them.  It's the sandstone/beige/bisque . . . whatever they call it color that is discontinued.