PS: budget is kind of an issue.

i.e., these beauties at $50/plate are not in the budget although they come in aqua and yellow!

Bella Vita Casa Mia *sigh*

Just beware of the slightly different shapes and odd sizes such as deep plates and angular plates. These are a pain to stack in both kitchen cabinets and in the dishwasher and take up so much more room in the DW. My daughter has some that she picked out for her wedding china. She has broken 2 plates trying to get them to fit in the dishwasher.

This post was edited by newhomebuilder on Tue, Nov 26, 13 at 22:51

These have been on my good friend Mardel's Pinterest page for awhile, and I love them. Are they too dressy for what you're looking for?
Also, I have no idea how much they are.

Here is a link that might be useful: Lovely_dishes

For "every day" I find corelle fills the need. Way less than 50 bucks for one plate, a whole set is less than 50 bucks!

marji those are really pretty - a little too formal maybe, but i'd consider them if they weren't $153/place setting! :)

newhomebuilder... that's a really good point! are your daughters dishes more like the aqua ones i posted? or are they subtly different like the white ones?

sass, i'm not opposed to corelle, but can't say i've found anything that fits the style and feel i'm looking for.

How about Heath Ceramics? It might satisfy your desire for color.

Here is a link that might be useful: Heath Ceramics

With white dishes, you can always add placemats, napkins, tablecloths, accent salad plates, glassware, etc. to introduce color. I wouldn't let having a white kitchen dissuade me from choosing white everyday dishes.

romy, we've got glass front doors on just a couple cabinets flanking the range hood where our dishes will be stored, so i want the dishes to sort of be featured there.

it didn't dawn on me today until i stumbled on a couple pictures of white kitchens with either a single color or a multitude of colors singing from behind the glass doors! :)

and SJ, those are pricey too! yikes! some were over $200/setting!

I LOVE the white Anthro. dishes. I love hand thrown pottery (or the look) everything, but I simply must serve food on white dishes. And to eat food off of those other pastel or yellow or purple dishes is really unappetizing to me. I'd suggest getting the white you love for the pieces you will eat off of and buy some fabulous colorful serving pieces to display in some of your glass cabinets and have the best of both worlds.

Personally, I really couldn't have corelle, the sound/texture or something makes my teeth cringe, probably whatever it is that makes them so durable.

Most folks don't consider how the food will look on colored plates. I actually like black dinnerware for that reason, although white is also good. I had blue for a long time and hated them from day one--food didn't appetizing against the blue. I encouraged my sons to not handle them carefully, but the darn things were almost indestructible. Green may also not be the best, IMO. For everyday, especially, you may want to think how different food colors will pair with the plates.

Consider looking at Pier One. I got mine there, below is an example of what you'll find but not as rustic as mine. Mine are a faded blue with aging on the edges.

Here is a link that might be useful: dishes

I agree about eating on white, which is why I love dishes with decorated rims.
Personally I can't do Corelle either, not even on the boat. I found some melamine made in France that looks a lot like the Italian Fience pottery and use that on the boat.

Have you access to any resale or consignment shops? I've seen amazing prices on full sets of dinnerware at consignment shops.

Be aware not only of shapes fitting in the DW but also of the weight of heavy stoneware. Especially if you're putting dishes up into high cabinets everyday.

When I read your description of rustic, handmade shape, and your penchant for green Marin dinnerware from Crate and Barrel came to mind. It comes in several colors
{{!gwi}}From GW Photos

Another thought is Sophie Conran, again avaliable in several colors shown below in Celadon:
{{!gwi}}From GW Photos

For fun I also love Dansk Kobenstyle- brings back my childhood
{{!gwi}}From GW Photos

I just bought new everyday dishes myself. I did go with white because I can accent it as I choose. I also went with bone china for the durability factor- really tired of stoneware chipping. I got Lenox Tin Can Alley and I am in love.

maggiepie11- My daughters china is similar to your first photo.

I also vote white! I have about 5 sets of china - old and new. My favorite is a cheap set of white that I purchased in a box at Belk. It's my go to for everyday eating.

I like the idea of going white and buying some colorful pieces to stick here and there in your glass cabinets.

I think white is the best option and food looks so much better on it. Think about spaghetti bolognese on a teal plate - not very appetizing to me. Plus white will fit into any decor. Paint inside of cabinet to add color.

White from Jars? Beautiful crackled glaze finish. Buy a little at a time at William Sonoma? Wonderful feel and looks great in all colors. I have Villeroy and Boch plates and love them in white.
Best of luck!

Here is a link that might be useful: Jars plates

Ikea has some coloful sets....and the price is right! I have the plain white Ikea 365--you can buy sets or open stock....so I can buy plenty and if one breaks it's less than $5 or $10 to replace.

I love white plates! You can dress them up or down, and I really think most food looks best on white.

UPDATE! PLEASE VOTE!!

so i understand everyone who likes to eat on white dishes. it's just one of those things that either bothers you or it doesn't, and for us it doesn't. and i really want some color behind those glass doors. so white is out. if white weren't out, i'd get the original ones i picked at anthropologie (which don't appear to be going on sale for black friday by the way!)

however, i found several options - maybe too many as now i'm confused.

i bought 12 places settings from Ikea in mint green. it's the color I set out to find. and i got all 12 places settings for $45! hahaha that setting doesn't come with a mug, so i thought i might try to mix and match and found one at anthro that i loved. the color is called mint, but it's brighter than mint and bolder than the ikea plates. still i think the colors coordinate.

then, a totally different option is the Portmeirion Sophie Conran collection which comes in 3+ colors that are all right up my alley - an aqua, a lavender, and a pale yellow and they're just easter egg delicious. i couldn't pick just one, i'd have to mix and match.

so here are some possibilities, i'd love to hear your thoughts! this is just a mockup using my backsplash tiles, my buffet, and some random white kitchen with glass cabinet doors.

1) Just the Ikea plates/bowl i already have in hand in mint green.

2) The Ikea plates with coordinating? green mugs and bowls from anthropologie.

3) Take back the Ikea plates and buy the whole set from Anthropologie in mint. $62/place setting compared to $4/place setting if i keep just the ikea plates. or $32/place setting if i do ikea plus coordinating bowls/cups from anthro. also note the salad plate looks busy, but the dinner plate is much more subtle with just a design on the edges. more like the bowl, less like the mug.

4) totally different set: portmeirion sophie conran in 3 different colors. ($42/place setting on sale right now)

i am only leaning away from one of the options, not really towards any one. at this moment, the wind is blowing such that i'd rule out the ikea plates combined with the anthro mugs/bowls.

what do you all think?

OK, just my 2cents..I have a whole wall of white cabinets with glass doors, line the back wall of the cabinet with your color..(.wish I could post a pic but AOL is confusing) I just use colorful wrapping paper and change it for the seasons..yesterday we did them in red for Christmas.
I'm an avid collector of dishes but for everyday my hands down favorite is white corelle, after breaking my wrist a couple of years ago I couldn't lift my heavy ironstone plates.
Happy Thanksgiving to all

is it obnoxious to change my vote and add more options to my own thread? :)

so i don't like the budget busting of the all anthro set, but something about that pattern calls to me, and i like how the color looks with the icy blue and the lavender.

i think the bowls and mugs could make a big enough impact in the cabinets to satisfy me. then all you white plate lovers would be able to sleep better tonight. :) plus i can go with the original rustic white from anthro if they go on sale friday or i could get cheapo white plates almost anywhere.

what i'm NOT loving about the portmeirion is that i wouldn't have AN accent color... i'd have a cotton candy buffet, and then it's harder to get the look i have in my mind with one color popped amongst all the icy blue/white.

ok, i didn't get a single vote, but i think i've worked it out by letting me talk(type) it all out. thanks!!

The only thing I'm voting against is the all-yellow from Sophie Conran. Before we bought our current Denby, we had yellow dishes from Pottery Barn. Seriously, do you realize how much food is actually yellow? Camouflaged food is so unappetizing!

Ok ....I'll vote....I say go for the mint or white dishes from Ikea and then use accent pieces from the other sets. Best of both worlds and cheaper. FYI ...the white 365 dishes from ikea hold up well...no chipping, etc...I'm sure the mint ones would be the same. Not a fan of the yellow or lavender.

Another vote for the mint....also like the idea of the white dishes and then useing pieces from other sets.

I like the contrast of the white plates with the colorful cups & bowls from Anthropologie. Do you have the green Anthro plates & bowls? Would you mind taking a picture of them with the mint plates. It's difficult to see in the photoshopped picture if they blend. Although, I would guess you can tell IRL if they blend. I have the same Anthrolpologie bowls in blue in my glass cabinets. I couldn't find the cups.

My favorite is the white plates and colorful, Anthro bowls and mugs (your last posting). Very pretty.

Maggiepie, I'm sure you are aware that Anthro has a sitewide 20% off sale today.

And THAT is what is so great about this forum (among many other things :-)).

FWIW, Crate and Barrel is also having a 15% off sale through Monday.

I love the idea of covering (or painting) the backs (and shelves?) of your cabinets. Then go with the white!

I'm a lurker, with 12 place settings of every piece ever made in Corelle's Winter Frost White, but from your choices I vote for #2, The Ikea plates with coordinating green mugs and bowls from anthropologie.

Then you can fill out the settings with the white dishes of your choice. From the mock up your kitchen must be amazing!

This post was edited by caroline on Fri, Nov 29, 13 at 16:21

romy, thanks for thinking of me!!!

by the time you posted this message i had already loaded the car twice at our first mall, hit 2 more stops and were just about stopping for lunch! we had a VERY successful black friday and saved a TON of money on stuff for the new house!!! the best part is there are people crazier than us who duked it out last night, so this morning the stores were empty!!!

since sales don't come often at anthropologie, i splurged and got the white plates i've been courting for months now and then will pair with the green anthro mugs/bowls. i'm so in love!!

with these:

and:

thanks to everyone for continuing to push the "white" issue. i love both sets and now you can all dine at my house without being grossed out. spaghetti bolognese will look lovely on my rustic white! :)

PS: funny sidenote for anyone else who shopped at anthro today. in addition to the 20% off across the board, they were making this big deal about a "popper" at checkout. it's a little cardboard candy looking thing that you pop open at the register and confetti pops out along with one of 5 possible "prizes!" i later found out what the possible prizes were, but mine was a free appointment with one of their personal stylists. here are the problems with that "prize..."

1) FREE personal styling is available to everyone anytime at anthropologie by appointment or if they're there when you are.
2) i can't cram my size 14 arse into their clothes as much as i'd like to. :)

anyone else get any Whomp whomp booby prizes today?

DON'T buy Marin white from Crate & Barrel, they get scratched from daily use and end up looking dirty!!!! The store told me it was normal????

My everyday set is Corelle, by Corningware which comes in different patterns and styles, I now have it for 19 yrs, and it does not have one chip in it, it's tough stuff besides very pretty, can even reheat a plate in the microwave no prob.

VOT..........

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