Is it time to replace your dinner plates? Or, maybe you are just starting out and looking for some ideas. Either way, there are so many different styles of dinner plates available. How do you choose what is right for you?

Let's discuss choosing dinner plates for the first-timer. Maybe you are a bride-to-be and looking to register for dinner plates at a store. First think about what you are looking for in dinner plates. What function will they serve? Basically there are two types. Everyday dinnerware and 'good' or formal dinnerware. You may need both.

Everyday Dinner Plates

Everyday dinner plates come in many different and fun patterns. Florals, stripes, plaid, plain, etc. Often you can get everyday dinner plates at a reasonable price. If so, then you can go to town, so to speak. Have fun with it and choose what you like! They can always be replaced. Be sure and consider what else you will have in your kitchen so that the colours and patterns won't clash against your other accessories. Since you will be using them a lot, also make sure that you really like them or you may tire of the colours and pattern quickly. If you don't want to be doing dishes after every meal, then go with an 8 or more person place setting. You can often get them in a 5 piece place setting 'kit' that include a dinner plate, salad/dessert plate, bowl, teacup and saucer that all matches. This is one way of covering all the bases. Now, personally I don't always like the matchy-matchy look and often find that I have no use for the teacups and saucers. I prefer instead to choose my own teacups and saucers separately or use those of my grandmother's. Also, you may not like the style of the bowl. Bowls come in a rim soup bowl or a plain cereal style bowl. Depending on the manufacturer or style that is offered, you may happen to get the one you don't like. Some stores allow you to choose your dinner plates and other pieces for a place setting from different sets. This is really great if you are looking to create your own arrangement. Some people like to have say a plain white dinner plate and layer it on top with a patterned salad plate at a place setting. This is a great idea for a formal arrangement. Which brings us to our next discussion of dinner plates.

Formal Dinner Plates

Formal dinner plates are an investment. We didn't go out and purchase ours on our own when we were first starting out. They can cost several hundreds of dollars PER 5 piece place setting. Since we were asked by several wedding guests to select a dinner plate pattern and put it on our registry, we did. We are not formal people so hadn't planned to do it originally. It certainly is a nice to have though. Here are some ideas for selecting patterns for formal dinner plates. Number one: be sure and pick something plain. It is really important to do this. In later years you will be grateful for this advice. Since formal dinner plates are such an investment, you most likely cannot afford to go out and replace them every couple of years. As with informal every day dinner plates as discussed above, most often formal dinner plates are sold in a 5 piece place setting. They are all matchy-match. Maybe you like this, but if you prefer to pick and choose your own patterns in the 5 piece set, then be sure and ask at the store. I would recommend having some plain pieces and some patterned. A nice idea is to have a plain white dinner plate perhaps with a raised no coloured edge along the rim and then dress it up with a pretty patterned salad plate to sit on top. This makes for such a nice display at a table or in your buffet for display. Some sets have a different pattern on each plate but they still coordinate. For example a different flower on each plate, but the drawings/paintings are by the same artist for the common thread. Another way to go is get plain dinner plates and place settings and then use your other dining room accessories for decorating. Put a nice fresh flower bud in individual vintage sherbert glasses. Find pretty patterned napkins or napkin holders. A nice flower arrangement or other centrepiece can also dress up your decor. These things are all interchangeable and much easier and cheaper to change out than the dinner ware. Plain dinner plates will last you a very long time. Classic and timeless!