topic Re: Charger Plates in Holiday

Charger Plates

Thrive — Tue, 20 Dec 2016 21:13:37 GMT

Do you like to add charger plates to your formal table setting?

I am thinking about getting some gold ones to go with my Lady Carlyle china.

Re: Charger Plates

QVCkitty1 — Tue, 20 Dec 2016 21:16:00 GMT

I think that sounds lovely, I like the look of charger plates.🍽🍽

Re: Charger Plates

ms traditional — Tue, 20 Dec 2016 21:26:03 GMT

i love using my gold chargers to elevate a special dinner. they look beautiful with my cobalt blue/gold/cream china. too bad that entertaining like this is not as prevalent as in days past. i love a beautiful table.

Re: Charger Plates

meallen616 — Tue, 20 Dec 2016 21:31:33 GMT

Charger plates with a formal setting is lovely. Enjoy and

Re: Charger Plates

libbyannE — Tue, 20 Dec 2016 22:50:31 GMT

I like to use red service plates and not just at the holidays. I like the warm, bright look. I set the table with the charger plates because it creates a finished, festive look when guests take their places. Then I remove the Chargers with the dinner plates when we have finished our main course.

Re: Charger Plates

lulu2 — Tue, 20 Dec 2016 21:47:48 GMT

Whenever I set our dining room table, I use chargers. I have gold and silver both shiny and matte, pewter and my most recent are Christmas red and green. I've gotten so used to seeing them that now when I see a formal table without them, it looks unfinished.

Re: Charger Plates

ValuSkr — Tue, 20 Dec 2016 22:25:32 GMT

Most charger plates I've seen are plastic. Is that the norm? Guess I resist including plasticware in a formal tablescape, even though they add some zip.

Re: Charger Plates

pattypeep — Tue, 20 Dec 2016 22:28:47 GMT

Yes, definitely, and they don't cost that much. Several years ago, I purchased gold charger plates, white dishes with a gold rim, and gold place settings. Truly festive and lovely. My SIL was so enchanted when they were here that first year, she made my brother take her shopping and buy all the same items. I was flattered.

Re: Charger Plates

bonnielu — Tue, 20 Dec 2016 22:30:55 GMT

I bought some for gifts and they were returned (my daughters). Now I have more than one set and I really am not using them. I imagine I will have to give them away. I tried a local auction house and they gave me strange looks and told me to just donate them.

Re: Charger Plates

ms traditional — Tue, 20 Dec 2016 22:39:45 GMT

@ValuSkr wrote:
Most charger plates I've seen are plastic. Is that the norm? Guess I resist including plasticware in a formal tablescape, even though they add some zip.

i have some metal ones and some that are not plastic but some kind of composite with gold overlay. they are quite heavy and can easily handle the weight of plates on top. they are easily maintained. the metal ones need a little buffing and polishing to keep presentable. of course if you are lucky enough to have oversized plates to coordinate,they can be used. it is all about the play of size, color - i think originally they were used more to keep the tablecloth clean!

Re: Charger Plates

sunshine45 — Tue, 20 Dec 2016 22:51:23 GMT

@bonnielu wrote:
I bought some for gifts and they were returned (my daughters). Now I have more than one set and I really am not using them. I imagine I will have to give them away. I tried a local auction house and they gave me strange looks and told me to just donate them.

@bonnielu

i am like your daughters. i prefer NOT using them also. for me, they are unnecessary and just more things to wash by hand. i prefer a beautiful tablecloth or placemats and then the service placed on top......plate, salad plate, soup plate or bowl. for me, this is plenty of layering.

Re: Charger Plates

libbyannE — Tue, 20 Dec 2016 22:53:39 GMT

@ValuSkr wrote:
Most charger plates I've seen are plastic. Is that the norm? Guess I resist including plasticware in a formal tablescape, even though they add some zip.

@ValuSkr

No, they come in lots of different materials. Ours are red-painted wood, but look for metal, glass, china, too.

Re: Charger Plates

Thrive — Tue, 20 Dec 2016 22:56:32 GMT

I have seen hundreds made of glass. There are all kinds of patterns.

Re: Charger Plates

AuntG — Tue, 20 Dec 2016 23:05:32 GMT

They look nice. I'm not a formal entertainer so I go rid of the gold charger plates I had.

Re: Charger Plates

lucymo — Wed, 21 Dec 2016 02:26:56 GMT

I usually just use a tablecloth and placemats and with the Christmas centerpiece the chargers take up more table space. I do have some chargers that I use occasionally and do like the really nice ones. Our dinners aren't usually that formal so we use whatever we like but always make the table pretty as presentation is important to me.

Re: Charger Plates

Mominohio — Wed, 21 Dec 2016 21:25:22 GMT

I have some chargers, and while I rarely set the dining table with them, I find them very versatile and great basics for decorating.

I create candle displays on them, I use them on a shelf behind other decor sometimes. and treat them similar to a tray, as a base for creating vignettes.

The ones I have are just inexpensive composite ones in gold and brown, but I've seen some really ornate pewter ones that were simply to die for! Maybe someday!

Re: Charger Plates

PamelaSue72 — Thu, 22 Dec 2016 13:03:59 GMT

I love them and will use them sometimes during the holidays (and other special dinners during the winter months) when we have fewer dinner guests. Otherwise, it can be too much for our tables.

Re: Charger Plates

Witchy Woman — Thu, 22 Dec 2016 13:10:06 GMT

I love them. Back in the day, they were difficult to find. Now they are everywhere, including Walmart.

When I entertained more, I had several sets of 12. My favorite were gold leaf terracotta chargers. They were very heavy.

When the table was fully set, it was beautiful -- if you are a dinnerware/china person, they are one of the finishing touches.

Once, when I was serving a buffet and only had the chargers on the table, a guest picked up the huge charger plate and used it at the buffet where I had stacked dinner plates.

I didn't want to call attention to it, so I let it go. Eventually, he figured it out, but it was no harm done

Re: Charger Plates

ECBG — Fri, 23 Dec 2016 20:10:02 GMT

The plates are ornate and have gold, so I would use gold.

In addition, your flatware is silver, I'd use gold to prevent too many areas where the color changes.

Re: Charger Plates

muttmom — Sat, 24 Dec 2016 01:30:17 GMT

I love chargers but not if they compete with the china. For Christmas I use Lenox Holiday Gold with gold chargers on a green or red tablecloth.