Would you prefer real plates or plastic plates at a cabin?

What a pretty setting! Honestly, I don’t care about dishes, so either would be fine by me.

I would buy new plates - congrats on your cabin!

Real plates. I hate hand washing plastic one's when we're camping.

Melamine. My parents have a set of them for eating outside by their pool in the summer. They are super easy to clean/wash and don't break! Buy the new dishes!

I'm fine with either. In your case I would get the melamine because I love a theme!

What beautiful views you have.

I'll think on the name.

Beautiful cabin! I think I'd call it Patriot Cabin or Stars and Stripes Cabin.

I would go w/ melamine unless you plan to use your dishes in the microwave. We do sometimes put our melamine dishes that we have at our lake house in the microwave, but they get really hot. I like having melamine dishes at the lake because they don't break.

I always see really cute patriotic melamine dishes around the 4th of July. Now might be a good time to look for a deal on patriotic themed dishes.

Oh I love the cabin! I would love to just sit and relax there with a good book. I would get new colorful ones...they are easy to take care of but remember not to put in the microwave if you have one there.

It is beautiful set beside the water. Any plates ! i would just be looking at the view.

I prefer real plates for a couple of reasons. I have always had pure white plates because my son talked me into them when he was in school to become a chef. He said food is more appetizing when you properly plate it, and it only looks good on a plain white background. So I have a nice set of square heavy white dinnerware. I admit he's right. The food looks better when presented on a white plate.

BUT, because I am a woman who likes pretty things, I bought a set of rustic-looking teal melamine dishes and I love them. To look at. I knew they couldn't go in the microwave, which was fine, but I didn't realize they couldn't handle much heat. I put a piece of chicken onto the melamine plate straight from the pan on the stove. The heat from the chicken immediately caused the plate to crack. I was so disappointed! I still have them and use them for cold food only. Because of that experience, I would not recommend getting melamine for everyday use.

Also, I do still have patterned Bavarian china dishes that my mother bought me for Christmas, starting when I was a teen. My siblings and I each received pieces every year, building to a full dinner set with all the matching serving pieces. It is beautiful and I will never get rid of it. Every time I see it, I feel Mom. She would get so excited when we would open it at Christmas. She said she never had a set of fine china and wanted to make sure we did. I typically only used it at Christmas and Thanksgiving because that is when I would entertain the most people.


This is a cute red and white set and you could use blue napkins and placemats to flesh out the full theme. I admit, I am partial to red too.

www.amazon.com/Pfaltzgraff-16-Piece-Porcelain-Dinnerware-Service/dp/B01J7H34M2/ref=sr_1_55?dchild=1&gclid=CjwKCAjw87SHBhBiEiwAukSeUeTuWJcn3WOMISS4PB-WR60snZ1p2N1bK1GZjDaSkI5tR9P_70PishoCY6sQAvD_BwE&hvadid=409925282542&hvdev=c&hvlocphy=9031539&hvnetw=g&hvqmt=e&hvrand=9236462721474371522&hvtargid=kwd-196724173&hydadcr=13932_11130079&keywords=patriotic+dishes&qid=1626192741&sr=8-55

Get whatever plates you like! ❤️

Cabin Names:

Aqua Vista
Angler’s Paradise
Calm and Awe Cabin (a play on Shock & Awe)
Bravo Zulu (also military)
DONSA (my favorite military phrase for a cabin)

Will you be using them outside? If so, I’d go for melamine. Just make sure and get the good stuff because I’ve seen some that scratches the design pretty easily, and the thin stuff just feels cheap. Perfect for camping, but not for something like this IMHO. If you decide against the patterned one, I do second the suggestion for white plates. Then you can have multiple options of linens and it’s easier to coordinate for any gatherings you might throw and want to change things up a bit. Though, does melamine scratch and leave black marks? Something to consider. Do you have a link to the pattern you want?

I always prefer real plates. I actually like Corelle dishes because they are very light even though I don’t love their designs. I would probably splurge on new plates though. I do like Melamine dinnerware too and if you found the right design Go for it.