Bringing Textured Beauty to the Table with Natural Plate Chargers

When you think about contemporary casual dining and entertaining, make sure you have your tabletop essentials. At Williams Sonoma, we've got everything you need to make a polished presentation whether you're having a weeknight meal with the family or hosting friends over the weekend. Explore our expansive selection of dinnerware, serveware, drinkware and table linens to find the sets and styles that are right for you.

Discover the textured flair of our natural plate chargers that add a casual-chic touch to your table setting. These plate chargers are woven by hand and feature materials like rattan, nito vine and hapao. A clear, moisture-resistant lacquer coating makes it easy to wipe the chargers down after your meal. Browse our plate chargers and other table essentials and learn how they can complement your next meal.

Functions, Features and Styles of Plate Chargers

Plate chargers are a perfect choice for any table setting. In addition to providing a decorative touch at mealtime, chargers help protect your table's surface from any food splatters or spills. They also help retain the heat of hot dishes. Chargers are traditionally used for more formal occasions, but they can also be used as part of your everyday dining in lieu of placemats.

Remember that chargers, also known as service plates, are placed on the table before the meal is served on individual dinner plates and dinner plate sets. If you're planning on serving dessert after the main meal, clear all plates, including the charger, before your last course.

From our line of Williams Sonoma chargers and charger plates to elegant porcelain charger plate ideas, our charger plate selection is full of variety. Discover the luxurious look of gold chargers crafted from stainless steel or the warmth and style of tortoiseshell chargers made from long-lasting acrylic. Other chargers are all about the textural details, such as our selection that features scalloped or ridged rims.

Other Tabletop Essentials

After you've explored how natural plate chargers and other plate charger styles can work for you, consider your other tabletop needs. Consider using placemats and hardmats for less formal occasions. Placemats and hardmats perform a similar role to chargers in that they protect your table's surface from water marks, stains and heat-related damage. They also add a decorative flourish underneath your plates, bowls and drinkware.

Our placemats come in several styles. Choose from materials like woven, vinyl or linen and shapes like oval, square or round. Select styles feature details like a double hemstitch or fringed edges. Designs abound with festive plaid patterns, bold floral motifs and classic crisp stripes. Choose a hardmat with a durable cork backing that adds extra protection to your tabletop. Plus, hardmats come with a wipe-clean layer on top for easy upkeep.

For meals when you want to dress up the look and feel of your tabletop with more than a charger or a placemat, turn to table runners and table runner sets. Table runners are typically placed down the center of your table and add warmth and visual texture while still leaving plenty of space for you to show off the detail of your tabletop. Our table runners come in several design themes, including favorites like solid shades and crisp patterns. Choose festive themes for holiday gatherings or embrace bold medallion designs or fresh floral prints as part of your everyday table setting. Turn to table runner sets that include a table runner plus a set of napkins for a coordinated look. It's all here at Williams Sonoma.