White ware's the way to go

Blanc dishes are the blank canvases at restaurants. Like bright-hued brushstrokes, menu items stand out like an artistic composition on each white plate.

Salads look so green, carrots so range, cranberries so red ... you get the picture.

"You notice the food, not the plate," says chef Renee Kelly of Renee Kelly's Harvest in Shawnee, Kan. "That's why white dishes are synonymous with restaurants. They just work."

It's easy to find. Every store that carries housewares carries a wide array of basic white dishware. Some have an entire aisle or section dedicated to white.

Unusual pieces save your table from being dull.

It successfully mixes and matches. White goes with anything, and there's no problem if you have odd dessert or salad plates.

Choose linens in a different color. White dishes with white napkins and a white tablecloth can come off as intimidating on Thanksgiving when cranberries and gravy are being passed around.

Renee Kelly often uses tea towels as napkins with white dishes when she entertains at home. "It makes white more approachable."

Add chargers or placemats. Their texture and patina can soften white. Gold, out of fashion for years, is making a comeback and gives white a glow.

Mix in vintage. Kelly will use heirloom glassware in different colors with white. "It looks beautiful, and there's a family connection."