It's the last day of Kitchen & Bath month here at Apartment Therapy, and I thought we'd talk about one of the finishing touches to any kitchen — dishes. I have searched high and low for the past few months for the right set of china to register for — I am getting married in a month and have no dishes! — and would like to share with you the best ceramic, porcelain and china I found on my search...
The trouble I found, was that everyone recommended getting a neutral-colored or neutral-patterned set of dishes to stand the test of time, but we thought plain-jane white seemed too boring. So we hunted for neutral dishes with enough interest to satisfy both practical needs and our desire for creativity.
Our other requirements were that the dinnerware be fine bone china or porcelain, the two sturdiest materials for dinnerware, and that it be a balance of masculine and feminine elements — we didn't want it to scream "bride." We call these options stately.
We did not expect to like Waterford's Ballet Icing from Macy's, but in person, it is pure class and elegance. The mocha bands are what makes this stand out above other patterns. It also comes in ivory, if you would like to mix and match.
Calvin Klein's Mollusk dinnerware from Macy's reminds us of the sea, but only if you know it's called "Mollusk." Otherwise, it's just a great design on great white shapes.
White Pearl dinnerware at Crate & Barrel; The white is versatile, and the dots are slightly feminine.
Jasper Conran at Wedgwood fine bone from Macys; You can choose from a striped option or a basic, glossy white, but both can be matched with his other dinnerware (such as his beautiful Chinoiserie line), which has the same shapes, to up the future versatility.
Are there any other favorite neutral dishes out there?
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The Bernardaud Louvre pattern is lovely and reasonably priced.
view mollymck's profile
I'd go for the Calvin Klein, definitely!
http://www.notyourgoddess.blogspot.com/
view Harpa's profile
I registered for the Crate and Barrel White Pearl four years ago and still LOVE it!! It holds up well and I think food really looks best against white plates. All good choices, but I highly recommend the one from Crate and Barrel. I have also purchased colorful dessert/salad plates to add interest and that can give the table some color and you can change the look very easily.
view mari.b's profile
Some of my favorites:
Rosenthal Monaco:
http://www.porcelaingalleryinc.net/pages/dinnerware/rosenthal/rosenthal_monaco.html
Michael Wainright "Gold Coil"...
http://www.neimanmarcus.com/store/catalog/prod.jhtml?itemId=prod81140055&parentId=cat18800734&masterId=cat20040743&index=0&cmCat=cat000000cat000553cat17640731cat16130736cat16130798cat20040743cat18800734
...and "Truro" Platinum Rim
http://www.neimanmarcus.com/store/catalog/prod.jhtml?itemId=prod66640014&parentId=cat18800734&masterId=cat20040743&index=3&cmCat=cat000000cat000553cat17640731cat16130736cat16130798cat20040743cat18800734
Haviland Clair de Lune Arches:
http://www.neimanmarcus.com/store/catalog/prod.jhtml?itemId=prod78440022&parentId=cat15680735&masterId=cat20040743&index=4&cmCat=cat000000cat000553cat17640731cat16130736cat16130798cat20040743cat15680735
L'Object "Aegean" (also in Gold and Platinum rims)
http://www.neimanmarcus.com/store/catalog/prod.jhtml?itemId=prod59790062&parentId=cat14960734&masterId=cat14960733&index=14&cmCat=cat000000cat000553cat17640731cat16130736cat16130798cat20040743cat14960733cat14960734
JL Couquet "Toundra"...
http://www.neimanmarcus.com/store/catalog/prod.jhtml?itemId=prod78520001&parentId=cat20010736&masterId=cat20040743&index=0&cmCat=cat000000cat000553cat17640731cat16130736cat16130798cat20040743cat20010736
...and "Paris Metal"
http://www.neimanmarcus.com/store/catalog/prod.jhtml?itemId=prod78520103&parentId=cat20010736&masterId=cat20040743&index=3&cmCat=cat000000cat000553cat17640731cat16130736cat16130798cat20040743cat20010736
view bepsf's profile
I like Corelle- good every day dishware. Affordable, light, easy to handle and wash, will not chip.
view webherring's profile
Also:
Tiffany "Weave"...
http://www.tiffany.com/Shopping/Item.aspx?fromGrid=1&sku=GRP00352&mcat=148209&cid=288236&search_params=s 5-p 1-c 288236-r 101323344-x -n 6-ri -ni 0-t
...and "Palladium"
http://www.tiffany.com/Shopping/Item.aspx?fromGrid=1&sku=14478973&mcat=148209&cid=288236&search_params=s 5-p 4-c 288236-r 101323344-x -n 6-ri -ni 0-t
view bepsf's profile
Eva Zeisel has a line of white china at Crate & Barrel that I'd buy if I was starting all over again. By the way, is Ms. Zeisel still designing for Nambe? I saw some really great new designs in their silvery pewter and in glass at a department store over the week-end.
view AustinSarah2's profile
Keep in mind that you do not necessarily have to register for just one pattern. My husband and I ended up choosing half the settings in one color of one pattern and the other half in another color of the same pattern. Finally we chose soup plates in a different pattern all together but that tied the first two together perfectly. They are all platinum banded with pearl or lustre type colors. They are pretty neutral but we have a lot of options for the table without it being overwhelming. We can alternate settings of each color or mix and match alternating colors of the various pieces.
We put them together in the store to make sure that they melded well.
These are our patterns but they do not photograph well at all!
http://tinyurl.com/cg9stw
http://tinyurl.com/co3x9e
http://tinyurl.com/d84c9g
view Niamh's profile
i 2nd the Eva Zeisel line at CNB. we love it. has beautiful lines and gorgeous accesory pieces like the coffee and tea pots and the "gravy" boat
view rubyp3's profile
Please don't do this to me.......china patterns are porn to me.
I have Pickard La Rond....Ivory and platinum, platinum leaves, with a very pale green leaf in the center. I love the platinum leaves in and around the cup and saucer.
Pickard is among the finest china you can buy ($200 per setting)....I scored mine on eBay for next to nothing, lol
http://198.66.201.107/discontinued/larond.htm
view ohjodi's profile
I love the handmade porcelain service and pieces by MUD Australia. Their delicacy contrasted with the handmade quality is beautiful.
http://www.mudaustralia.com/catalogue.asp?pid=13
I am also in love with Tsé & Tsé, which is very similar, although there are some pieces decorated in gold, and others in platinum. Like MUD, the porcelain has a handmade irregular and delicate quality.
I think it would be exquisite paired with Paola Navone's New Baroque tea/coffee/dessert service in shiny silver:
http://www.porzellanmanufaktur.net/site/start/kat/5/rid/17/fsessionid/1238593630/pid/2/
as well as Spode's Fleur-de-Lys Gold
http://www.giftcollector.com/productline_isapi_m_1-l_710-m_Spode%20China-l_Fleur%20de%20Lys-store.htm
which with their traditional shapes and materials, offer an exciting counterpoint. Plus, I think the Navone and Spode both have lovely and (more importantly) comfortable and elegant cups & saucers, which is one of my chief criteria for well designed dinnerware. Many modern services are sculptural, but awkward when it comes to use.
Good luck in deciding!
(oh, and have you picked crystal?)
view mschatelaine's profile
Ooops!
Here is the link for Tsé & Tsé:
http://shophorne.com/shop-designer-c-55_57.html?view_all=1&sort=2a
The complete line here:
http://www.tse-tse.com/boutique/#mainViewIndex=0;prodViewIndex=0;catID=4
view mschatelaine's profile
Blogger speaking: I have picked out crystal!
Vera Wang's "Duchesse"
http://www1.macys.com/catalog/product/index.ognc?ID=86500&PseudoCat=se-xx-xx-xx.esn_results
We liked it because it seemed to stand between unadorned Riedel wine glasses and crusty, fussy etched-all-over crystal.
And we decided on Waterford's Ballet Icing in Mocha and Jasper Conran's fine bone.
view sassafrassy's profile
We registered for Mikasa's Italian Countryside for our everyday dishes. We like how food looks against white dishes but we like how the design gives the dishes some interest.
http://www.bedbathandbeyond.com/product.asp?order_num=-1&SKU=102253
view heather lauren's profile
we registered for mikasa parchment. i originally wanted the parchment blue, but our local store never had it in stock, plus the regular parchment was a little cheaper (meaning i thought more guests would buy it...and they did...we got every piece we registered for).
http://www.mikasa.com/5-Piece-Placesetting/L3438-705,default,pd.html
view ohmaggie's profile