Dish Collections: A Tabletop Treasure Trove

Dinnerware collections are a great way to elevate your dining experience and make your meals more enjoyable and special. Whether you're looking for casual dining or formal gatherings, there is a wide range of dish sets to choose from, offering unique patterns, colours, and materials to suit your style and needs. From stoneware to porcelain, melamine to fine china, each type of dinnerware has its own benefits and can add a touch of elegance or playfulness to your table setting. With various shapes, glazes, and designs available, you can create a coordinated look or mix and match to express your personal style. Dish collections are not just practical but also a way to showcase your creativity and set the mood for any occasion, from intimate dinners to festive celebrations.

Stoneware

West Elm Kanto Stoneware Dinnerware

The reactive glazes used on this design will speckle and crack differently every time, ensuring that your dinnerware is truly one of a kind. The set includes four small bowls, four pasta bowls, four dinner plates, and four salad plates. The pieces are dishwasher- and microwave-safe.

Pottery Barn Dinnerware Set

This collection includes four dinner plates, four salad plates, and four soup bowls. It has a simple and timeless aesthetic that can easily pair with existing pieces in your collection or be mixed and matched with other lines for a unique look. The set is dishwasher- and microwave-safe.

Hawkins New York Essential Stoneware 16-Piece Dinnerware Set

This 16-piece collection also offers coordinating accessories, like pinch bowls and serving platters, that can be purchased separately. The set includes four dinner plates, four salad plates, four pasta bowls, and four cereal bowls. The plates are designed with a low lip, making them less suitable for saucy dishes. The set is dishwasher-, microwave-, and oven-safe up to 450°F.

Jono Pandolfi 4-Piece Place Setting Bundle

This comprehensive collection includes six entrée plates, six salad plates, six Alaska bowls, and six cereal bowls. The Jono Pandolfi brand focuses on versatile neutrals, so this set may not be the best choice for those looking for a bright pigmented glaze. The set is dishwasher- and microwave-safe.

East Fork 7-Piece You're-All-Set Set

East Fork's traditional stoneware combines a rustic design with timelessness, versatility, and durability. Their "You're at Set" set includes seven pieces that will carry you from appetisers to dessert: a mug, a bitty bowl, a breakfast bowl, an everyday bowl, a cake plate, a side plate, and a dinner plate. The set is dishwasher- and microwave-safe.

Le Creuset San Francisco Coupe 16-Piece Dinnerware Set

The Le Creuset brand is known for the quality and consideration of its stoneware pieces. This 16-piece set includes four pasta or cereal bowls, four dinner plates, four salad plates, and four mugs. The collection is dishwasher-, microwave-, freezer-, and oven-safe up to 500°F.

Porcelain

Individual Pieces

For those who prefer to curate their own dish collection, individual porcelain pieces are available from various designers and brands. This allows for a unique and personalised table setting. Some examples include the "Manufacture Rock Blanc Pasta Plate" and the "Petite Fleur Dinner Plate" from Villeroy & Boch, as well as the "Luna" collection from DishesOnly, which includes handmade porcelain dinnerware, serveware, and tea and coffee sets.

Dinnerware Sets

For a more cohesive look, porcelain dinnerware sets are also widely available. These sets typically include plates, bowls, and sometimes cups or mugs, providing a complete dining experience for a specified number of people.

Gibson Home

Gibson Home offers a range of porcelain dinnerware sets in various colours and styles. The "Oslo" set features a classic combination of white porcelain with a black rim, while the "Zen Buffet" set offers a modern square shape with a chip and scratch-resistant finish.

Amazon Basics

Amazon Basics provides an affordable option for those seeking a simple yet elegant white porcelain dinnerware set. Their 18-piece set includes plates, bowls, and mugs to serve six people.

MALACASA

MALACASA offers porcelain dinnerware sets in both classic and modern styles. The Luna set features a marble grey design, while the Flora set presents a more traditional look with a floral pattern.

Villeroy & Boch

Villeroy & Boch provides premium porcelain dinnerware sets for those seeking luxury and quality. Their collections include classic white designs as well as an array of patterns to suit different tastes and occasions.

Stonelain.co

Stonelain.co offers a range of colourful porcelain dinnerware sets, including the "Florian" set in navy blue, the "Brighton" set in pink, and the "Zora" set in black.

These are just a few examples of the diverse range of porcelain dish collections available, catering to various styles, budgets, and preferences. Whether one is seeking individual pieces or complete dinnerware sets, porcelain offers a sophisticated and refined option for dining and entertaining.

Melamine

Design and Colour Options

Brands and Retailers

Well-known brands like Gibson, Certified International, Zak Designs, and Crate & Barrel offer an array of melamine dinnerware options. Retailers such as Amazon, Home Depot, Walmart, and Target provide a convenient way to shop for melamine dinnerware sets, with some offering discounts and special deals.

Care and Maintenance

While melamine dinnerware is generally dishwasher-safe, it is important to note that it is not suitable for microwave or oven use. To ensure the longevity of your melamine dishes, it is recommended to refer to the specific care instructions provided by the manufacturer.

Fine China

If you are looking to start a collection, you can either inherit a set or buy an antique or vintage pattern that suits your taste and style. You can find these at antique shops, flea markets, or online. If you are trying to find pieces that match a set you already have, the first thing to do is to determine who made the dinnerware. This information is usually stamped on the back of one of the plates, along with the pattern name. You can then search for matching pieces online or through local antique dealers.

If you are starting a new collection, consider how you plan to use the dishes. Do you want to use them frequently, or just display them in a cabinet? Do you want a solid white set, or a botanical pattern with different artsy floral prints?

Many people collect more than one set for different occasions. These can range from blue and white designs by Johnson Brothers to super-expensive floral classics such as Flora Danica by Royal Copenhagen.

When buying antique china, it is important to note that older patterns may be harder to identify and collect. Antique dishes can also be more prone to chips and cracks, so be sure to check each piece carefully.

Vintage dinnerware can also be expensive, especially sets from the 1950s and 60s. Do your research to ensure that completing a set fits your budget.

Some popular brands for fine china include Michael Aram, Philippe Deshoulieres, Mottahedeh, Bernardaud, Royal Copenhagen, Wedgwood, Waterford, and Anna Weatherly.

Bone China

Macy's

Macy's offers a range of fine bone china dinnerware, including pasta bowls, plates, and salad plates. Their collection includes designs from Kate Spade, Lenox, Royal Doulton, Villeroy & Boch, and their own Hotel Collection.

Mikasa

Mikasa offers a wide variety of bone china dinnerware sets, including the popular Delray collection, which comes in 16-piece, 36-piece, and 40-piece sets. They also offer the Kiley, Lucerne White, and Ciara collections, among others.

Amazon

Amazon has a vast selection of modern bone china dinnerware, with sets ranging from 12 to 40 pieces. Some of the brands they carry include Mikasa, Gibson Elite, MALACASA, Gibson Home, and Stone Lain. Many of these sets are chip-resistant and microwave-safe, making them ideal for everyday use.

Crate & Barrel

Crate & Barrel offers the Purio collection, which includes a 16-piece bone china dinnerware set, as well as individual pieces such as appetizer plates, dinner plates, mugs, salad plates, cereal bowls, and oval platters.

Bloomingdale's

Bloomingdale's carries bone china dinnerware sets from various brands, including Wedgwood, Royal Crown Derby, Royal Copenhagen, and Vera Wang Wedgwood. They offer sets ranging from 5-piece place settings to larger 16-piece dinnerware collections.

Frequently asked questions