Modern Dish Set: Timeless Style

A mid-century modern dish set is a great way to add a touch of retro elegance to your dining table. These sets often combine modern and traditional styles, resulting in sleek and slim designs. Mid-century modern dish sets are usually made from premium materials such as porcelain or stoneware, which offer high mechanical strength and a refined look. These dish sets are also practical, with many being dishwasher, microwave, freezer, and oven-safe. You can find a variety of mid-century modern dish sets online, ranging from simple sets with plates and bowls to more extensive sets that include mugs, salad plates, and serving platters. Whether you're looking for a casual dining set or something more special for holiday meals, there's a mid-century modern dish set to suit your needs.

Mid-century modern dinnerware sets

When it comes to mid-century modern dinnerware sets, there are a variety of stylish and functional options to choose from. Here are some examples:

Stoneware and Porcelain Sets:

Stoneware and porcelain dinnerware sets offer durability and a premium dining experience. The Pradnya 12-piece set from Wayfair, the Stone Lain Celina 16-piece set from Macy's, and the Dalaine 16-piece set from Wayfair are excellent choices, featuring microwave and dishwasher-safe designs with eye-catching styles. The Dalaine set also boasts an array of colours, including blue, green, yellow, and orange.

Melamine Dinnerware Set:

For a unique look, the George Oliver Jabreon Melamine Dinnerware Set from Wayfair draws inspiration from wood, combining modern shapes with a charming, wood-like appearance. This set is an excellent choice for outdoor dining and includes plates, bowls, and durable service for four.

Retro and Vintage Designs:

Etsy offers a wide range of retro and vintage mid-century modern dinnerware sets. These include the Retro Stoneware 12-piece set, which features a geometric design, and the Atomic Starburst Franciscan Serving Platter, a vibrant outdoor tray with a yellow, orange, and green starburst pattern. For a more understated vintage option, the Royal China Blue Heaven Dinner Plate set offers a classic mid-century design.

Christina Collection:

The Christina Collection, available from Wayfair, radiates retro elegance by combining modern and traditional styles. Made with premium porcelain, this collection offers slim and sturdy dinnerware that is dishwasher, microwave, freezer, and oven-safe. The set includes dinner plates, salad plates, and bowls, allowing you to mix and match to create a unique table setting.

Mid-century modern drinking glasses

The mid-century modern aesthetic is characterised by clean lines, non-fussy details, and organic shapes. This style can be applied to drinking glasses, with a variety of options available.

• Black
• White
• Blue
• Green
• Amber
• Yellow
• Gold
• Silver

They often feature unique designs, such as:

• Etched glass detailing
• Polka dots
• Murano glass
• Cut crystal
• Hand-blown glass

Where to Buy

• Etsy
• Wayfair
• Chairish
• EBay
• Retro Solstice

Mid-century modern kitchen decor

When it comes to kitchen decor, mid-century modern is a style that has endured. From clean lines to nature-inspired colour palettes and retro accessories, this design movement has something to offer everyone. Here are some ideas for bringing mid-century modern style into your kitchen.

Colours and Materials

Mid-century modern colours are often inspired by nature, with popular shades including earthy greens, mustard yellows, deep teals, browns, burnt oranges and navy. You can also go for a more neutral palette of whites, blacks and greys, or add a pop of colour with a bold shade like bubblegum pink or electric orange.

Wood is a key material for mid-century modern style, with teak and American black walnut being popular choices. Terrazzo is another option for flooring or countertops, offering a unique, customisable look.

Furniture and Fittings

Flat-front cabinets are typical of mid-century modern kitchens, and you might also choose to forgo wall cabinets altogether for a more streamlined look. If you do opt for wall cabinets, consider adding some open shelving to display your mid-century stoneware or other accessories.

When it comes to seating, acrylic furniture was big in the 1960s, and iconic mid-century modern table and chair sets include the Tulip designed by Eero Saarinen.

Accessories

To add some fun, retro accessories to your kitchen, you could hang a Sputnik-style chandelier or invest in some starburst wall clocks. You could also look for vintage items like Hans-Agne Jakobsson pendant lights or Fireking Jadeite mixing bowls.

Mid-century modern serving ware

Materials and Patterns:

• Homer Laughlin's Fiesta, with colours like red, yellow, cobalt blue, light green, ivory, turquoise, chartreuse, forest green, gray, and rose.
• Homer Laughlin's Harlequin, similar to Fiesta but with plain bands around the rims and handles resembling triangles.
• Franciscan's Starburst, also known as Atomic Starburst, often reproduced in plastic and paired with matching drinking glasses and mugs.
• Hall China Company's Hallcraft I (Tomorrow's Classic) and II (Century) by Eva Zeisel, with black outer surfaces and white interiors.
• Metlox's Poppytrail line in the Freeform shape, with "atomic" patterns like Heavenly, Anytime, Aztec, and Mobile.
• Royal China Company's Blue Heaven, Autumn Haze, Star Glow, and Aria, featuring modern twists on classic patterns.
• Russel Wright's American Modern for Steubenville Pottery Company, with pieces in six mix-and-match colours.
• Iroquois China Company's Casual by Russel Wright, with a muted colour palette and durable material.
• Syracuse China's Trendline and Carefree lines, with patterns like Jubilee and Nordic.

Specific Pieces:

When it comes to specific serving ware pieces, here are some options:

• Cheese boards and platters, such as the Dansk cheese board with an attached knife, or the Nambe Chevron Cheese Tray with Knives.
• Dessert and cake stands, like the Brimfield & May 3-tiered cupcake stand or the Dancing Girlie Teapot, a whimsical and handmade piece.
• Fruit bowls and baskets, including the Inca Bowl by Cyan Design with a matte black exterior and golden interior, or the Nambe Chevron Fruit Bowl with a marble body and chevron-patterned wood base.
• Sugar bowls and creamers, such as the vintage Silverplate Napier Apple Hors d'Oeuvres Server Toothpick Holder.
• Serving plates and platters, like the Celina 2-Tiered Serving Plate with a tree branch and birds design, or the Atomic Cat Serving Platter featuring retro MCM charm.
• Trays, including the Lipton Hexagon Decorative Tray with Metal Handles, which combines a glossy teal finish with a unique shape, or the Boema Tray by Cyan Design, a decorative aluminium tray with a medieval influence and modern twist.
• Bowls, such as the Mid-Century Modern Nutcracker from Austria or the Herbert Krenchel Krenit Bowl Collection, a set of 33.

Mid-century modern tableware

When it comes to mid-century modern tableware, there are a variety of options available that can elevate your dining experience and enhance your table setting. From dinnerware sets to individual pieces, here is a guide to help you navigate the world of mid-century modern tableware:

Dinnerware Sets:

Mid-century modern dinnerware sets offer a cohesive look for your table and typically include plates, bowls, and sometimes mugs or salad plates. These sets provide a convenient way to update your tableware, and many are designed with both functionality and style in mind. For instance, the Christina 4-piece dinnerware set from Wayfair combines retro elegance with modern and traditional styles, offering slim and refined porcelain pieces that are dishwasher, microwave, freezer, and oven-safe. Another option is the Pradnya 12-piece stoneware dinnerware set, also from Wayfair, which adds a touch of eye-catching style to your table and is perfect for mixing and matching.

Individual Pieces:

If you prefer to curate your own tableware collection or are looking for specific items to complement your existing set, there is a vast array of individual mid-century modern tableware pieces to choose from. Etsy, for example, offers a range of options, such as the Atomic Starburst Collins set of four highball tumbler glasses, inspired by vintage dinnerware, or the Lefton Miss Priss butter dish, a charming mid-century butter dish with a cat on its lid.

Vintage and Collectible Options:

For those who appreciate the unique charm of vintage and collectible tableware, sites like Chairish offer an extensive selection. From the Rosenthal 'Magic Flute' opera-inspired 60-piece porcelain dinnerware set to the Mid-Century Hand Painted Floral Plates, which come in a set of eight, these options add a touch of history and artistry to your table. Vintage tableware is an excellent way to incorporate a sense of nostalgia and individuality into your dining experience.

Materials and Colors:

When it comes to materials, mid-century modern tableware is commonly made from porcelain, stoneware, ceramic, or glass. Each material has its own characteristics and advantages, with porcelain known for its refined elegance, stoneware for its durability, and glass for its versatility. In terms of colors, neutrals like white, grey, and beige are popular, often paired with pops of color like blue, green, or orange. These combinations create a balanced and visually appealing table setting.

Design and Patterns:

Frequently asked questions