How to Select Dinnerware

There are few possessions in your home that you will use more often than your dinnerware. Selecting dishes is an important decision that should be carefully considered. When selecting dinnerware you must think about your lifestyle and what you expect from your dishes. Do you entertain large groups? Do your dinner parties have a casual feel or do they tend to be more formal? Do you prefer to have a separate set of dishes for everyday use and for formal occasions, or would you like to have one set of dinnerware that can be dressed up for formal occasions and dressed down for daily use? Do you want holiday china in addition to your everyday dinnerware, or would you like to consider an everyday set of dishes that can be accented with holiday salad plates or mugs for Thanksgiving and Christmas? Do you plan to use your dishes in the microwave or oven? Do you need dishes that can withstand large temperature changes like going directly from the freezer to the oven? Do you ever dine outdoors? Is country of manufacturing important to you? Do you have children? Do you want your children to use the same dinnerware as the adults in your home, or do you plan to purchase separate child's dishes? Do you want solid colored dinnerware or do you prefer a decorative pattern? Do you like all china plates to have a smooth surface, or would a textured or embossed border be appealing to you? Do you like a rim around your dishes or do you prefer a coupe style plate (no rim)? Do you want all of your dishes to be identical, or would you like to mix patterns or colors for a more eclectic look? Do you consider crazing a defect or is this aged look appealing to you? Do you prefer a shiny glaze or more of a matte finish? Do you want all of your dishes to be round, or do you like the contemporary square plates, soft square bowls or even triangular shaped plates? Do you prefer stoneware dishes, vitrified china plates, ceramic tablewares or melamine dinnerware?

We recommend that you narrow your dinnerware selections down to several tabletop collections that appeal to you and really visualize how these dishes will fit into your lifestyle. Imagine your family using the dishes at the breakfast table. Picture yourself washing the dishes and even loading the dishes into your dishwasher. Consider how you would store plates, bowls, mugs, cups and saucers, serving platters and large serving bowls in your kitchen cupboards or china cabinet. Think about holiday gatherings. Think about the decorative style of your home and how the dishes will coordinate with your current accessories and color scheme of your kitchen and/or dining room. Even if you love a dinnerware collection in the store you will not love the tableware when you bring it home if it does not blend with the style and coloration of your home and if it is not a good match for your lifestyle. Spend a little time contemplating what dinnerware is right for your family and you will be sure to find a collection of dishes that you will look forward to using at each meal and that will receive rave reviews from all who dine in your home.