Revive the Classic Dinner Party With Our Editors’ Favorite Dinnerware
Our table is set—how about yours?
Updated Oct 11, 2018 9:41 PM
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Knowing where to find the best furniture and decor is a skill that can take months (if not years) to refine. So in the spirit of sharing, we’ve launched Highlight Reel, in which our editors open up about their favorite sources for everything from affordable furniture and lighting to pottery and kitchenware and more. Next up: dinnerware.
Peek into most people’s kitchen cabinets, and chances are you’ll find a hodgepodge of first-apartment glassware, hand-me-down china, and college beer mugs. If you’re lucky, you might discover investment-worthy plates and a set of linen napkins—that’s what you’ll probably find in ours anyway. Rare are the folks who’ve got perfectly coordinated dinnerware with which to throw an impromptu party for 12 without their table looking like the island of misfit plates.
In the name of reviving the dinner party, we’re making a case for investing in beautiful dinnerware that you can keep for decades to come. You don’t have to buy large sets either. Sets of four or six can carry you through your first few apartments, and (if you buy something timeless enough) you can always add to the collection as your needs change.
But in order to find the perfect dinnerware, you need to know where to look. That’s why we asked Domino editors to share their favorite shops for finding colorful, timeless, and eye-catching plates, flatware, glassware, and linens. Time to say goodbye to your plain white IKEA bowls; a perfectly set table lies ahead.
Gabrielle Savoie, senior home editor
La DoubleJ: I love La DoubleJ for its colorful glassware and boldly printed table linens. Every pattern is easily mixed and matched and pairs beautifully with vintage silverware. The brand is maximalist in nature, but even just one tablecloth or a few napkins can completely transform a more pared-back table. On my dream table, I would match La DoubleJ linens and glassware with Felt + Fat plates and Zalto wineglasses.
Alyssa Clough, senior social media editor
Heath Ceramics: There are so many reasons I love Heath Ceramics: its company values, commitment to the craft and its community, and, of course, the quality and beauty of its ceramic dinnerware. I’m obsessed with the idea of building a lifelong collection of plates, bowls, and cups in a mix of Heath’s classic and seasonal colors.
Lydia Geisel, digital editorial assistant
Momosan Shop: I rarely splurge on glassware because I know I’ll almost always break it, but I love Momosan Shop’s two-toned tiny spoons and tumblers so much. Jochen Holz’s and Max Frommeld’s delicate glass creations are by far my favorites, if you’re looking to savor every moment at the dinner table post-dessert. Momosan also carries a ton of tea products. This tiny bamboo strainer has my full attention.
Rebecca Deczynski, digital editor
March SF: I like the idea of camping, but realistically I’m turned off by the sheer quantity of mosquitoes and daddy longlegs that inhabit actual campgrounds. That’s why I’m so charmed by March’s Splatterware collection: It feels evocative of the old-school enamel camp mugs and carafes that I know I have no real reason to own, but it’s elevated for indoor use. The shop is also rife with plenty of tabletop touches that would make my existing collection of IKEA dinnerware feel a little more fancy—like these blue drinking glasses.
Liz Mundle, managing editor
East Fork Ceramics: I’m from North Carolina, and it seems as if all my coolest friends have East Fork Ceramics adorning their tables at dinner parties. The pieces are sophisticated yet substantial, with a heft to them that doesn’t give you pause when you throw them in the dishwasher. They come in a variety of colors, from trending to traditional, and the store (both in N.C. and online) also sells some highly covetable serving utensils!
Elly Leavitt, associate digital editor
HKLiving: HKLiving always has a great mix of styles, each of which features a unique pattern play or use of color. My current favorite collection is its gallery ceramics line with watercolor-like washes that are a more subtle ode to the ’80s.
Meghan McNeer, visuals director
Hay: I have a forever love of everything that comes out of the doors of Hay because all the pieces have that clean Danish line in great color palettes and are totally mix-and-matchable. I also discovered Eva Goodman Glassware at Field + Supply last week, and am consequently coveting a whole set of her red dot glasses. My summer tablescape will definitely feature one of these Laia serving platters. The maximalist in me can really get behind her saturated earth tones.
Lily Sullivan, associate special projects editor
Beau Rush: Cameron from Beau Rush is such a genius with her pieces’ shapes and colors. Founded in New York and named after her daughter, the now-West Coast–based ceramics brand continues to grow in style. I’ve really been fascinated by the way Cameron plays with glazes, and I love her strong use of matte black.
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