Something old, something new, something that is you

Published: November 20, 2007

TOSS CONVENTION OUT WITH THE DIRTY DISHWATER. LET FRESH-FACED CHINA PATTERNS MINGLE WITH BOLD GLASS DESIGNS AND TERRA COTTA BOWLS.

A tradition-bending blend of old and new: Platinum-trim china and rough-hewn earthenware catch your eye, and you envy your hostess for her ability to pull disparate dishes into a sophisticated setting for the table.

Maybe you’d like to develop your own eclectic style, or maybe longtime habits are so imprinted you don’t know how to break free.

Regardless, you don’t have to follow those yawning dictates, such as having china for 12 or white at night. Start fresh, say the experts. It’s easier than you think.

Plan your tableware as you do your wardrobe. Start with skirts, pants, jackets and tops in classic colors, then add accessories. Do the same with tableware. Just as you buy clothes for the way you live, give the same consideration to your dinnerware.

Beyond the “must-have” dishes, platters and bowls, you might discover that some pieces are a waste of space and money, such as the bread and butter plate.

Color is another consideration, and just as with clothing, it’s subject to change. Currently white is the black of tableware. When selecting whites, pick dishes made of the same material or made in the same region. If you have your grandmother’s china made in England and it has a creamy color, you don’t want to add French-made china, which has a gray body. It doesn’t look right visually.

With white dinner plates as the base, you can start adding accents. Bring in color with soup bowls and platters.

Switch the platters according to the season – deeper colors for fall and winter, and more playful colors in spring and summer.

Stoneware is a good choice if you want to add festive pieces to your stock or mix and match with different colors of dinner plates and bowls.

Don’t forget glass, the tableware experts say. It adds a distinctive look and is practical.

You can also add different shaped dishes, though not everyone agrees on the wisdom of this. Some avoid square plates, which have been fashionable for the past few years because people will remember the plate, not the food.

Others recommend breaking free of the circle. Buy a square plate for dessert to put on top of a round dinner plate. You can get a rectangular plate, 9-by-5, to use as a brunch plate for scrambled eggs and a muffin with a space for a coffee mug.

But ultimately, the experts say, buy things you’ll love and use all the time, whether white or a dynamic color, round or square.

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