Selecting a set of dinnerware

Once you have decided what you want, it’s time to consider the different options. Should you purchase a dinnerware set, place setting or open stock? The answer relies on a range of factors, which includes what your personal needs may be. Before deciding, consider the following: complete cobalt blue underglaze dinner set

• Formal dinnerware is often sold in place settings, which include all the pieces that one person would need at the table. Ideal for individuals or couples building their collections, most place settings include five pieces: a dinner plate, salad or dessert plate, bread plate, teacup and saucer. Some sets may include soup bowls.
• Dinnerware sets include multiple place settings to take care of the whole table. Most common sets are 20-piece sets, which offer service for four people. They usually include a dinner plate, salad plate, teacup and a saucer for each setting.
• Open stock is dinnerware sold piece-by-piece. This is ideal for anyone who only needs a few pieces or someone who wants to mix-and-match within a collection.
• Most experts recommend having eight to 12 five-piece place settings to ensure you have enough dinnerware for general use and entertaining. If you’re buying two sets – one for every day and another for formal use – you might choose four to six casual place settings and up to 12 formal place settings. It really depends on the size of your family, the frequency of which you entertain and the amount of space you have to store extras.

Another idea is to buy white dinnerware that works for formal and casual use, and then dress it up or down with accessories such as placemats, chargers and linens. You can use accessories like napkins to add colour and personality to an otherwise neutral table. Alternatively, these accessories can tone down boldly-coloured or patterned dinnerware.

 

Assessing space considerations

Something to consider before you go out and purchase stacks of dinner plates and a dozen or more place settings is the amount of storage space you have available. It is also important to take into consideration when you are deciding whether to invest in one set that can do double duty or two sets for different types of occasions.