DINING

Dining

Whether you're hosting a lively dinner party or enjoying a cozy weeknight meal, the right dinnerware and table accessories will elevate your dining experience into an affair with ambience. From ceramic plates to linen napkins, our collection of modern tableware perfectly balances function and style, making everyday meals feel memorable. If you’re unsure where to start, this guide is for you. While we encourage you to explore what suits your personal lifestyle, we’ve put together a simple table setting cheat sheet for creating a beautifully arranged tablescape. Remember, there’s no one-size-fits-all approach—the best table settings reflect how you eat and entertain (just think of our tips as a starting point as you build your dream table).

Table Setting Basics

To start, it’s important to select tableware that suits your needs and personal style. Ask yourself how you eat. Do you sit down for dinner or perch over the kitchen island? Does your weeknight menu typically consist of comfort food like pasta, stew, and curry? You’ll want a low shallow bowl (or what we like to call a blate). Do you love late night ramen? Find a bowl that’s deep and wide. Study your eating habits and start building your collection from there. Now, onto the basics. A traditional table setting includes dinnerware, napkins, flatware, and drinkware or glassware.

The dinner plate is the anchor of your place setting and sets the tone for your tablescape. Choose plates that complement the rest of your tableware, and consider your color scheme—are you drawn to white porcelain, earthy tones, or something rich and bold? Another way to shop is by material. Are you looking for fine porcelain dinner plates or ceramic bowls with a hand thrown look and feel? To ensure you're covered for every meal, aim for a dinnerware set of at least 12 pieces.

Salad plates are small but serve multiple functions and are not just for greens but also ideal for appetizers, side dishes, desserts, or midnight snacks. For a tonal look, pick plates that match your dinner plates, or embrace a modern mix-and-match aesthetic with contrasting colors or patterns.

Another tabletop essential are bowls—perfect for cereal, soups, pastas, ramen, rice, ice cream, and more. Opt for a variety of sizes—small bowls work for side dishes or fruit, while large bowls can accommodate hearty portions of your favorite comfort foods.

If you’ve ever felt like something was missing from your table, the answer is almost always texture. That’s where cloth napkins, placemats, tablecloths, and table runners come in. They add depth, warmth, and a tactile element that instantly elevates your table setting, making every meal feel more thoughtful and refined.

From there, complement your dining collection with the perfect flatware. While a formal setting may require additional pieces, like a salad fork and soup spoon, casual meals typically call for one of each utensil, which means you should aim to have a 12 piece flatware set on hand. Finally, complete your table with drinkware. In our experience, one versatile glass is better than having an overwhelming collection that rarely gets used (no matter how nice it is). A simple, well-designed glass can effortlessly transition from water to wine, making it a practical yet elegant choice for everyday use and entertaining.

After you have your core drinkware collection set, include cocktail glasses for festive occasions. Think stemmed glassware, highball glasses, coupes, tumblers, and champagne flutes.

Planning an event or wedding? Our registry program makes it simple to add modern tabletop essentials, serveware, and table linens to your wishlist.