Growing up, we had some beautiful sets of China that we actually used to eat on. My mother also displayed pieces of her china sets whenever possible. So I love dishware and always try to buy interesting and beautiful pieces for meals, but also to use as part of the decor. It is an inexpensive way to add interesting chatchkas to your home – and my home is full of chatchkas, often arranged into decorative vignettes.
Here are some of the dishes I’ve used in my kitchen, eating area and sun porch, on shelves, on tables, and on the walls.
This cabinet is mostly decorative and I rarely use those items.This cabinet is totally functional and houses my everyday dishes and cups.
Decorative cup and salt shaker
Two decorative plates in my kitchen bookcase
Another decorative plate flanked by salt and pepper shakers
I also use plates as wall decor.
One narrow wall flanking a window from the porch to the kitchen
The other side of the window into the kitchen/porch
The same fish plates used on top of the cabinets above the stove area in the kitchen
Plate on small wall in eating aarea
Matching plate on the opposite small wall in eating area
I still have many of my mother’s and my old china sets that are too country or too formal for my homey but modern house today. They also don’t fit in with my mostly aqua and turquoise color scheme. But I still love them and want to share them with you.
Formal dessert set I got for my first wedding in 1974The charming and less formal set I bought for my first home in New York City in 1974 (from Italy)
Magnificent but whimsical floral plate of my mother’s
Another of my mother’s beautiful china sets
One of my favorite dessert sets ever!
Tiny plates my mom used for decoration in a hutch
My favorite of all my mother’s china sets which we used in our summer, country style house in CT
Thank you! Those are one of the few things I actually picked out myself! I still use them for company when we eat in the dining room. My taste has changed a lot since I was in my twenties, but I still love those dishes!
I love the fish plates too. When I bought them, I thought they were too pretty to cover with food and put on a table. So I always wanted to use them as decoration.They are perfect in my kitchen and sun room.
My two uncles were fighter pilots in the second world war. Thank the Lord they came back and when they did they brought some Limoges bowls with their under plates. My grandmother use to serve me porridge in those bowls and I felt like a princess. I now have those bowls and their under plates.
Leslie
It’s so wonderful to have beautiful things that also have wonderful memories attached to them. My mother had some Limoges too, I forget which plates though. I sold a few of her dinner sets when she died because I could get good money for them. The ones I kept were more common and less valuable, which is fine for me because I got to keep them! ANd my mother actually used all her dinner sets. We ate dinner off of these beautiful works of art every night. And when she planned dinner parties, I helped her decide which dinner set to use and which napkins and dessert plates to use with them. It was such fun!
I used to love setting up a table with pretty dishes, candles, even flowers. It always made the meal more festive somehow. Don’t do much of that now, but it was always a delight.
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All so lovely! I especially like the green and white ones from Italy.
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Thank you! Those are one of the few things I actually picked out myself! I still use them for company when we eat in the dining room. My taste has changed a lot since I was in my twenties, but I still love those dishes!
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Ellin, you’re so classy. Seriously.
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The fish plates on the wall are so cute!
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I love the fish plates too. When I bought them, I thought they were too pretty to cover with food and put on a table. So I always wanted to use them as decoration.They are perfect in my kitchen and sun room.
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My two uncles were fighter pilots in the second world war. Thank the Lord they came back and when they did they brought some Limoges bowls with their under plates. My grandmother use to serve me porridge in those bowls and I felt like a princess. I now have those bowls and their under plates.
Leslie
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It’s so wonderful to have beautiful things that also have wonderful memories attached to them. My mother had some Limoges too, I forget which plates though. I sold a few of her dinner sets when she died because I could get good money for them. The ones I kept were more common and less valuable, which is fine for me because I got to keep them! ANd my mother actually used all her dinner sets. We ate dinner off of these beautiful works of art every night. And when she planned dinner parties, I helped her decide which dinner set to use and which napkins and dessert plates to use with them. It was such fun!
LikeLiked by 1 person
I agree with you Ellin. I think fine china makes the food taste better.
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I used to love setting up a table with pretty dishes, candles, even flowers. It always made the meal more festive somehow. Don’t do much of that now, but it was always a delight.
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