Dinnerware

We believe home design should be stylish and distinctive. The matte black finish of artisan stoneware or the lightweight durability of a bamboo dinner set are elements that help elevate a space, making it personalized to you. At Lulu and Georgia, our well-designed and thoughtfully curated collection of dinnerware sets has something perfect for your dining room, offering both elevated style and individual personality. 

Dinnerware can be an overlooked part of your dining room decor. Still, as an everyday layer set for each shared and savored meal, a carefully chosen dinnerware set defines the dining experience. The dish set you select can elevate your meals and ground your dining room with an artisanal touch or polished air. Dish sets can even be mixed and paired to provide tonal contrast and visual appeal to your dining table while suiting each portion of a meal with a fitting backdrop. 

Not sure what style of dinnerware to choose for your home? Don’t worry; we have you covered. Check out a few tips below.

Materiality and Finish 

As the mainstay of a chicly set dining table, dishes set the tone for a casual brunch or gathered dinner. They are also an essential and functional part of everyday living. For this reason, it is worth considering not just the look and style of our bowl and plate sets but also their practical fit for use. It is always good to check the care instructions and consider how they fold into your routines before buying into a plate collection. Read on below for some general guidelines about common construction materials and their advantages. 

Melamine dishes set a beautiful place at the table, but it is good to keep in mind that while they can be dishwasher safe, for the most part, they are not recommended for microwave use. The alluring finish and durability of this material make it great for entertaining. Still, if you want to stock your cabinets with dynamic everyday plates, you may want to look elsewhere. 

Stoneware is a versatile and robust option for dinnerware. Like melamine, it is a strong material that can come either in high gloss finishes like our white Hawkins New York Low Bowl Set or in an earthy matte finish like the Nature Dinner Plate Set from Thomas for Rosenthal. Stoneware is typically dishwasher-safe and often microwave-safe, but you will want to avoid any sudden temperature changes.

You might prefer an even more organic option like a wooden serving bowl or bamboo plates. Set off your kitchen and dining room with bamboo for the latest trend with timeless, practical appeal. Bamboo is a dishwasher-safe, lightweight material that offers a layer of natural texture and is made entirely from a renewable resource. 

Find Your Match

When shopping for dinnerware, you may notice many styles come as a complete dish set. These sets feature a single place setting with four or five essential pieces, such as this rustically inspired Casafina Pacifica 5-Piece Place Setting. It conveniently allows you to build a dinner set with a sense of unity at the perfect count for your household needs.  

If you are looking for something more flexible for formal dining or to showcase your design flair, consider purchasing dinnerware piece by piece. These dishes come as a standalone dish or a plate set with four pieces or more. This allows you to build out or refresh your tableware collection to your taste and needs. It also allows you to replace broken and chipped dishes down the line without getting a whole new set. Shop our dinnerware collections to find all the options available in a particular style. 

Designers sometimes refer to these single bowls and plate sets as open stock. They allow you to mix and match dishes or find a microwave-safe plate set more suitable for everyday use, then indulge in more refined salad and dinner plates set for entertaining and formal occasions. Explore our collection of kitchen linens and serveware for other ways to dress up or dress down your dining table for memorable gatherings. 

Shopping by Piece

If you opt for open stock dishes, begin by considering which pieces you will want for a single place setting. Some dishes may sit in the sideboard or cabinet most of the time, while others may become the go-to plate or bowl for midday snacks and breakfasts. Whatever the case, it’s good to plan so you can furnish your cabinet with every piece you need and none that you do not. Below is a brief guide for which types of plates are typically available in a collection.  

Dinner Plate

Dinner plates are the essential anchor of a place setting. They are also the plate you will most likely grab for a casual lunch or quick dinner. You may want two plate sets of these, something tailored to your broader collection for group meals, and a smaller set for everyday use. 

Salad Plate

A salad plate is a smaller dish that is another staple in any complete table. The salad plate is usually set directly to the left or atop the dinner plate in a typical place setting. The salad plate is an ideal size to grab for snacks and smaller meals in more casual dining. If you find yourself constrained by cabinet space, a set of salad plates for everyday use can be a great alternative to an additional set of dinner plates. 

Bread Plate

A bread plate is set to the left just above the dinner plate in a formal place setting. If setting out three plates seems cluttered or unnecessary, this plate can still be handy to bring out with dessert or to set out before dinner with a charcuterie. Suppose you do not anticipate setting out the complete place setting very often. In that case, the bread plate can be an excellent opportunity to choose a style that accents your primary collection for a more dynamic look.

Low Bowl

A low bowl will be the most versatile dish in your collection. These lower-profile wide bowls are great for soups, pasta, or rice dishes. They are the go-to for serving soup in a formal place setting, and they may become your favorite everyday dish as they offer the best qualities of both plates and bowls. 

Bowl

Standard bowls are a little deeper and are sometimes called cereal bowls. Like the bread plate, you may not set this out with a formal dinner very often, so this can be an excellent opportunity to step out of a collection and find something that provides tonal contrast or variety to your overall dinnerware.  

Serving Dishes and Tumblers

Don’t forget to look out for serving platters or bowls in a collection. Having a serving dish that matches your place settings can ground the layout with a sense of unity. Even if you have opted for some accent pieces in your dinnerware set, a serving dish tailored to your look will balance the table. Tumblers or mugs from a collection are also versatile pieces that can tie your decor together. They are also perfect for brunches. 

Dinnerware sets are an everyday essential that enrich your home’s style, bringing life and refinement to every bite we eat. However you decide to style it, remember that your dinnerware allows you the flexibility to showcase your design aesthetic. Bring a sense of intention and satisfaction to every table you set with a carefully curated dinnerware set.

When you shop online for dish sets at Lulu and Georgia, you’ll find pieces that will define and elevate the style of your home. Whether you are looking for organic shapes with tactile allure or chic glazing with a clean silhouette, we have a selection curated by design style, size, and material to choose from. Check out our Dining Room Shop by Room page for more ideas on creating stylish everyday dining spaces.