Shopping for a New Dinnerware Set
Whether you are shopping for your first new dinnerware set or one for the holidays or entertaining, there are several things to consider. While certainly color and style will be a concern, you’ll also want to think about durability, the décor of the room (be it kitchen or formal dining room) and how the set will be used.
Before you begin shopping for your dinnerware set, establish whether it will be used for everyday use or simply for entertaining. By defining when the set will be used you’ll be able to eliminate several factors. If you are shopping for an everyday set, you’ll more than likely want it to be dishwasher safe, chip resistant and somewhat neutral. If the set is for entertaining purposes and formal dinners, depending upon your tastes, you may choose a more elegant, simple pattern (perhaps even plain white) made of ivory or porcelain.
Most importantly, the style of the dinnerware set you choose and the material should reflect both your personal taste and enhance the room and tabletop. For instance, if your kitchen is decorated in a French Country Farmhouse style, you may want to purchase a more rustic stoneware set that is casual and painted with roosters or floral patterns. If you are trendy, a more eclectic set, such as Fiesta Dinnerware, an open stock line of dinnerware in an assortment of bright colors, may suite your purposes. In fact, if trendy and modern is your style, you may even choose to purchase a set that is square or oval in shape.
You should bear in mind your budget in addition to style and durability. While a suitable set of dinnerware made of glass or plastic can be purchased fairly inexpensively, it will more than likely be of lesser quality and show scratches and easily break. At the very least, purchase a stoneware or porcelain set of dinnerware. An average set of dinnerware should cost anywhere from $50 to $100 for four to six place settings.
In addition, if budget is a concern, you may want to entertain purchasing a simple set of white porcelain or ivory dinnerware. While more expensive and neutral, a quality set of white dinnerware is timeless, fits into a variety of decors, and can be added onto year after year.
Dinnerware sets should contain dinner plates, salad plates, soup bowls, cereal bowls, bread plates, butter plates and cups and sauces. Additional tableware pieces may include mugs, sugar and creamer sets and serving pieces such as platters and a soup terrain.
Before purchasing your dinnerware set make sure you read various home magazines, consumer reviews and shop around online and in stores. Very often you can save money by purchasing in a set; although, you may also find that a set does not include the pieces you need or want.
