Setting the Table: How to curate a tableware collection that reflects Your Home
A well-set table doesn’t begin with a checklist — it begins with intention. Often, the most beloved collections are rooted in the simplest ideas: grounded in what you eat, how you host, and the kind of home you’re creating. Your tableware collection should evolve with your lifestyle — not the other way around.
Before you start planning your ideal set, I’d like to share a few recommendations for building a collection with care, clarity, and a sense of personal meaning.
Traditional tableware set have included:
12” Charger
10” Dinner plate
8” Salad plate
6” Dessert plate
Cereal or soup bowl (often paired with a saucer)
Pasta bowl
Mug
Espresso cup and saucer
Generally these items are acquired in sets of 10 to 12, often alongside complementary serveware.
While a complete set can be beautiful in theory, it may not be necessary for the way you live right now. Even as a ceramicist, I’ve chosen to build a smaller, more curated collection — one that reflects how my partner and I actually dine. Rather than ticking off a list, I suggest beginning with three simple but powerful questions:
Who is at your table?
What do you love to eat?
Where will your ceramics live?
These questions form the foundation of a home collection that’s both functional and meaningful — one that reflects your daily rituals, not just your storage space.
A Personal Example: Our Tableware at Home
In our home, we cook uncomplicated, but delicious meals. Our mornings are quiet and habitual: I begin with a bowl of oatmeal, my partner with eggs and toast. A handcrafted cereal bowl and plate comfortably meet both needs. As we both eat lunch at work, we didn’t prioritize tableware for that meal.
Dinner is typically a vibrant grain bowl topped with roasted vegetables, favorite spices, and a finishing sauce — meals that feel best served in low, wide bowls rather than flat plates. After dinner, we almost always enjoy some small indulgences — fruit, nuts, or something sweet — which calls for a few small bowls. And of course, no day begins or ends without tea or coffee. For us, mugs are essential.
Our space is cozy, so gatherings are intimate — we rarely host more than four at a time. Storage is limited, so we keep four of each item, with one exception: mugs. Our drinkware - made by many different makers and collected over the years - has become a bit of a signature. If you read my previous post, you’ll know it even inspired a custom-built shelf to display our favorites.
Our Current Collection Includes:
Viv Bowl
Cereal Bowl
Ice Cream Bowl
Spice Dish
8” Justin Plate
6” Justin Plate
Hourglass Cup
Mug
Half Moon Tray
Serving Bowl
Each in a set of four, except for serveware, which we have two of each, and mugs — which have grown into a collection of their own.
Tableware that tells a story
Perhaps more important than the individual items is the fact that our tableware collection tells a story. We each had our own sets before moving in together, and through ongoing conversations — about what we enjoy cooking, how we like to host, and what shapes and glazes bring us joy — we’ve built a collection that reflects our shared life and will continue to evolve as we do.
Each morning, I get to pick an artist-made mug that reflects the tea I’m drinking. When we host friends, we often share the tale behind a favorite serving tray. Not every piece matches, but every piece is cherished.
Whether your collection includes sets of two or twelve, the most important thing is that it reflects the way you live today. In my next post, I’ll explore the more practical side of collection-building: what I recommend to clients looking to add new tableware to their homes — from everyday essentials to thoughtfully chosen serveware that elevates any gathering.
Interested in creating a custom tableware collection tailored to your home, your style, and your rituals? Explore handmade tableware pieces or connect with me to design something truly personal. I offer consultations for bespoke ceramics and wedding registries. [ Click here to begin the conversation. ]
