the great white way

one of the best choices i made while creating my bridal registry was to go with a set of whiteware in addition to my other dishes. they are clean and sharp looking, endlessly versatile and easy to use for casual and more elegant tables. most often, i have used them by themselves with other white pieces, or with my clear glass dishes for a shimmery and fancier look.

the absolute best thing about having a set of basic white dishes is that it is so easy and inexpensive to add to them - so many stores, including macy's, crate and barrel and william sonoma, carry great white pieces, and there's no issue with matching when it's all white. the notion of different whites is not lost on me - of course there are some whites that are more cream or more gray, but i have found in general that any time i've purchased a piece to add to my collection, if it has looked "white white" in the store, it's been perfectly matched.

i always feel like it's a downer when a hostess is using special china but has to mix in mismatched serving dishes to supplement because she only has a certain number of serving dishes in their set. with the white, i don't worry about having enough pieces because i can easily supplement when needed. i've also been able to add different, more specific pieces as i need them...gravy boats, long platters, sectioned dishes, creamers, egg cups...okay, i don't have any egg cups - what do people really use those for?

it's also particularly fun to use the white dishes as a blank canvas, and employ other small bowls and accessories, linens and floral choices to punctuate with color and texture.







as far as mixing it up, i find that my white dishes go perfectly with all the wood pieces i love to use and are great as a casual table setting for easy chili or pizza nights, but they also dress up nicely with silver and crystal pieces and for holiday tables as well.

it's nice to have a set of dishes that can grow as my serving and entertaining needs grow, with the ability to adjust and update, and without worry of discontinuing patterns and pricy replacement.