Dishes - YouLookFab Forum

Category

Off Topic

Welcome! Read about what to wear and how to wear it on the YLF Blog. Join the YLF Forum to ask specific questions or just chat about fashion and personal style. Or check out the curated list of things we love in YLF Finds.

Outfits Ensembles Trends Advice

Dishes

Aquamarine

Veteran

I would like to change out my everyday dishes. I’ve had them for 30 years (!). They are heavy stonewear and I’m thinking I’d like a lighter, white set of dishes with lots of open-stock options for serving wear.

I’ve been looking at the William Sonoma Apilco line. Thoughts? They are porcelain, which should be stronger than the stonewear, which is getting chipped. I know the Apilco are pricey but I’ve never spent a dime on any dishes. The ones I have were all gifted for my wedding, and beside the stonewear, include a set of Wedgewood China (hardly used, too precious, at least in my mind, but I am trying to get over that), and a huge set of colorful, Italian ceramics.

I’m thinking the Apilco white goes with everything, design-wise, which is a consideration since we may remodel our kitchen in the next few years.

What say you, fashionable people?

Off Topic

41 replies

Latest reply was from Aquamarine

Liz

Veteran

I'm not familiar with this line so can't comment on them specifically, but I love white dishes; they set off the food beautifully. And I wouldn't worry about the price; I think that when you buy once every 30 years, you can spend whatever you like! : )

I'd also urge you to start using your china regularly. About five years ago, I realized that apparently the only reason I had china was to store it and that when I died, it would have essentially gone unused and somebody would be saying, "What do we do with this china set?" Given how tastes have changed and how there are far more china sets floating around from relatives than there are younger people who want them, the odds aren't good that anyone would want it, or that they could find a good buyer for it. In the face of that, I started using it, not caring if I broke a piece here or there. "So what?" I said to myself, "If I break it, I can't use it; but I'm not using it anyway, so how would that be different?"

Anonymous

Another that encourages you to use your china. When my Mother died, we found boxes of unused china and silver in the attic. All the boxes were passed on to close relatives .... and are now in their attics.

kerry

Veteran

I don’t know anything about the line you’re considering at William Sonoma (it looks nice!) but I love white dinnerware. And I agree it can go with everything. It’s great for every day but can also looked dressed up for an occasion with the right supporting acts. We have an old white set from the no-longer Caban (a lifestyle off-shoot of Club Monaco) and some pieces from Crate and Barrel, the Aspen collection I think. We’ve had white dinnerware for 15+ years and never get tired of it.

Runcarla

Veteran

Get the dishes you want and start using the china. I started using my china (Royal Doulton 'Sarabande') 30 years ago (5 years after getting it) and 15 years ago inherited my MIL second set of china (Royal Doulton 'Platinum Concord'). I rotate through them both and find china extremely sturdy.

My motivation was reading something by Oprah Winfrey telling folks to 'use the good stuff'.

#1 Sarabande
#2 Platinum Concord

This post has 2 photos. Photos uploaded by this member are only visible to other logged in members.

If you aren't a member, but would like to participate, please consider signing up. It only takes a minute and we'd love to have you.

JAileen

Veteran

I have WS Brasserie dishes, in plain white. They’re porcelain, too. I have the dinner plate, salad plate, and the bowl. I thought the bowl was called a rice bowl. Maybe it’s the cereal bowl. I’m not sure. Anyway, it’s not the flared out bowl. We’ve had them for 5-10 years, and have had no breakage or chips. We have a huge collection of mugs, so I didn’t get those, or cups and saucers.

https://www.williams-sonoma.co.....innerware/

BTW, I have my mother’s sterling silver and I use it!

Jane

Veteran

I would certainly use the Wedgewood, and yes to finding something you love!

rachylou

Veteran

I love dishes. I have too many. My family has always used the good stuff everyday... I broke all my mother’s wedding china as a child, as the designated dishwasher. Lol. Grandma bought her a new set when I went to college.

carter

Veteran

I have all white dishes, bowls, serving platters, etc. I love the Apilco. It's very similar to the Aspen Collection from Crate and Barrel. I've had the Aspen for about 10 years and love them. Great price point as well. https://www.crateandbarrel.com.....innerware/

I like uniform variety, if you will, so I have tons of shapes and sizes of specialty dishes...all in white. Some from World Market. Some from Bed, Bath and Beyond. Some from Costco. I find they all mix and match as long as they're all white. I use them all constantly.

This post has 1 photo. Photos uploaded by this member are only visible to other logged in members.

If you aren't a member, but would like to participate, please consider signing up. It only takes a minute and we'd love to have you.

Anonymous

Beautiful dishes, RunCarla. I commend you for using yours. The ones I inherited are in someone's attic somewhere in Minnesota. I lost track of them years ago.

Aquamarine

Veteran

I made some tea this afternoon, and instead of using the usual mug, used a Wedgewood tea cup. Thanks for the encouragement Liz, Sterling, Carla, and Jane! I am on Team Save, clothing-wise, so I guess it has spilled over to other areas of my life. Ridiculous, and I need to make this a resolution for 2019...Team Wear *and* Team Use The China.

Aquamarine

Veteran

Carla, pretty dishes!

Kerry and Carter, my sister has the Aspen dishes and I agree they are lovely. That’s a wonderful collection you have, Carter!

Rachy, I cringed reading that! Your grandma sounds like a good sport.

JAileen, the Brasserie are also lovely. Glad to hear they don’t chip. Funny you mention silver...we just inherited my late MIL’s silver, but I have not yet unpacked it (I’m sure it’s tarnished and will have to be polished). And I completely forgot until now that we’ve also inherited one of her sets of china, also not yet unpacked. You know, just typing this out makes it so glaringly obvious that these things may very well outlive us, so why the heck not use them?

Suz

(website)

Veteran

Carla, your china pattern is similar to mine. But do you put in the dishwasher? That's what keeps me from using my own, which I love. (Mine is Minton, Saturn Cobalt).

I don't know about the particular line of dishes you're talking about, Aquamarine, but my daily dishes are an open stock white from Crate and Barrel (Maison) and I've never been sorry we chose them. We replace the odd chipped or broken one as needed. They have changed it a little bit from when we purchased but it's all cohesive anyway.

This post has 2 photos. Photos uploaded by this member are only visible to other logged in members.

If you aren't a member, but would like to participate, please consider signing up. It only takes a minute and we'd love to have you.

taylor

Veteran

I have white China that I use everyday . I really love to dress it up with colorful chargers (red and other times gold )for the holidays .
I find that white is super versatile because the colerful table linens pop more when using white plates .
Each holiday/ birthday or celebration can be different color of table linens, centerpieces, chargers and even my gold flatware .

deb

Veteran

Use the Wedgewood, you are deserving of it.

NancyW

Veteran

All my dishes are thrifted: Blue Ridge in several patterns from the 1950’s. Then there are the Syracuse china plates from the 1990’s and the odd bowls and in sets of twos or threes, plus a few orphans. No one envies my collection (much of which is chipped) but I have found that it you love something today you will likely love it for many years. Buy the ones you find pleasing to look at and hold and mix your lovely china in as often as is practical.

Diana

Veteran

I have a couple of Apilco serving pieces and I like them a lot. They are sturdy, nice looking, and very versatile. My everyday dishes are Kita from Crate and Barrel, but I wanted some large serving dishes that weren’t available in that pattern, so I chose the big Apilco rectangular platters and have no complaints.

Edit: photo ofthe Kita dishes. They’re slightly fussy to take care of (not as sturdy as heavier pieces, and can stain because of the cracked glaze) but I don’t mind if I have to replace one every once in a while.

This post has 1 photo. Photos uploaded by this member are only visible to other logged in members.

If you aren't a member, but would like to participate, please consider signing up. It only takes a minute and we'd love to have you.

Runcarla

Veteran

Suz, and others - after I caught DH using a scrubby pad on the china while hand washing (and subsequently removing part of a silver ring) I said 's#%* it!' And started putting the china through the dishwasher! I use MILs the most, so the surface is looking a little scored - after 15 years of daily use. I am thinking 5000 uses each? I have 8 of everything in 2 sets, and there are 4 of us. I've lost no dinner plates, and little other stuff to breakage.

I did ask for (and got) very good stainless cutlery. We still use it, but after 25 years I got bored and wanted some new 10 years ago. We have 2 sets in rotation. My mother bought me some silverware at an estate sale, but the 'feel' of the items isn't nice, so I don't use them.

I guess what I'm trying to say is use the good stuff and don't get upset if you break a plate or chip a cup. Your kids might not want your stuff. (MIL's daughters didn't) and YOU might not even want it (SIL no longer loves the dainty floral she picked in her early 20's.)

How do you all use your china?

#1 flatware - missing pieces in dishwasher!
#2 condition of sandwich plate after 15 years use and dishwasher

This post has 2 photos. Photos uploaded by this member are only visible to other logged in members.

If you aren't a member, but would like to participate, please consider signing up. It only takes a minute and we'd love to have you.

rachylou

Veteran

OMG! Carla, I think we have the same flatware! Right down to those runcible spoons, whose name eludes me now...

Kathie

Veteran

I grew up with Apilco serving pieces, and have a few of my own. They have lovely lines, have held up well (mine for 20 years, my mother’s for 50+,) so I think are worth the expense. And, I’m another vote for using the fine china, and the Italian dinnerware!

Suz

(website)

Veteran

Thanks, Carla. I'm going to go for it. Bone china is super sturdy so I never had worries on that score. I have one chipped coffee cup, I think -- no big deal. The rest is good. I don't have a full set though, so it will wear faster than yours. But who cares. Might as well use it!

Aquamarine

Veteran

Suz and Diana...Crate and Barrel makes such nice things...I like both your dishes. My glassware is from C & B and still looks good, years later.

Diana, good to know you’ve liked the Apilco pieces you have!

Kathie, wow! 50 years! That’s an endorsement for the Apilco if I’ve ever heard one. Thanks for the encouragement re: using the good stuff. So many reasons not to while the kids were small, but life goes by so fast. And probably no one will want my dishes someday, as others have said, so I may as well enjoy them.

Aquamarine

Veteran

Taylor, you’ve described beautifully why I want to change to white dishes!

Deb, thanks...I needed to hear that.

Nancy, such wisdom. Thank you.

Carla, I have read that it’s not the wash cycle that is hard on fine china, but rather the heating cycle. In fact, I read a blog post by a dish/china buyer who said it’s safer to put china in the dishwasher than wash slippery plates by hand in the sink. Most newer dishwashers allow you to turn off the heated drying cycle.

cjh

(website)

Veteran

Fun to read about everyone’s china dishes. I have a set of 8 which were mostly wedding presents. I purchased one or two place settings with wedding money gifts to fill out the set. Then a few years ago when my daughters were first married, I purchased 4 more dinner plates from a replacement service to accommodate possible future grandkids. (Now we have 5 grandkids.)

We had two full days of both daughters’ families here in the past week. I bought piles of lovely matching paper plates and napkins for the several meals we were all 11 at the table together with no one in high chairs.

But I have used my china a few times a year in the last 42 years. I’d be more inclined now if I had fresh table linens to coordinate with the ivory background and tiny white and pastel flowers. My friends are downsizing and losing parents and I’ve seen many china sets with nowhere to go.

This post has 1 photo. Photos uploaded by this member are only visible to other logged in members.

If you aren't a member, but would like to participate, please consider signing up. It only takes a minute and we'd love to have you.

Runcarla

Veteran

Good to know, Aqua! I don't use the heated dry cycle (to save energy) so maybe inadvertently helped?!

Thanks for starting this interesting thread. Hopefully we will all 'use the good stuff'!

Sisi

Veteran

I always encourage people to use the beautiful ancient stuff they have in the house. I do so. Enjoy your Wedgewood set and the Italian ceramics! I bet they are beautiful.

Aquamarine

Veteran

Thanks Sisi. The ceramics are beautiful and on display in a visible spot so I do enjoy looking at them, at least (I’ve used them a bit more than the Wedgewood, too).

Carla, yes, perhaps that’s why you’ve had good luck with the dishwasher. I know I’ve seen some dishwashers in stores with a “China” setting, too.

Stagiaire Fash

Veteran

Aquamarine, get that silver out and polish it! I left my grandma's copper platter in storage too long. It got pitted--the metal was changed in ways (in spots) that can't ever come out. Don't let that happen.

On topic, I got tired of my wedding dishes, and am divorced anyway. I use my grandma's dishes, replenished with the same stuff from Replacements.com

Get the new stuff if you really want to. Or you could start using "the good stuff" everyday for a while.

Bijou

Veteran

So fun to read this thread. I have a white dinner set and love to use it and it mixes well with pieces from my good dinnerset. The 'good' dinnerset inherited from my Mum is very ornate, beautiful but not something I feel that I could use everyday. Given the gold pattern, I worry about it going into the dishwasher. However, I do need to use it! This post is giving me food for thought.

Carla - you are awesome - I love that you use your good dinnerset everyday!

This post has 1 photo. Photos uploaded by this member are only visible to other logged in members.

If you aren't a member, but would like to participate, please consider signing up. It only takes a minute and we'd love to have you.

Janet

(website)

Veteran

I say use what you love — whether it is an old set or something new. Life is too short to save the stuff you love for some nebulous “other time.”

We have this Mikasa set that we bought when we moved into this house almost 13 years ago. It’s really pretty and we like it, but many pieces have gotten chipped, and I am sure we will choose something simple, white, and modern when we redo our kitchen (maybe late this year, more likely next year). I’ve enjoyed this set thoroughly but it will be nice to have a change.

This post has 1 photo. Photos uploaded by this member are only visible to other logged in members.

If you aren't a member, but would like to participate, please consider signing up. It only takes a minute and we'd love to have you.

12