Tableware Designs For Your Dining Room

Your dining room is where family and friends sit and enjoy a meal together, visiting and enjoying each other's company. The furnishings you choose, the style you set, and the small touches you place around the room all make a powerful statement and set the feel for your gathering. Room decor sets a mood, and you want your dining room to feel welcoming and comfortable.

You spent a long time furnishing your house to reflect your style and decorating taste, and you've developed your own look. Don't forget to extend that style to the dishes you set on your dining room table. Small touches, such as carefully selected dinnerware and drinkware, pack a big punch when it comes to creating a complete picture. Your style might be modern, ethnic, country or retro, but whatever your decorating theme, you can find tableware to complement it.

Modern

The modern or contemporary dining room is a study in simplicity. Simple lines, minimal ornamentation, a black-and-white color scheme with stainless steel or chrome trim, and a glass-topped table give a cool feel of sophisticated elegance.

Your tableware should be as sleek as your dining room. Great choices for the modern table include:

• Dishes in solid colors, especially black or white
• Minimal trim
• Graceful shapes with gentle curves and lines
• Square, oblong, or triangular dishes
• Asymmetrical, abstract designs
• Simple drinkware, with chunky or square shapes

Tuscany

The Tuscan dining room is warmed with earth tones of gold, orange, olive green and brick red. A dining table in dark, distressed wood brings the feel of old Italy to your home. Rustic pieces with a relaxed feel are the hallmark of this decorating style.Tuscan tableware is often hand-painted, with cheery colors of deep red, oranges, and gold. Typical design themes include:

• Wine, with grapes, wine bottles and glasses
•  Texture and embossing on plates and cups
• Hillsides or countryside designs
• Villas or Italian homes
• Fruits and vegetables, especially tomatoes
• Drinkware in heavy glass with textured designs

Asian

Asian-inspired decorating has become very popular. Furniture in black lacquer, with highlights of red or white is typical. Low, simple lines give a feeling of functional elegance.

Asian tableware ranges from simple, monochromatic designs to colorful, traditional Asian images such as koi or lotus blossoms. Give your table an Asian flair with design elements such as:

• Black plates and bowls
• Blue and white landscapes or florals
• Rectangular dishes
• Chinese characters or writing
• Dragon designs
• Teacups
• Square or angular drinkware

Country

Your country dining room might have a farmhouse style table, or a heavy, rustic table with benches for seating. Colors found in nature, such as sky blue, greens, and tans are popular, with touches of red or yellow as accents. The feel is relaxed and comfortable, with well-used furnishings and simple decor.Set your country table with dinnerware that has a hand painted feel, and designs such as:

• Roosters or farm animals
•  Fruit, especially apples and cherries
• Stars or checks
• Small floral patterns
• Splatterware in blue, red or green
• Mugs in pottery or heavy ceramic styles
• Mason jar drinkware

Retro

If your dining room is a blast from the past, you have a retro decorating style, with elements from the 50's, 60's and 70's. Popular colors are turquoise, black-and-white, yellow or green, and pastels. Chrome and Formica give a funky feel to the table, and vinyl-covered chairs are reminiscent of a classic diner.The retro table looks great set with bright colors, dishes made of plastic, and themes popular decades past. Set your retro table with:

• Fiesta ware in bright colors
• Angular shapes and designs
• Cherry and apple motifs
• Coca cola memorabilia
• Hawaiian themes
• Glassware with bright stripes or designs

Eclectic

You know what you like, and are willing to bring together diverse elements from various decorating styles. Your eclectic dining room might have furnishings ranging from antique chairs to a traditional table, to a country sideboard. While you enjoy mixing and matching, you can maintain a cohesive feel by sticking to a color scheme, and harmonizing with your accessories.Set your eclectic table with tableware that has a fun, whimsical feel. You can choose designs that have a similar feel to other elements in the room or make a contrast. Look for settings with designs such as:

• Animal inspired patterns
• Insects such as bees or butterflies
• Old-fashioned florals
• Bright colors and bold designs
• Dots, stripes, zigzag patterns
• Glassware in bright colors

You spent a lot of time developing your style, and furnishing your home. Make sure your dinnerware continues your decorating theme, and set a table that reflects your tastes and lets guests know that you pay attention to detail. There are so many styles of tableware available, you can find just the perfect set to complete your dining room, and complete the finishing touch on your perfect table.