Dress Up
V011y Table

What's new in tabletop trends.

By Lynne Konstantin

room: Check. Dress: Check.
What's next? A shopping
spree!
Sort of Registering for
china and other tabletop
items can be one of the
funnest parts of getting
married, but it helps
to know what's hot and to have the
guidance of an expert. As Sherrill Lewis,
manager of Slades in West Bloomfield,
says, "We do everything we can so
that 10 years from now, you still love
what you picked out. It's important to
know trends, but it's also important to
understand personal preferences and
how to put it all together."
So what's different now from when
your mom or grandmother was getting
married? "Everybody is busier now,"
Lewis says. Often the husband and
wife both work, husbands might do
more cooking than the wife or the
couple might simply want to make
everything as easy as possible — while
not sacrificing a beautiful table.
"Brides are not requesting as much
sterling and silver plate as they used to,"
says Lewis. "Often they will choose two
sets of stainless — one that they use for
every day, and then a second pattern
that is quite different to change up their
look — and is easy to care for, without
having to worry about polishing and
cleaning."
Couples are also not going for
very formal china trimmed in silver,
platinum and color as often as a few
years ago. "What's popular in tabletop
is the same as what's popular in home
furnishings," says Lewis, who often visits
the Michigan Design Center to stay on
top of trends. "Now, the big trend is
back to gold. And if you already have
silver, it's easy to throw in some gold.
Mixing and matching is a great way to
dress a table up or down and update
your look"
Here, we gathered an assortment of
best-sellers and up-and-corners that
experts and couples alike are in love
with. RT

Stunning on any style
table, Arte Italica's
exquisite ISABELLA
FLATWARE ($347 for
a five-piece setting) is
handcrafted of pewter
and stainless steel. The
Italian Dish, Birmingham
(248-593-8299;
theitaliandish.com ).

36 February 2014

1 RD THREAD

Brand-new from Aram's 25th
Anniversary Commerative Collection,
the natural bronze WATER HYACINTH
CANDLEHOLDERS ($395 for a pair) have
been re-edited and only offered during
2014. Slades, West Bloomfield (248-851-
0066; sladesgifts.com ).

These not-so-basic REVERE BOWLS
($70-$245), handmade by Simon Pearce
glassblowers, are perfect for everything
from fruit salads to gourmet soups to
colorful blooms for a table centerpiece.
And unlike many glass bowls, they
have no green tint to discolor your food
presentation. Slades, West Bloomfield
(248-851-0066; sladesgifts.com ).

Pressed glass means Juliska's COLETTE GLASSWARE (starts at $26) is as
durable for everyday use as they are beautifully detailed. Available in
Amber, Delft Blue, Clear and Plum. Slades, West Bloomfield (248-851-
0066; sladesgifts.com ).

From casual buffets to
formal dinners, Williams-
Sonoma's durable
HEMSTITCHED LINEN
NAPKINS ($49.95 for a
set of four; monogram is
extra), available in every
color imaginable, provide
an elegant but neutral
backdrop to any table
setting. Area Williams-
Sonoma stores (williams-
sonoma.com ).

Juliska's pewter-toned
stoneware collection has an
uncanny resemblance to metal,
but it's microwave, oven,
dishwasher and freezer safe.
The hammered finish of the
PEWTER STONEWARE CHARGER
($72) gives it a light-catching,
authentic look. Slades, West
Bloomfield (248-851-0066;
sladesgifts.com ).

De Medici dots, Baroque curves,
antique-style Venetian lace and the
waves of the Adriatic Sea all combine
to create Vietri's symphonic INCANTO
DINNERWARE (starts at $29 per piece).
"Most people like the idea of white
dinnerware," says Holly Anselmi, owner
of the Italian Dish in Birmingham."But
this one is interesting because each
piece has a different pattern, giving
each piece a unique character while still
being versatile and easy to decorate
with!' It also is handmade of terra
marrone, a durable Italian sculptor's
clay, and is microwave, dishwasher,
freezer and oven safe.The Italian
Dish, Birmingham (248-593-8299;
theitaliandish.com ).

www.redthreadmagazine.com