I love this collection of topographic tableware! The china set adds a playful twist by identifying your eating habits: each line represents a different food level i.e. modest, moderate, greedy. Who knows, it might actually help control portion sizes. All in all, Topoware is a brilliant concept!

About:
Topoware is a tableware collection that questions the landscape of dining. Taking inspiration from the recent popularity of geography as a media of communication (with Google maps) and more specifically with topographic maps, which define heights of a landscape two dimensionally, Topoware in turn, “outlines” the dining experience.

Made up of cups, plates, bowls, placemats and a tablecloth, the collection explores the visual and social landscape of dining by using outlines and descriptions to describe, question and push our eating experience, making it really feel like a journey.


Topoware china currently available from Folksy: £25 - £75.

EQ3 is one of those sleeper brands. No one ever seems to really talk about their products, but they continue to make clean, affordable, modern pieces. One of their latest offerings is this glass JOUR Bowl with a funky orange bird-in-the-nest design. The white glass provides a nice contrast to the orange and the slightly squared shape ads some good visual interest. Unfortunately it’s so new that they don’t even list the size of it. Whether it’s thimble sized or bathtub sized, pricing starts at $12.

JOUR Bowl new from EQ3 for $12.

I love the simple and elegant look of Katarina Andersson’s Rondo series. These stoneware vessels can be mixed and matched, ready and willing to dispense sugar, salt + pepper, and even oil and vinegar. With their affordable prices, it’s easy to get the whole set in each color!

Available in white or black sand-glazed stoneware.

Rondo series available from Design House Stockholm: $12 - $26

While we have been having our fair share of rainy weather lately, I am hopeful that eventually the sun will come out. When it does, it’s picnic time! This great Urbana Picnic set designed by Wolf Udo Wagner for Simplicitas has everything you need for a meal on the go. Each set contains five plates, five cups, and five “multi-tableware” which is the crazy looking triangle spoon/fork/knife thing. They all stack together to make nice compact set that will cover all your essentials.

Available from Scandinaviandesigncenter for $15

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If any of you are lucky enough to actually possess an original Enid Seeney/Ridgway Homemaker Plate, I envy you. You can find them sometimes on Ebay or sites likePreloved. There are plenty of plastic reproductions floating around as well. If you’re looking for the real deal, be sure to check the back for the official Ridgway/Homemaker mark. This series was originally produced in England, so most plates you’ll find will be for sale out of the UK.

About:
The Homemaker range of tableware was mass produced by Ridgway Potteries Ltd, of Stoke-on-Trent, especially for the Woolworths chain of retail stores. Enid Seeley’s design of 1956-7 depicted other design classics of the period: an armchair designed by Robin Day, a sofa by Sigvard Bernadotte and a sideboard resembling one by Bernard Russell. The range had a long production run, between 1958 and 1970, and is now seen as a 1950s design classic.

Image via KayLovesVintage

I’m known for my incredible pancake making skills. One of my secrets is that I pre-butter each pancake while it’s still on the griddle. That usually means fighting with a cold stick of butter to slice a chunk off. With that in mind I have been casually looking for a butter dish that isn’t shaped like a cow. This Terence Conran butter dish from Overstock.com is actually pretty decent looking. I like the $12 price as well. There is also a whale butter dish by Jonathan Adler that I am strangely attracted to. Unfortunately the $68 price tag and uncomfortable feeling I get thinking about scooping butter out of a whale probably rule that one out.

Does anyone else know of a decent looking butter dish?

Terence Conran butter dish available from Overstock.com for $12Whale Butter dish available from Jonathan Adler for $68

I’m a huge fan of CB2’s dinnerware and am excited to learn that much of it is on sale right now for crazy-cheap! Appetizer plates for 95 cents, dinner plates for 3 bucks… it’s nuts! I’ve been coveting the Lamina dinnerware ever since it showed up in their catalog a while ago. I’ve also been meaning to grab a few more settings of the Bubbles dinnerware to keep on hand in case any of the pieces I already have happen to break (which I doubt, because they’re über sturdy, but you never know). So if you’ve been wanting to replace your old dishes, get a few backup pieces, or just like to have options, now’s the time to grab some really high quality dinnerware for really affordable prices!

CB2 Dinnerware Sale: $0.95 - $10.95

With a two year old in the house the need for some melamine dinnerware has become a simple fact of life. I’m normally a big fan of melamine, it’s cheap and can be very attractive. At least I thought it was cheap. Looking around at some of the “modern” examples from Jonathan Adler, French Bull and even Pop Ink show prices upwards of $9 for one plate. I admit they are all really good looking plates, but is it too much to ask for a simple plate for a messy two year old that doesn’t cost over $5? Luckily while I was at Target on Monday we were able to score some decent looking plates. They may not be as hip as some, but the price was right.

Melamine plates from Target, set of 4 for $15.

Anyone know any other cheap but hip melamineware?

I don’t know what it is lately but I am absolutely in love with anything that is simple and made of white porcelain, especially unglazed. Portland Oregon based Pigeon Toe Ceramics has a wonderful selection of porcelain and porcelain-like stoneware. The pieces all have a simple Scandinavian aesthetic. Prices are very reasonable with most pieces in the $20 range.

Available at Pigeontoeceramics.com and Etsy

I ran across this Etsy shop a while ago but just rediscovered it in my bookmarks.  Urban Soule sells really awesome urban-themed ceramics (as well as paintings, photography, and vintage items). I really love the wood grain plates and the graffiti stencil pieces are pretty rad too. You can order anything from a single plate to an entire 18-piece set. Soule even offers customized pitchers and teapots, just choose the style and color you want!  

More about Soule:
Soule,(pronounced like soul) was born in Warshin’ton state. Growing up in the sticks, I, me and my only friends were tree dwelling creatures. One day me,myself and I became incredibly lost and stumbled upon the “city” and discovered a wheat pasted poster. Not only visually appealing, it was delicious,me loved it. I and myself had to learn more about this new discovery, so after befriending some city folk, I, myself and me branched out on our own armed with spray paint, stencils and ink. At the ripe ol’ age of 16 I had my first art show which was a success, this got the ball rolling so Me, myself and I ran with it bringing myself to Seattle, WA. Keep an eye out for Urban Soule clothing, paintings, toys, and whatever else me, myself and I feels like making!


Ceramics with attitude from Urban Soule: $10 - $250.