Custom Inspirations for Your Holiday Table, Part 3: Custom Dinnerware

When you sit down for your Thanksgiving meal, take a look at the people gathered around you.  You’ll likely see quite a few unique personalities.  Whether bonds of family, friendship, or happenstance bring them all together, there is a beauty and comfort in seeing them all assembled to share a meal and fellowship on this day.

Your dinnerware is a barometer for the assemblies of your kith and kin: the more plates that come out, the higher the pressure.  On a daily basis, you’ll see a few pieces regularly, perhaps an informal mix-and-match assortment.  You may rarely have to marshal every item in your collection onto your dining table.  Nevertheless, you want the pieces at the ready.

Think of your kitchenware as a reflection of your own little big group of special people, the ones you know you’ll invite to a grand meal to mark significant occasions and holidays.  You want to have all the functional pieces you need so that everyone has a complete set of plates, glasses, and other accessories.  And what else?

What style and design best reflects the identity of your group?  Perhaps your bunch is best reflected by a color, a pattern of historical or cultural significance, or maybe by no two pieces being exactly alike.  Custom made kitchenware gives you an opportunity to fine-tune your dishes in a way you simply can’t with retail products.  Take a look at a few samples of custom kitchenware by our CustomMade artisans.  Perhaps you’ll see your loved ones reflected in these works or find the artisan who can capture your family, as a group and as individuals, in beautiful one-of-a-kind ceramic settings.

Do mountains, trees, and rivers appeal to you and your guests?  Which phrase is most evocative to you: morning fog, ridgetop green, or riverstone? Susan Ramey Bisgyer of Ridgetop Pottery can create porcelain place settings that combine “art and function” with the inspirational vistas of her West Virginia studio.  Perfect for everyday use or special occasions, your custom ordered set can include your choices of dinner plates, luncheon plates, bread plates, rimmed or flared soup, cereal, or dessert bowls, and cups and saucers.

"Morning Fog," Place Settings by Ridgetop Pottery at CustomMade.com

Do you need dinner plates with diameters sized just right?  Do you have the plates but are searching for other components to complement them?  Jan Schachter will work closely with you to custom design your dinnerware place setting.  Jan describes herself as a “perfectionist” who will find just the right surface, color, and form to “breathe life and vitality” into your set.  Contact Jan and start planning your own dinnerware.

Dinnerware Place Setting by Jan Shachter at CustomMade.com

Does your family have a Celtic heritage, or are you just drawn to this distinctive art and design style?  Patty Rau of Patty’s Pottery can hand throw and carve unique dinnerware sets featuring Celtic designs like this 3-piece place setting with Celtic knotwork and a celadon glaze.  You can learn more about the possible meanings of Celtic knotwork and other patterns on Patty’s website.  Contact the artisan with your questions and custom order your own dinner set today.

Celadon Celtic Knotwork Dinner Set - 3 Piece Place Setting by Patty's Pottery at CustomMade.com

The Native American family who commissioned LaurieMerlee Ceramics Studio to create this custom set of dishes had some specific requests regarding the color, motif, and oversized design of the pieces.  The uniqueness of each piece is also significant.  As artisan Laurie Karnatz writes:

These dishes would be considered rustic by some.  They are not perfectly round, nor do they stack as perfectly as factory made dishes.  However, these handmade plates and bowls make a statement that their owners value their own individuality and appreciate unique and beautiful decor.

Custom Set of Dishes by LaurieMerlee Ceramics Studio at CustomMade.com

Watch this video tour of Laurie’s workshop and listen to her describe some pieces and explain her techniques.  You’ll see why no two pieces she creates will ever be the same.  Contact Laurie and have her design a unique set of dishes for you.

Do you have diverse decorative motifs in mind for every dish on your table? Each dinner plate made by Brian Jones of Brian Jones Ceramics is decorated differently.  Contact Brian and let him know what you’d like on your plates or let him surprise you with one-of-a-kind designs.

Dinner Plate by Brian Jones Ceramics at CustomMade.com

Are you already mentally designing the custom kitchenware you’d like to grace your holiday table?  Describe your idea and post it on our “Get It Made” job board along with any sketches or inspirational pics you may have.  CustomMade artisans interested in bringing your project to life will then get in touch with you.

From all of us at CustomMade, have a safe and happy Thanksgiving!

If you missed the previous posts in this series:

Custom Inspirations for Your Holiday Table, Part 1: Thanksgiving Themed Custom Kitchen Accessories

Custom Inspirations for Your Holiday Table, Part 2: Custom Dining Tables for Any Gathering