You might remember this beautiful plate as it broke in the sink, complete with uneaten steak in The Devil Wears Prada.  My friends laughed as I involuntarily shreiked at the site of the breakage in the theater- as I might do in the stores as I see a plate heading for my concrete floors.  And just as the clothes and furniture and shoes and bags were “just so” in the movie- their pick of china was as well.  This is a classic and yet modern set.  Its simplicity can be used with so many other patterns that it is a great choice for someone just starting out their china closet.  

Recently, we had a bride who chose this pattern because she her wedding was going to be near July 4 and she wanted to use it with blue for a celebration each year on their anniversary.  We did a large white charger and a navy blue Charger by Ginori. And we added navy blue wavy napkins from Dransfiled and Ross. We topped it off with American Flag place cards from Dempsey and Carroll and when it was done- she was right.  It looked a little July 4th- but in a very sophisticated way.  For the rest of the year, she will simply use the set as is and occasionally add her white chargers when needed. 

For a bachelor in Washington, DC;  we did this china on a black charger  by Ginori and a black place mat  by Kim Seybert and used a combination of black cocktail napkins by Anichini with red and white napkins from both Dransfield and Ross and Kim Seybert. The effect was totally different. 

There is also a lot to be said for the understatement of the china and a simple elegant and crisp Portuguese linen from George Henry would make a very formal and yet understated table. 

At first glance, this china is not something that looks useful for the every day life- and that is exactly what is so great about it. You are probably not going to use this for scrambled eggs with the kids in the morning.  However, you could not set a more beautiful urban table.  I have used this china pattern twice – once in a renewed home in Chevy Chase, Md and another time for a corporate client in New York and Hong Kong.

The Bethesda couple wanted a clean beautiful look that would blend with their dove gray dining  room walls. They had a rich mahogany table and did not want to use a cloth.  Instead they wanted the smallest round linen placemat, which we had done custom from Anichini in a deep bark brown Nobel linen, just slightly large that the plate.  We coupled that with a dark linen mesh napkin also by Anichini. Simple silver squared napkin rings sparkled in this mix but what made it truly special was the addition of the Kim Seybert crystal stemware in etched glass and platinum.  At night, the table was exotic and yet clean and elegant and the walls seem to have been chosen for the china and not the other way around.

The corporate client was very different. They wanted a china that they could use for entertaining in Manhattan but that could also be in their more peaceful Hong Kong apartment where they rarely entertained.  This pattern seemed comfortable in the transition between lavish entertaining and peaceful dinners on the 24th floor overlooking Hong Kong.

Named after the Nile River and the beautiful vegetation on the banks – this pattern can be loads of fun for summer time dining.

Deborah Rhodes makes a lilliypad placemat that is ideal for this service.  A bit fancier and loads of fun are beaded palm fronds and hot pink puca shell place mates from Kim Seybert. Kim Seybert also makes my favorite place mat- a green beaded square mat- just calm enough to add a pink monkey cocktail napkin to- from Dransfiled and Ross. The madras napkin is not an exact match but is the perfect compliment for just that reason. For informal dining- you can’t beat the bamboo from Juliska or dress it up for dinner with gold or silver flatware- Nil comes with your choice of gold or silver rim

Quite different from its counterpart in silver/grey/platinum; Chain D’Ancre in blue is reminiscent of its name, anchors, chain, sea and boats- and of course in the Mediterranean. What better to match with white bone china. Perhaps a deep Navy blue charger by Ginori, white – hand me down bone china and then the ChainD’Ancre bowls and salad plates.  Or, bright white bone china chargers from Ginori and the Chain D’Ancre dinner plate, and then another antique white salad plate topped with a shrimp or crab in glass followed by a demitasse served in the Hermes Chain D”Ancre cups.

Not to overdo the white, the place mats could be a natural cork by Kim Seybert or a salmon round by Deborah Rhodes or a Giedre Linen from Anichini and an oatmeal linen mesh napkin by Anichini or go over the top with a hint of coral monogram on a Kim Seybert taupe napkin.  Glass ware from Kim Seybert matches the unique blue of the Hermes.

I used this also popular placesetting for a client for a client in Nevada- where the sun always shines and my biggest worry was that the natural inclination to use orange would be too great for both my client and myself.  Instead we went in the other direction and did a bark brown placemat from Deborah Rhodes for the eat- in Kitchen. And of course a bright orange mesh linen napkin from Anichini- no napkin rings- very informal. For lunch we switched up and added a wild place setting by Alain saint Joanis that took the look over the top- again on bark brown- but linen this time and large white crisp napkins from George Henry with a huge swirling monogram- in you guesssed it, orange- bit we also put in scrolls of the turquoise in the monogram. WOW!

For Dinner, we did octagonal brown placemats in linen and matching napkins- no monogram but a tasteful gold, slim napkin ring and very understated place setting.  For evening the flowers were done in bright yellow, deep orange and raspberry. The plates needed no help to shine with the most refined of placesettings.  Placecards were added with a butterfly in the left corner by Dempsey and Carroll.-Deb

There is no denying the strong yellows and oranges in this very successful and popular pattern.  Embrace the yellow with canary placemats by Deborah Rhodes (for day) or go wild with Cornflower Blue napkins and tablecloth from Anichini, enamelled butterfly napkin rings from Dransfield and Ross and plain clear large goblets from Rosenthal ( for evening) . For an outdoor setting- Deborah Rhodes Moss placemats, a simple white napkin and fresh flowers are charming and elegant.