Fun with A Real Raleigh Newlywed – Styling Everyday White Dishware from Crate and Barrel Southpoint
Stephanie Scarano registered at Crate and Barrel when she got married in NC last fall. She selected everyday white dishware from Crate and Barrel. When Southern Bride & Groom magazine visited Stephanie’s home to create our own New Nesters Inspiration featuring local bridal registries recommended by our team, we thought it would be fun to play around with Stephanie’s actual china, too. Using the local Southpoint Durham Crate and Barrel products, we came up with three different looks for Stephanie’s dishware. Here are our ideas for how to dress up your white china – or, how to funk it up, if you will! We photographed Stephanie’s dishware with a local Raleigh-Durham wedding photographer, Fancy This Photography.
How to Dress Up Your White China – Think Outside the Plate
The best part about a classic white china pattern is that it can be transformed into any vibe for a private dinner for two, or gatherings you host at your newlywed home! Just remember a few basic ingredients:
1 – When Styling White China, The Place mat is your Canvas
Start with your backdrop – the options for your place mats are endless! From beautiful fabrics, to woven wicker, to faux marble, the place mat is the easiest way to dress up your white china. The greatest thing about white is it will pop off of anything. And voila, your look has begun to unfold.
2- Don’t Underestimate the Power of Flatware to Transform your Tabletop Look
There are countless styles of silverware, varying in shape and color. A classic platinum silver flatware set is a staple for every new home, but we recommend our Southern brides who plan to host lots of occasions consider adding an extra, fun set to the wedding registry. Silverware is not a big investment and can go a long way toward styling a home tabletop look. Gold (or even rose gold) flatware will surely capture the attention of your guests and give your event an elegant and modern flair. Copper has an industrial vibe but also blend with many homes that have gold decor accents. Matte versus glossy finish is another consideration. And take a look at the various shapes too – there are heavy, square options (shown below), and more vertically inclined sets.
3- A Pretty Important Pair – Napkin and Napkin Ring
The final touch of your place setting is what sits atop your white china. You can be as subtle or as daring as you’d like with the color or pattern of your napkins. Even white napkins don’t need to be boring – a hem stitch custom monogram makes any Southern lady’s heart happy! If you want to master learning how to dress up your white china, the napkin ring is clutch. This is the final piece where you can (quite literally) tie it all together.
You can see how easy it is to dress up your white china with just a few simple accents in the photos we’re sharing here. The top look is simply elegant – it turns a casual meal at home into what feels like a special occasion. A vinyl mat and an elegant dainty silver napkin ring from Crate and Barrel make the white dishware shine as the centerpiece of the place setting.
The next look (directly above) is a level up in dressiness. Layered place mats in two distinct, fun textures add an extra dimension. Throw in a pop of color with the napkin, and a bold napkin ring. Have fun and experiment with these ideas to dress up your white china!
And of course this look above is the most funky of our three ideas on how to dress up your white china. This goes to show that the styling of your everyday home dishware does not have to be fancy, to be special. As you can see, in the end, white china happens to be the most versatile of all!
Now that you’ve learned how to dress up your white china, see what other fun options there are by checking out the settings we designed with our local wedding registry shops at Stephanie’s house. Here’s our New Nester Post with lots more tabletop ideas for your new home!
If you’re a Raleigh, Durham or Chapel Hill bride-to-be, we’d also love for you to view the local stores that Southern Bride & Groom magazine recommends for your wedding registry!
