Spice up your Dinner Setting with Thrift Shop Finds.

June 07, 2017

Spice up your Dinner Setting with Thrift Shop Finds.

Mixing and matching china and crystal is one of the best ways to break into the world of thrifting.

My basic china mixing rule is there should be a similar theme or color that connects the different patterns. Mixing similar or complimentary colors is a good place to start. Advanced mixers can experiment with juxtaposing opposing styles for something more exciting.

Mixing china patterns is a bit like putting an outfit together. The dinner plate is the dress or suit. Salad, dessert, and bread plates are the accessories that add personal style. I have a basic set of white and gray china with gold banding that I bought at a movie prop sale. The set was used in The Princess Diaries and was a bargain -- $300 for a service for 30 of Royal Worcester English bone china. I mix it with almost anything -- floral, glass plates, very ornate or minimal -- it all works.

If you need service for 8, for example, but only find 4 of a plate you love, buy them anyway. You can alternate the plates with another pattern around the table. If you really love the pattern, try searching for it on Ebay. Maker name, and often pattern name or number, are on the back of the plate. A china replacement company may have the pattern as well, but usually at a higher price.

Get started by using with your existing set of china and buying different sets of salad, dessert, or bread and butter plates. If you're starting fresh find a set of plates that make you swoon, build around them.

Factoid: Since many people only use their "good china" on special occasions, and the family members who eventually inherit the china already have a set they don't use, it gets donated. I've found pieces with the original tags still on the bottom. There's nothing like finding 30-year old, brand new china.

Below is an article with A-list interior designer tips on mixing china.

http://www.architecturaldigest.com/story/is-mixing-china-bunny-williams

One set of china with four salad or dessert plate options.