The new china policy: mix and match patterns for a vibrant table - selecting china

Sunset, Feb, 1999 by Ann Bertelsen

* "The number one rule in china selection is that there are no rules," says Isabelle von Boch, whose ancestors founded the Germany-based china maker Villeroy & Boch 250 years ago. She urges people to rethink their china policy. "Apply a fashion strategy and develop a dinnerware 'wardrobe,' which begins with the basic 'dressing,' then is accented and accessorized with other patterns, linens, textiles, crystals, candles, and flowers," she says. The concept is to mix and match your dinnerware - pairing solid colors with florals or geometric patterns - rather than opting for traditional place settings all of the same pattern.

Von Boch isn't alone in her viewpoint. Many manufacturers, including Lenox and Noritake, are also promoting open-stock policies, urging people to experiment with different patterns and colors. Noritake's Edward Allen Lent, who recently staged four mix-and-match table settings for a nationwide promotion at Macy's, breaks all the old rules when it comes to using china. He says the accent salad plate is the most versatile piece in both casual and formal table settings. "The salad plate is like a tie or a scarf," he explains. "It can make or break the look."

Lent urges people to be creative. "If you select a solid-color dinner plate, pair it with a salad plate that has a striking design or pattern on it. The trick is to make sure that at least one of the colors in the salad plate relates to the dinner plate," he says.

ISABELLE VON BOCH'S CHINA PRIMER

China is a generic term used interchangeably with ceramics to refer to tableware.

There are several types of china - porcelain, bone china, earthenware (or faience), and stoneware. Each is defined by its specific combination of raw materials (quartz, clay, feldspar, and kaolin) and the temperature at which it's fired. In general, ceramics made of cruder clays and fired at lower temperatures chip more easily than ceramics made of refined clays and fired at higher temperatures. The differences between products in each type - between brands of bone china, for instance - come from varying origins and quality.

The term fine china usually refers to porcelain and bone china Porcelain is ceramic fired at an extremely high temperature, resulting in a translucent white surface. The addition of bone ash - and using an even higher firing temperature - is what distinguishes bone china. Most bone china has a bone ash content between 30 percent and 50 percent, which makes the whites particularly intense. The delicate look belies its incredible strength. (Villeroy & Boch once placed a Mercedes-Benz on four cups; the elasticity and flexibility of the cups kept them intact.)

Earthenware is distinguished by a more porous, heavier body. It's made of a mixture of clays and is fired at a relatively low temperature. When white, it has a more ivory tone compared with white porcelain or bone china. Cruder clays are the principal ingredients in stoneware.

A note on China care: Avoid abrasives when washing china. Use a mild detergent in the dishwasher; check the stamp on the back to see if the piece is dishwasher-safe.