Table service: description of types and features of choice

If we turn to the not so distant past, namely the times of the Soviet Union, then without much effort we can recall how caring housewives "hid" whole sets of beautifully decorated with all kinds of dishes patterns behind a glass of huge sideboards. At that time, people were sure that the services were a sign of luxury and wealth, which was clearly noticed by incoming guests and which, no doubt, indicates that the owners are well off. Services were put on the table solely for serious reasons, for dear guests, in everyday life, people just wiped the dust from cups and plates.

In the modern world, services have changed their role and received a completely different purpose: Now they are not just decorating the kitchen, one of the most practical and convenient types of kitchen utensils. Many housewives purchase sets of plain or painted dishes, to delight the family daily and use truly beautiful objects.

If before dinner services were considered a sign of luxury, they were given for weddings, passed on by inheritance and carefully kept behind glass, leaving “for a special occasion”, but in the present era, exquisite sets of dishes can delight the owner's eye during daily meals.

Many people prefer to buy "motley" dishes, whose items are combined, for example, in color, while they are far from one set. Others make their choice in favor of the services that are now being released by a great many. Anyone can choose what is to their liking. This one-color sets of various colors, and sets with exquisite floral patterns or with drawings in the style of minimalism. There are monophonic sets on which convex patterns are worked out - recently such options have been especially popular.

Dinner sets are created for 2, 4, 6 and even 12 people, that is, just as many people at a time can consume food from incredibly beautiful dishes, each having its own plate and other accessories. Some manufacturers also pay attention to the development of services for 19 people, but such sets are rare.

In this case, other elements of the table are attached to the general set: salt shakers, pepper shakers and much more. The number of all kinds of items in one service can reach up to 50 pieces, in the future it varies depending on the type of set selected.

As you know, any coin has two sides. Consider some of the nuances of services, and perhaps begin with the merits.

1. A set of gourmet dishes definitely creates a cozy atmosphere. Moreover, when standing on the kitchen shelf (it is important to successfully fit it into the general interior), and when it is placed on the table in anticipation of a delicious dinner.
2. With the service you are always ready to receive unexpected guests, because you have clean and beautiful plates that will definitely show you as a good hostess.
3. Whatever the service, it still indicates the prosperity of the owners. Especially when it comes to any exquisite patterns, solid paintings, all kinds of bas-reliefs used to decorate cutlery.
4. Quality-tested services are made from environmentally friendly materials that do not cause any harm to human health. Drinking and eating from glass or ceramic dishes is much more pleasant than using plastic or iron utensils.
5. Every service consists of a fairly large number of elements. Therefore, it is ideal for receiving dozens of guests. At the same time, using only part of the set, you can successfully have breakfast with your family from beautiful dishes.
6. From time immemorial, the service was considered a truly elegant part of the interior. He pleases the eye not only when standing on a shelf, but also when standing on a table.

Now we will consider the main disadvantages of the services that the owners highlight.

1. Many problems arise when it comes to operating a large number of items for daily meals. You are unlikely to use each of the elements, therefore, the service will not look integral, as if something is missing. This flaw will be precisely noticed by those who care about the full picture.
2. The materials that are used to create exquisite services do not allow washing in a dishwasher, which is not always convenient for a modern housewife, because after leaving the guests you need to manually wash and wipe a huge amount of dishes, so that the service looks perfect.

Traditional dinner sets are divided into several categories depending on the purpose of use.

• Dining dining room. It most often consists of dishes that are suitable for serving first and second courses, snacks. Chic pots with a tureen and painted plates create a truly elite set, look like a single whole, making up the overall composition thanks to the color and all kinds of patterns.

• Tea. From the name it is obvious that the main objects in it are this cup and teapot. As an addition, manufacturers include a set of milk jugs, jam outlets, a cake stand and much more. Here differences in the color scheme of individual items are allowed.

• Coffee. In this case, the components of the set are like elements of a tea service, however, each cup and saucer is smaller in size.

• Dessert. It is necessary for serving sweet dishes.The standard set includes small dessert plates. If you give preference to a more complete set, then you will become the owner of all kinds of dishes and plates for cakes, luxury vases for serving fruit and sweets, there is even an ice cream stand. Most often they are made with the expectation of 4 persons, but you can find more items.

• For breakfast. The composition of the dishes is the same as that of the standard set. The configuration depends on which menu you usually prefer for breakfast.

• Children’s. It is assembled from smaller dishes and highlighted with bright color details, which makes it attractive to children's eyes. Such a set of dishes will help you to accustom your child to something exquisite from early childhood. Here are soup bowls, and flat plates for second courses, and small dessert dishes, and cups for tea.

Several centuries ago, China developed a technology for the production of the most noble material for creating services - porcelain. It is a special type of ceramic, which is made from such types of raw materials as clay, quartz, and marble. Therefore, it is completely natural.

Porcelain is valued around the world for its extraordinary properties. It is so thin that in the light you can see the outlines of objects behind it, and when you touch other objects of small sizes, you can hear a melodic sound. However, porcelain acts as a fairly durable material and perfectly tolerates thermal effects.

In order to distinguish high-quality porcelain from fake, it is necessary to pay attention to the color of the product. Porcelain made from solid raw materials has a pure white color.

In addition to the standard porcelain formula, there are also boneservices from which are valued even more. It is called that because when creating it, use bone flour, which gives the material special properties: It has a snow-white color and fine structure, so it looks really elegant.

Also sets are made shockproof tempered glass, which is famous for its practical properties, which is why it is especially popular. Glass service, unlike porcelain, can be put on the table daily, without fear for its safety: it is all stronger than the second. Sets made of glass have more weight, but they can be washed in a dishwasher without fear of chips, which is quite possible on porcelain.

Used to be especially popular silver sets, they showed unconditional luxury and prosperity of the owners, although they required special care. In the modern world, the above materials are more in demand, while silver has become old-fashioned.

Thanks to modern technology, the stores offer a wide selection of beautiful and stylish services that can serve you not only as high-quality utensils for eating, but also successfully fit into the interior and decorate the room.

Modern designers are developing a huge number of options for sets for every taste and budget. On the shelves of stores are presented both standard sets for every day, and holiday combinations for special occasions.

A great variety of colors are presented: from the usual white plates and cups to the sky-blue coffee pots and salt shakers. There are purple sets, the color of which varies from lighter to darker, which looks incredibly gentle. Green sets cheer you up any time of the year. Red or blue look quite unusual and successfully fit into any interior.Standard black and white shades play the role of classics and are unlikely to ever get bored.

By the way, about the interior. If you do not plan to store the purchased service in the closet and get it only on holidays, then think in advance where it will be located, how it will be combined with the surrounding space. Dishes should not be in tone with furniture or decor items. However, the combination of these shades should be well thought out, so that the overall picture looks harmonious, and not dazzled like a Christmas tree.

For example, if your room is decorated in predominantly white shades, then you can choose a service of almost any color, and for harmony add, say, pillows on a sofa of the same shade. If the shelving is dark, then it is better to give preference to a white service, thereby creating an accent.

When choosing services, it is important to pay attention not only to their packaging and attractive appearance, but also to the country of origin, according to which you can draw conclusions about the quality of the product. Many people agree that the best china sets are made in France and the Czech Republic. The second country is famous for its factory, which creates a truly unique material. In the vicinity of Karlovy Vary, the production of porcelain with a pink hue has been established, which gives the dishes a surprisingly delicate appearance.

Cookware sets from China, the homeland of china, or from Japan are also popular.. Pretty expensive sets of dishes are considered Italian. In the US, craftsmen prefer the creation of glass sets.

When choosing a table service, it is extremely important to consider several factors, due to which you will not only be able to create a truly festive atmosphere at the table, but also to protect yourself from problems with dishes from a practical point of view.

1. It’s not enough to choose a large, beautiful and the set you like, it is also important to consider its physical endurance. This is the main condition for the purchase of services for cafes and restaurants. So why are you worse? After all, you also need the dishes to serve as long as possible. A truly high-quality product will withstand accidental falling from a small height and washing in a dishwasher.
2. It is important to consider the number of items in the service and how many people you need appliances for.
3. Do not forget that the drawings on the plates can help hide traces of forks or knives that appear during operation. On monophonic options, most likely, such traces will remain.
4. An interesting fact is that patterns on plates made in cold tones reduce appetite. This can be useful for those who overeat often.

As mentioned above, it is not advisable to expose porcelain dinner sets to a dishwasher in order to avoid the formation of chips. So you can only wash glass sets of dishes.

Particular attention must be paid to Czech services. They are forbidden not only washing in the dishwasher, but also contact with any aggressive means and hard brushes.

To influence the porcelain structure as gently as possible, use sponges for washing children's dishes. After washing, it is important to wipe every element of the service to dryness, avoiding the appearance of stains and dull spots.

About what features of the choice of a table service exist, see the following video.