Dining & Serving

Dining and serving is the gathering end of the kitchen: the boards, bowls, runners and stands that come out when there are people in the house. Nothing here is precious enough to be scared of, which is rather the point of buying handmade in the first place.

If you host regularly, the pieces that earn their keep are the ones that do double duty. A large timber board serves cheese, then carries bread. A shallow ceramic bowl holds salad, then fruit on the bench the next morning. Buy fewer, larger pieces rather than lots of small specialised ones.

Set the table

Start with serveware and platters and trays, layer in table runners and placemats, and raise the centre with a cake or tiered stand.