Column: Retail Flatware trends

Flatware

with flair

Advances in technology coupled with a trend towards less formal and fussy dining has led to some fantastic atware on the market. From Mepra to Capdeco to Sambonet, suppliers are delivering on colour, function and air. Michele Trzuskowski tells us what her customers are buying

Twenty or thirty years ago, when a bride was choosing atware as part of her wedding registry, she looked for a stainless pattern for everyday use and sterling for her formal china setting. Wow, have times changed – not that there aren’t brides still registering for their favourite atware choices, but what they are registering for is certainly di erent. With the prices of sterling silver at an all-time high and innovations in stainless-steel atware, there is a distinct movement towards 18/10 stainless place settings for both every day and more formal dining.

The big change, and in my opinion, the primary reason for the evolution in the atware category, is due to the innovation of PVD processing. PVD, or Physical Vapor Deposition, is a vacuum coating process that produces a brilliant decorative and functional nish. The process, developed through aeronautic research, creates a hardened coating that makes it extremely durable, 100 per cent dishwasher safe and ideal for use by caterers, restaurants, hotels, and of course, in our homes. These coatings are more resistant to corrosion and o er more durability.

As a result, this category continues to have steady growth, not only because it is an essential part of your tableware but also because the PVD choices elevate the aesthetics of the kitchen and your dining experience.

You can now get atware with nishes in gold, rose gold, copper, black, pewter, and mixed metals. In addition to the variety of colour you can also get alternative nishes, with matte, satin, or shiny options.

Because stainless has become more a ordable, we are seeing three strong trends in 18/10 atware – colour, plating (PVD), and personalisation. As a note, there are di erent types of stainless, we recommend the 18/10 mark which signi es 18 per cent chromium and that with Bugatti and Capdeco all o ering colored acrylic atware in both traditional and contemporary styles, and you are set.

Additionally, we are seeing steady growth in the PVD plating atware sets. With the ability to pick gold, rose gold, and champagne gold as a plated set o ers anyone to perfectly match the gold that might be re ective in their china patterns. That, along with the fact that it is now dishwasher safe, makes is a no brainer. We are even seeing brides take to the gold patterns for their

There is a distinct movement towards 18/10 stainless place settings for both every day and more formal dining

10 per cent nickel used in the steel composition. It is more durable for dishwashers and has a heavier feel in weight.

Colour focus

Combination resin/metal or acrylic/metal create some unique and colorful atware. Not new to the industry, these colorful sets continue to grow in popularity. Take Mepra for example, their Fantasia pattern has rounded resin handles in a multitude of colours (19 to be exact). Clearly there is a colour to match anyone’s home décor. Follow everyday use and not just for more formal occasions.

Within this group there has been unexpected movement towards the black nishes. I attribute this to both the minimalist contemporary look as well as the more casual farmhouse look that is so popular right now. That coupled with the fact that the black can be done in a shiny (modern) or matte (farmhouse) nish only adds to the appeal for customers.

Sambonet does a great job within this category. I nd they o er the most plating colours as

About T is for Table

T is for Table is a luxury independent boutique, with a focus on tabletop, in West Palm Beach, Florida. Open more than 20 years, it o ers an experiential and inspirational space dedicated to helping customers tell stories, create traditions and celebrate life. The boutique o ers everything from ne pottery, china, glass, serveware and table accessories, to home décor, jewellery and body products, and delivers a custom service with its custom engraving, home visits and gift registries. www.tisfortable.com

well as nishes. Along with that they also o er the personalisation to someone’s atware set. They allow you to choose a monogram ( ve di erent font styles) or symbol (six di erent choices) like a diamond or crown. In addition, they’ll engrave a date on the rear of the atware piece. All these choices allow for over 100 possibilities from this program.

Making the right choice

When working with customers purchasing atware, we recommend they rst pick it up in their hands to ascertain if they like the weight. This can really vary if it is a solid or hollow handle. We ask them to pretend they are cutting a piece of meat for the best determination. Then we discuss the handles and how they lay on the plate. Some rounded handles on knives can roll slightly when laid on the edge of a plate. We also review the stacking capabilities. When customers go to store the atware, some prefer atware that stacks on top of each other. Again, in the case of wider or rounded handles, this can prove di cult.

With all the choices out there, however, we don’t nd it di cult choosing an option they like. More importantly, we nd that atware is no longer an afterthought in setting the table, but rather is now at the forefront in creating a stunning table-scape.