Odd shapes and muted colours: tableware jumps outside the box

Parsley in Time on tableware trends; latest publication details the fashions, fads and favourites

If it’s skewwhiff and the colour is dialled way back, the chances are it’ll be coming to a table top nearby soon.  The latest crockery trends are all about muted hues and asymmetrical designs, says tableware specialist Parsley in Time.

“For ‘muted’ read ‘natural’ or ‘Nordic’,” says Rob Blunderfield, Parsley in Time’s marketing manager.  “Whatever word you use to describe them, greys, off-whites and faded pastels are huge and getting bigger.”  Thinking about some blue plates?  Look under names like ‘topaz’, ‘ice’ and ‘river’.

Apart from their natural tastefulness, one reason for the popularity of these colours is that they blend well, both with white and with each other.  “Two or more colourways in these kinds of shades let operators create a table top that manages to be attention-grabbing, relaxing and chic all at the same time,” says Rob.

Meanwhile the vogue for off-kilter shapes shows no sign of diminishing.  “Ovals that aren’t quite oval, circles that aren’t quite circular, weird rectangles that are well outside the box… It’s all part of the drive to be different.  Restaurants, especially in the casual dining sector, want to create a stir and the table top is a relatively inexpensive way of changing the face of the dining area – and enhancing the customer experience.”

Glassware trends reflect this drive to be different.  Current favourites range from classic, simple designs to etched goblets and stemless wine glasses.  An increasing number of suppliers are creating specialist glasses for specific wine types.  Alongside the simple choice of red or white, there are dedicated glasses for Riesling, Viognier, Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Noir and so on.

Parsley in Time has pulled together lots of these trends in its latest brochure, called simply ‘2017.’  It combines the best and most innovative lines from a wide variety of manufacturers and includes plenty of table top design suggestions.  Copies are available free on request from rob@parsleyintime.co.uk or by calling 020 8317 5080.  All the products featured in ‘2017’ are available to buy from the company’s website.