This is a guest post by Chris Savage. If you want to guest post on this blog, see the guidelines here.
If you’re thinking of buying new cutlery, stop at the usual 14-piece stainless steel packs. They might look good but you’ve had similar sets forever. Try something different this time. Pick a corner of the world for inspiration. Don’t just stop at importing exotic cuisine into your home, try their tableware too. If you can’t find that in your local stores, the Internet is your friend, especially eBay if you fancy older sets. They also make for great gifts. Here are some ideas from the East to spice up your kitchen.
Thai flatware
Thailand is a food lover and culinary connoisseur’s paradise. It is influenced by the cultures of South Asia, East Asia and SE Asia, your choices are diverse and exciting. Thai dishes are unique and you can find ingenious designs and shapes in Siam brass teak, bronze, designer brass, and rosewood. Serving boxes with Buddha and elephant motifs, table mats with Thai and Hindu mythological drawings, and rosewood dessert boxes with intricate carvings may also take your fancy. Some of the vintage cutlery looks nothing like what we are used to in North America but you will soon find ways to incorporate it into your daily life. Your family meals will become much more exciting!
Eat like a maharajah
Indians are not known to eat with knives and forks (or chopsticks) but their spoons are large and so are other tableware. You will be spoiled for choice as it is a vast country that packs in tremendous variety. The popular traditional Indian tableware includes many small items. Brass and copper are preferred metals for containers as they are considered strong. Some of the options for your home could be small serving bowls attached to elegant holders, thick-bottomed handis (bowls), elaborately carved copper catering bowls, earthenware tea cups, and traditional tea coasters with beautiful designs, made of paper mache or wood.
Burn some incense in the background for a divine dining experience.
From the land of dragons
Do you like the idea of dragon cutlery? That’s what most people do. There is something monstrously regal about it. How about colorful bamboo chopsticks or a gold plated swan that holds them? Chinese lacquer is also among the best in the world if you like designs that stop people in their tracks. China’s trump card though it is china. I mean, porcelain. You may have used a lot of porcelain in your life but you haven’t seen much if you haven’t come across a traditional Chinese tea set. They come in a wide range of designs and are simply stunning.
With love from Japan
Japanese tableware is the stuff of delight, especially if you are a sushi lover like me. The tables in Japan are aesthetically set but we don’t have to be so finicky. Mix and match the following items in your home: bamboo rice bowls, lime green boat-shaped chopstick holders, black soy sauce dispensers, pale indigo mizusashi (jar of water) to prepare your tea, set of sapphire blue sake, and cherry color. sashiko placemats.
Traditional sushi dinnerware can be found in ornate and delicate patterns. Some of these patterns show the Japanese view of fortune and happiness, so they are not only a nice addition to your kitchen, but also bring you Japanese luck.
Little Turkish Delights
Turkey is a land of beautiful beautiful designs and this is also reflected in their tableware. Look up Turkish-style spoons for a brief introduction to this country’s impressive kitchenware. If you like the idea of holding a Sultan-ish spoon in your hand, you may want to proceed to Turkish bowls. You can easily spend half an hour just admiring the artistry they represent. It seems almost blasphemous to use them for milk and cornflakes, but fear not, they are meant for everyday use.
Turkish samovars are grandness personified and give an instant oriental touch to your kitchen. Hanging tea sets in colored glass also create a distinct look.
Conclusion: The above are just a few ideas to get your mind going in a certain direction. The next time you visit an ethnic food restaurant, pay attention to its decoration, cutlery, tableware, as well as the arrangement of the tables. You can find something perfect and exotic for your kitchen.
Passionate about interior design, Chris Savage is currently associated with Select Blinds. In his spare time, he likes to design and develop WordPress websites, play golf, and hang out with his wife.
