Confession: I took more time choosing a china pattern than choosing where I went to college. Whereas I felt in my bones I was a Tarheel years before enrolling, I had no idea what kind of plates person I was. Modern? Decadent? Simple? A little of all three, please?
Then I came across Royal Copenhagen. Delicate, hand-painted, whimsical. The china somehow embodies both the clean Scandinavian and elegant Japanese aesthetics. Unfussy enough to serve a grilled cheese on and refined enough for a black-tie dinner party.
What really drew me into the Royal Copenhagen world is how nearly all the patterns compliment each other, so mixing and matching is encouraged. I’ve been focused on collecting Blue Fluted Plain and Blue Fluted Mega (see below) which takes magnified portions of the traditional pattern and splashes it across pieces.
Considering the price point of Royal Copenhagen, collecting will be a slow–possibly, lifelong–process. Luckily, I’m up for the challenge.
Two weeks ago my Royal Copenhagen obsession reached a fever pitch when I visited the original, flagship store in Copenhagen. Oh la la. Four floors of blue and white heaven.
Since we were traveling with our friends Adam, Kristina and Phil, I tried to play it cool–like, “I’m just going to pop in here for 15 minutes”–but my excitement clearly belied how ecstatic I was to be standing on hallowed ground.
The store carries absolutely every piece Royal Copenhagen produces. I was a little overwhelmed, but determined to bring home a souvenir. The flagship store gives you a two-year warranty on any piece purchased, so you feel comfortable enough to pack china in your suitcase. After a lot of hemming and hawing, Kristina and I ended up purchasing matching vases in the Mega pattern! Matching vases are totally the new BFF bracelets.
(Kristina wrote a lovely post about all the things we saw and ate in Copenhagen. Read it!)
Although my Royal Copenhagen dinner plates remain in D.C., the vase has elevated my expat dinner table to new heights. The rest of my china is from the local Salvation Army!
I really do try to eschew materialism, but I love this china. I hope my future grandchildren do too. I hope you are treating yourself to some fresh flowers this week…meanwhile, a few links:
- 27 Pretty China Patterns (Real Simple)
- The Wedding Registry Gifts We Still Use 10 Years Later (The Kitchn)
- Plants Make You Feel Better (Psychology Today)
First four images via here.
Bakersfield Blonde 