Top 10 Unique & Functional Tableware To Elevate Your Christmas Dinner Party This Year

One of the most intimate and bonding experiences you can have is sharing a meal with someone. And, when it’s at your own dinner table, the pressure to create an enjoyable and comfortable environment is higher than ever – and especially if it’s a Christmas dinner. A component that you can never truly ignore in a dining setup is tableware (the little things truly do count). Having excellent tableware is really important. It has the potential to completely transform your dining experience, taking away attention even from the food! Designers have been getting extremely creative when it comes to cutlery. Hence, we’ve curated a collection of innovative and exciting tableware designs that are sure to be the highlight of your Christmas dinner party this year!

1. TriveTiles

Peleg Design’s TriveTiles is the perfect mix of form, function, and art. They aren’t simply decorative trivets for your table, they’re artistic trivets that function as elaborate puzzle pieces!

Why is it noteworthy?

Pull them apart and one single trivet turns into three separate trivets that you can use to keep multiple hot dishes on your table. Or put the trivets back together and you’ve got a single gorgeous heat-resistant Moroccan artistic tile that complements your decorative ceramicware beautifully.

What we like

  • Adds a pop of vibrant color to your dinner table
  • Unique multi-purpose design

What we dislike

  • Comes in one uniform size, so could be difficult to accommodate dishes of various sizes

2. Iron Frying Plate

Called the Iron Frying Plate, this innovative kitchen design can be used to serve your food or a frying pan with a removable handle. It is a refreshing new way to combine cooking and eating!

Click Here to Buy Now: $62 $69 (10% off at checkout). Hurry, deal ends in 48 hours!

Why is it noteworthy?

What makes the Iron Frying Plate super cool is that it combines both a frying pan and a serving plate. It is built using durable materials and offers a functional and sophisticated solution to cooking and serving. It introduces a novel and ingenious cooking method, that supports direct-from-the-pan serving, which could allow aspiring chefs to experiment with different cooking techniques and presentation styles.

What we like

  • The wooden handle can be attached and detached as and when needed

What we dislike

  • The frying plate is made from iron, which makes it heavier than traditional frying pans, which can be tough to handle and store in small kitchens

3. Stag Salt & Pepper Shakers

Nothing says Christmas like a couple of ornamental-looking stags! And, this stag salt and pepper set will make for a wonderful addition to your dinner table. Designed by Culinary Concepts, these lovely salt and pepper shakers will add a touch of playful whimsy to your dining table.

Why is it noteworthy?

The stags feature beautiful detailing and a stunning silver finish, allowing them to function as charming feature pieces rather than simple tabletop necessities.

What we like

  • Add some Christmas-themed cheer to your dinner table
  • Functional + decorative products

What we dislike

  • Although they’re quite charming, their ergonomics don’t seem super comfortable to use

4. Hesslebach Dutch Oven

Made from a proprietary PuraSteel material and coated with PuraCotta, the Hesslebach Dutch Oven offers top-notch durability and performance, but without the dangers of toxins and poisons that are usually found in heavy metals such as iron, as well as any by-products from hard anodization.

Why is it noteworthy?

Even the lid doesn’t have a screw for the handle, ensuring that no rust will ever fall on your delicious dish. With this focus on safety, you can cook to your heart’s content, knowing that you and your loved ones will be eating scrumptious and clean meals every time.

What we like

  • Has exceptional heat retention
  • Features unparalleled heat distribution makes sure that no part is undercooked or overcooked

What we dislike

  • Dutch ovens tend to be quite heavy which becomes an issue while cleaning them

5. Plate Grater

A revolutionary tableware piece that elegantly combines a plate’s functionality with a grater’s practicality. Perfect for your Christmas dinner party, this design allows guests to grate fresh ingredients directly onto their plates, adding a fresh and personal touch to every meal.

Click Here to Buy Now: $59 $65 (10% off at checkout). Hurry, deal ends in 24 hours!

Why is it noteworthy?

This tableware piece stands out for its dual functionality, serving both as a stylish plate and an efficient grater. Its design is not only aesthetically pleasing but also practical for grating fresh ingredients right at the table, adding a gourmet touch to your meals.

What we like

  • Minimalist design that complements any festive table settings
  • Practicality for grating fresh garnishes directly onto dishes
  • Enhances the dining experience by adding a gourmet touch

What we dislike

  • Require a period of adjustment for guests not used to its dual-purpose

6. Veark Carving Knife

The CK20 Chef Knife from Veark is inspired by how workshop tools are made. It is built using the drop-forge method and transforms the humble knife into an expert culinary tool. It is designed to give your holiday meal the upgrade it deserves – all you need to do is pull out this stunning carving set.

Why is it noteworthy?

Each knife is forged from a single piece of stainless steel, before being hand-finished to give the knife its razor-sharp edge. The CK20 is a robust, reliable, and rather well-balanced knife with a wrench-inspired grip that naturally has your thumb resting in its groove for maximum stability and maneuverability.

What we like

  • Easy to maintain and clean
  • Versatile product that is ideal for slicing fruits, veggies, meats, and herb

What we dislike

  • It has a steel handle and not a wooden one, which may not be comfortable to use for everyone

7. Bloom

Tired of presenting your napkins in typical swans or boring old presentations? Well, this is where Peleg Design has come up with an elegant and unique solution. Try out the Bloom napkin holders, and set up a blooming dinner table for your guests.

Why is it noteworthy?

All you need to do is grab any napkin, fold it in half, and give the Bloom a swift twist, and it will instantly transform your napkin into its pretty petal. It gives your dining table a sophisticated yet functional touch.

What we like

  • Gives a twist to the typical old napkin holders

What we dislike

  • Not well-suited for those who like simple and subtle table decor

8. Kana’s Bakeware

Kana’s Milo baking accessories transform the idea of bakeware into tableware, allowing them a special place on your Christmas dinner table. They’re thoughtfully designed and can be nested into each other when being stored. They’re also stunning to look at when placed on the table, owing to their gently scalloped handles and radially brushed metal finishes.

Why is it noteworthy?

Each baking pan and sheet is crafted from tri-ply clad stainless steel, giving it unmatched durability and heat resistance of up to 1000°F. There’s an aluminum core sandwiched between the two sheets of stainless steel, ensuring optimal heat distribution, while the outer layers of 304-grade stainless steel are non-toxic, BBQ-friendly, and dishwasher-safe

What we like

  • They are designed to last a decade
  • Nontoxic, BBQ-friendly, and dishwasher-safe

What we dislike

  • They will occupy a substantial amount of real estate on your dining table

9. Ceramic Cup

This finely crafted and minimalist-looking mug is a meeting of earth and wood in a unique symphony of texture designed to be a lovely treat to your sensitive lips as well as your fingers!

Click Here to Buy Now: $60

Why is it noteworthy?

When we’re sipping a drink, our lips come into contact with the surface of a glass or mug, and this impression sets the mood for the entire experience. This beautiful mug intends to create that kind of engagement in the form of a design with intriguing contrasts.

What we like

  • Made of quality Japanese ceramic

What we dislike

  • Aesthetics may be considered a bit too simple
  • You cannot place it in the microwave

10. L’Oeil de KO Cutlery

Studio KO’s fascination and love for objects and craft led them to create L’Oeil de KO – a curated platform that showcases the work of artisans. And the brand launched a series of cutlery sets designed by Lisbon metalsmith Sebastião Lobo.

Why is it noteworthy?

The cutlery set features intriguing and almost impossible-looking forms and is handcrafted from brass. They have wiggly handles that support an ergonomic form and an enchanting artistic vision.

What we like

  • Have an intriguing surrealist aesthetic

What we dislike

  • The cutlery seems more decorative than functional

The post Top 10 Unique & Functional Tableware To Elevate Your Christmas Dinner Party This Year first appeared on Yanko Design.

Tokyo’s hotel designs new pandemic-era dining experience with transparent lanterns for guests to enjoy a face mask-free dinner!

The Tokyo Lantern Dinner at the Hoshinoya ryokan in Otemachi, Tokyo provides transparent lanterns made from vinyl for dining guests to experience group dinners without wearing masks during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Across the world, we’ve seen how the industry of design has impacted our response to the COVID-19 pandemic. From transparent dining pods to no-contact food trucks, designers have made eating out possible over these past three years. Even in 2021, COVID-19’s effect on dining out has stuck around and different versions of what we call the ‘new normal’ are still making rounds. At Hoshinoya, in Otemachi, Tokyo, a new dining experience called the ‘Tokyo Lantern Dinner,’ brings lanterns for each guest to use as transparent partitions against COVID-19 during group dinners.

Designed for dining guests to feel free and unmask during dinner, the lantern partitions were conceived by Hoshinoya for their familiarity with Japanese culture and customs. From the top of each lantern, soft, warm light pours over your head and meal, illuminating your facial expressions during conversation as well as the food on your plate. Produced by the long-established lantern store Kojima Shoten in Kyoto, each lantern measures 75-cm in diameter and 102-cm in height, leaving more than enough room to enjoy your meal without fear of splashing the transparent vinyl covering, which reaches 0.15 mm in thickness.

The designers behind Hoshinoya’s Tokyo Lantern Dinner created the experience to provide a space where loved ones who were kept apart due to the pandemic can meet and enjoy a quality meal together like we could before 2019. Limiting the dining area to 40-sqm, fresh, ventilated air is poured into the room 5.5 times per hour, around 11 times more than the average public setting in Tokyo.

Interested guests of Hoshinoya can make reservations for the Tokyo Lantern Dinner and dine with loved ones staying outside of the ryokan for ¥30,000 ($264.10) per group and ¥21,780 ($191.70) per person, The price includes a multi-course meal from a set menu called “Nippon Cuisine ~Fermentation~.” As described by Hoshinoya the menu contains, “A wide variety of fermented foods such as seasonings, soy sauce, and miso, which have been popular in Japan since ancient times, [as well as] preserved foods such as pickles and salted fish.”

Designer: Hoshinoya

Enchantment Abounds at Puerto Vallarta’s ‘Rhythms of the Night’ Dinner Show


Rhythms of the Night is an immersive dinner show experience like none other, transforming your night into an enchanted evening on a mystical land. The experience begins with a relaxing cruise...

Enchantment Abounds at Puerto Vallarta’s ‘Rhythms of the Night’ Dinner Show


Rhythms of the Night is an immersive dinner show experience like none other, transforming your night into an enchanted evening on a mystical land. The experience begins with a relaxing cruise...

Star Wars Hoth Dinner Set May Get Kids to Eat

I don’t know why, but parents spend an inordinate amount of time trying to get kids to eat their food. They always want to eat when we don’t want them to, and then refuse to eat at meal times. 90% of parenting is trying to be sure your kid doesn’t go to school and tell the teacher you never feed them.

hoth-1zoom in

This Star Wars Hoth Dinner Set that might help encourage them at the dinner table. The set includes a big plate with snow speeders, a placemat with an AT-AT and a knife, fork, spoon set that have lightsaber hilts.

hoth-2zoom in

It’s pretty awesome and may get your kids to eat, but I make no promises. The set costs $24.99 and is available at ThinkGeek right now.

Turning Stove To Dinner Table And Around

ENYO is an innovative appliance that brings cooking back to the table. Designed aesthetically with furniture cues, the cook-top fits into a living or dining room, like a glove. The module consists of a freestanding table plus a ceiling element that supports both a timed self-cooking mode as well as a social cooking situation. There is a flexible cooking mat placed centrally and with the help of the projector in the ceiling, you can project and an interactive cooking experience.

The essence is to get everyone involved in the cooking process. Anything that brings in more helping hands! For sure, this broth won’t spoil due to too many cooks!

ENYO is a 2014 Electrolux Design Lab Top 100 entry. You can vote for this or any other entry here. Voting closes today!

Designer: Aaron Wansch

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(Turning Stove To Dinner Table And Around was originally posted on Yanko Design)

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