My Dishes, Glassware, & Kitchenware (+A Printable Registry Checklist)
Our friend who had temporarily been living with us commented on the glassware and dishes Emmett & I use on the daily. He was about to move into his first home and was excited to fill it with things that represented his style. Out with the old plastic cups from college and in with the new items you keep for a lifetime, sort of situation. It led Emmett and I to have a conversation about our “kitchen stuff”. We’ve collected a LOT over the years. We reminisced getting our dinner plates as a wedding gift, the meals we’ve shared since, and the conversations that accompany our chianti-filled wine glasses. It made me happy to think about these random dishes (of all things) that just feel like “us”, and have moved with us four times now. The homes change, but those items always stay the same. Click through for a tour and roundup of the classic dishes and glassware that fill our cabinets.
Here’s a fun fact… almost 80% of weddings take place between May and October. Basically, that means we’re in the thick of wedding season. It’s a joyous time! This is actually the first year we haven’t had a single wedding to attend- most of our friends & family have long been married, but whether you’re attending a wedding or are planning one of your own, I figured this post might be especially helpful with gifting and the registry process. It’s also great if you’re updating your kitchen, cleaning out cabinets, or just need to upgrade some of your items. This is what Emmett and I have used and loved for the past decade. I will say- we cook often, enjoy making food, host & entertain frequently, and it has taken us awhile to accumulate all of these things.
GLASSWARE
I fell in love with the Tour wine glasses (I have a glassware obsession, FYI) when registering for our wedding years ago. I still think the shape is sophisticated and modern, without feeling boring. We received four glasses for our wedding, and bought the remaining sets on our own- red, white, stemless, highball glasses, and the champagne flutes. In all of these years- not a single one has broken, and we’re not super gentle with them. They’re dishwasher safe and my all-time favorite.
DISHES + SERVEWARE
White dishes are the way to go! I’m going to say it one more time… white dishes are a must. They’re classic, timeless, they make any food look good, and you’ll use them for a lifetime. If you’re wondering about our collection- there are definitely some in the dishwasher missing from the cabinet pictured above. Hey! We LIVE here- it’s not always photo ready. Haha! My favorites are linked below…
UTENSILS + COOKWARE
We started out with cheap utensils and cookware, then quickly learned we wanted to invest in nicer kitchenware after things didn’t hold up well. From our All Clad pots & pans to our knife set, I’m really happy with our current setup! They look great, but even better- are very functional and do a superb job.
BAKEWARE
I love baking! When I’m stressed or feeling down… I bake. For as long as I can remember, it has put me in a good mood. If you’re also into baking, obviously a mixer is a must- as well as a good baking set (complete with a silicone baking mat). I wish I had time to whip up some macrons or pastries today!
SMALL APPLIANCES
You all know I love and use my espresso machine multiple times each day. I basically run on coffee. It’s by far my favorite appliance in our kitchen, but I’m linking some others we use frequently:
COOKBOOKS
I designed a special spot in our kitchen for cookbook storage because we have SO many! I’m a big fan of cookbooks. I realize Pinterest is easy, amazing, and more convenient, BUT- I’m a printed book kind of gal. I love using cookbooks. In fact- part of my college graphic design thesis was assembling (and designing) a cookbook filled with heirloom family recipes. I collected my family recipes, as well as Emmett’s… to this day, we still use and reference that book.
As promised, I wanted to share a checklist… if you’re stocking a kitchen or registering for items- hopefully this will be useful! Feel free to print it now or pin it for later. Typically you need 6-12 place settings. This totally depends on your family size, how often you entertain, etc. Just something to keep in mind!
I’m sure there are a couple things I forgot or left out- but keep in mind, it takes years to build a kitchen and collect all of these items… it’s also very personal and depends on how you use the space, how often you cook, etc. Hopefully this helped to give you a good idea or starting point, at the very least!
Stay tuned for a kitchen cabinetry video tour coming to the blog next week, where I’ll show you inside our cabinets and you can get an up close and personal look at the stuff that inhabits them. It should be interesting!