Posted by swistle on 20th February 2013
Categories: House & Home, Kitchen
3 comments
We have a flatware pattern I love: it’s Hampton Finesse and it looks like this (photo from Amazon.com):
We got it at Target kind of a long time ago, and I’m certain we didn’t pay $40 per four place settings: I see similar Hampton sets selling now at Target for $20-35, and also I remember dragging Paul frantically to Target because there were orange tags everywhere and I couldn’t choose a pattern. We chose Finesse only partly for the look of it (though the look has grown on me even more with time): other issues were how the side of the fork handle feels when you’re cutting something, the bowl size/shape of the spoons, etc.
ANYWAY. We need more of it (I keep having to wash silverware in between dishwasher loads), and it’s not available anywhere except online for that high price (PLUS shipping), and I finally bit the bullet this weekend and just PAID it. It’s one of my biggest hurdles: paying more for something I could have gotten for less if I’d realized I would need it. When I am an old lady, that will be my main beef with the world: “Young man, I could have bought this on clearance at Target for ONE TENTH that price in MY day!”
But BEFORE I bit the bullet, I spent some time looking at other flatware patterns, trying out the idea that I could get a non-matching set and we could just mix them in. I didn’t find anything that made sense for this idea (the sets we liked cost MORE than our favorite set), but I did find some fun flatware.
Present Time Mix-and-Match Cutlery (photo from Amazon.com). I love this so much it makes my HEART POUND. The reviews unfortunately indicate that it may be cheap as all heck.
Fiesta flatware (photo from Amazon.com). As with the Fiesta dishes, you buy a place setting each of any color you like. Shamrock! Tangerine! Sunflower! Scarlet!
Fiesta Masquerade (photo from JCPenney.com). This is another set that makes my heart pound.
Coutellerie Tarrerias-Bonjean mixed spoons (photo from Amazon.com). The forks and knives are sold separately. I don’t like how the handles curve, but maybe it would feel nice in the hand.
Q Squared London Chic (photo from Amazon.com). HIP.
Gibson Sunbeam Flatware Set and Caddy (photo from Amazon.com). Elizabeth and I like to talk about all the things we would have if our household weren’t quite so BOY-heavy. Hello Kitty microwave, pink floral couch…and this silverware.
Fun entry, Swistle!
First, what the HECK do kids do with flatware? I got the nicest set of Kirk Steiff blue handled flatware when I got married but over time almost all the teaspoons disappeared, I think the kids were throwing them away or something, I have no idea! For awhile we made do with adding in spoons from Target or Walmart or Ikea but then we just had a mishmash of cheap, flimsy and slightly rusty flatware. Recently Tanga offered up some very high quality name brand flatware at a steal and I bought two large packages or it. It wasn’t my first choice for style but we like it fine, it’s good quality and we have plenty of it.
Regarding Fiestaware- I have been slowly building up a collection of Fiesta plates (dinner, salad) to add color to my kitchen and also because I am trying to move away from dishes made in China. The flatware is adorable but hand wash? No thank you! That being said, my Mom bought we the serving set in the Fiestaware pattern and it really is cute. Now that I saw the reviews, though, we will hand wash them.
Leeann | February 20th, 2013 at 3:15 pm
After being pretty ‘meh’ on every flatware pattern ever, I found a style that I absolutely LOVE at Crate and Barrel. Unfortunately, it runs about $50 PER 5-piece place setting.
Yeah, that will happen soon.
Brenna | February 20th, 2013 at 11:21 pm
That mix and match set is SO CUTE. It makes me sad that people say it’s crap. They also have polka dots! I want to buy it and not use it, although I don’t think display cutlery is in our budget.
Megan | February 27th, 2013 at 4:23 pm