{ Posts Tagged ‘china’ }

new vera wang casual dinnerware

It’s the same pristine white bone china you’ve come to expect from Vera Wang’s dinnerware for Waterford Wedgwood, but the doyenne of dreamy wedding dresses (and equally dreamy wedding registry must-haves) has a little fun with a new casual collection. These three new designs mark a radical shift away from her stately classics, and each one crystallizes a contemporary trend — arabesque ribbon, botanicals and ikat.

Vera Wang – Glisee

wangglisee new vera wang casual dinnerware

Vera Wang – Floral Leaf

(Based on one of Vera’s own watercolour paintings.)

wangfloralleaf new vera wang casual dinnerware

Vera Wang – Ikat

wangikat new vera wang casual dinnerware

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waterford wedgwood’s elegant table setting

Waterford Wedgwood had a pretty spectacular table vignette at their booth at the Canadian Gift & Tableware Association show this summer.

wwtable waterford wedgwoods elegant table setting

With eight Louis Ghost chairs set around a table that’s swathed in rouched, silky linens, the effect is totally ethereal, and quite dreamy.

wwsetting waterford wedgwoods elegant table settingEach place setting represented a different designer’s contributions to the Waterford Wedgwood collection, including this subtle and sophisticated arrangement of Jasper Conran’s Tulle platinum-band bone china.

Love the signature Jasper Conran teacup handle – definitely one of the most important features to consider when selecting a china pattern. Seriously!

wwtulle waterford wedgwoods elegant table setting

get the look: lady gaga and her tea cup

gagateacup get the look: lady gaga and her tea cupImage by Splash News

With a fashion sense best described as eccentric, it’s no surprise that pop princess Lady Gaga’s latest accessory is… A fabulously frumpy china tea cup and saucer.

Whether she’s out clubbing, lunching or shopping, whenever the “Just Dance” chanteuse has been snapped by the ever-present paparazzi recently, she’s had the staggeringly incongruous item grasped firmly in hand. 

The reason she prizes her little purple teacup is actually quite sweet, and something I think we can all relate to. In an interview with the UK Sun, the superstar says she used to enjoy tea with her mother every day out of china tea cups, and by continuing to do so, it helps her feel at home no matter where she finds herself on her current tour.

“I`ve made a habit of drinking out of china because it makes me feel grounded,” she tells reporters. ”I don`t think it`s a good lifestyle to always be eating and drinking out of paper. It`s very wasteful.”

Cute, and you’ve gotta give props to her environmental awareness!

Should you find yourself wanting to jump aboard the Gaga trendwagon, might I suggest the following florid purple florals… 

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Maxwell & Williams Chintz Cream Pansy cup & saucer and tea plate set, $25, Sears

sears get the look: lady gaga and her tea cup

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Royal Albert 1990 Hartington Lane three-piece cup and saucer set, $100, Sears
royalalbert get the look: lady gaga and her tea cup

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Personally, I’m more inclined to lug around my Barbara Barry Musical Chairs No. 16 teacup and saucer, Waterford Wedgwood
barbarabarry get the look: lady gaga and her tea cup

park hyatt, shanghai

picture 3 park hyatt, shanghaiWhen it opened in September 2008, the Park Hyatt Shanghai officially became the highest hotel in the world. The elevator ride up to the lobby is long and full of anticipation. But as the elevator doors finally ease open to reveal the stunning 87th-floor lobby, the view does not disappoint. The dark mahogany wood of the reception area against pale coffee-coloured walls is rich and luxurious. The exceptionally high ceilings (unexpected in a high-rise building) give instant grandeur to the space and create an immediate sense of extravagant style.

Designed by New York–based Chinese-American interior designer Tony Chi, the rooms at the Park Hyatt Shanghai are nothing short of sophisticated. With high-tech features (remote controlled shades that, at the click of button, reveal a sweeping view of Shanghai, a television screen hidden in the bathroom mirror and a toilet that does everything but your laundry) and an otherwise minimalist decor, the rooms are a perfect mixture of modern American design and traditional Chinese Zen.

We checked in with Caitlin Hickey, a public relations representative for the hotel, to find out more about the inspiration behind the hotel`s beautiful design. Click here to read the interview.

stop the press: waterford wedgwood bankrupt

picture 2 stop the press: waterford wedgwood bankruptWhat a horrible start to the new year… I actually felt sick when I heard rumours this morning, and an Associated Press story confirmed my worst fears this afternoon. Waterford Wedgwood has just filed for bankruptcy protection… This comes in the iconic china and crystal maker’s 250th anniversary year, and sets a terrible tone for the year ahead. If Waterford Wedgwood — a name that epitomized quality and style for two and a half centuries — couldn’t survive this global recession, what’s around the corner? It’s been suggested that the lines may continue under new owners, but it almost certainly spells the end of Waterford Wedgwood’s British manufacturing plants. So sad…

seven heavenly tea cups

teaset seven heavenly tea cupsHave you visited Etsy yet? It’s an online community of artisans — a bizarre bazaar, perhaps? (I’ve always wanted to use that phrase!) — and a fantastic source of unique gifts. While prowling the site the other day, my friend Jenn came across the Etsy space of New Zealand artist Trixie Delicious who takes vintage china and reworks it in totally irreverent and unexpected ways that she calls “Vandalized Vintage”. These adorable tea cups and saucers are frumpy Crown Lynn pieces from the 1960s adorned with seven heavenly virtues in heat-fused ceramic paint. So fun! A word of warning, though — some of the content on Trixie Delicious’s Etsy page runs a little on the racy side, so I’m gonna have to slap a PG-13 on this one. icon wink seven heavenly tea cups

Seven Heavenly Virtues Tea Set

Price: $175 US

Available at: Etsy

bold and beautiful

501311 02 bold and beautifulThe sign of a talented visual merchandiser is the ability to bring passers-by to a crashing halt. Kudos to those responsible for the Waterford Wedgwood display at William Ashley on Bloor Street for achieving just that: a spectacular spread of Wedgwood’s new Dynasty pattern that had me near-drooling. Destined for classic status, the bold and beautiful fine bone china boasts an in-your-face Chinese Dragon motif, Greek Key border and vivid palette. Almost (I said ALMOST) makes me want to trade in my Blue Willow…

Price: $280 per five-piece place setting

Available at: Waterford Wedgwood, 800-668-7585 for retailers; William Ashley, 800-268-1122; Toronto, 416-964-2900; Mississauga, Ont., 905-566-8500.