For an anniversary gift—or just because—Gourmet Girls’ Katia Mangham shares tips for curating and styling a fine china collection

Mixing and matching

Complete sets are no longer required. Mangham advocates buying what speaks to you now, even if it means purchasing piecemeal. Blending brands and even patterns is encouraged. Keep it seamless by sticking to one material, such as pairing two porcelain pieces of a similar thickness.

Skip the handwashing

Handle with care, but don’t fear the dishwasher. With moderate use, modern gentle, low-heat settings are unlikely to cause damage to even gold-trimmed porcelain, Mangham says. “But I would not put crystal in the dishwasher,” she adds.

Register for every occasion

“We’ve had a lot of girls and ladies create gift registries that have nothing to do with a wedding. You can make a registry for your birthday or Christmas so people know what to buy you,” Mangham says.

The no-rules tablescape

Let your vase roleplay as a spoon holder at a buffet. Rest your salad servers on a bread and butter plate. “Think outside the lines,” Mangham says.

Fancy can also be fun

Makers are straying from china’s serious, stuffy stereotype in favor of bolder colors and conversation-starting designs, like Astier de Villatte’s whimsical ring cups. “The little handle is a ring. You can drink your coffee out of a Styrofoam cup every morning or out of a cup [like this],” Mangham says.

The modular movement

Ginori 1735’s pastel, mid-century-inspired Diva collection is stackable, ideal for entertainers who have limited cabinet space. “The ease of use is phenomenal,” Mangham says.

This article was originally published in the November 2025 issue of 225 Magazine.