If you like country, shabby chic and floral homeware styles, then you may well like the new Posy Gingham range of tableware and crockery, from M&S.
In shades of pink, red and blue, the products feature posies of flowers and gingham designs. There are lots of items available, so you could build up a matching set, or pick and mix with a few pieces.
The cup and saucer is £7.50 and the stoneware mugs are £19.50 for a set of four. View the whole Posy Gingham range here.
Rose pink bowls
These beautiful ceramic bowls caught our eye because of their colour – they’re in a lovely rose pink hue.
The bowls are in a French style and are described as cereal bowls, but you could use them for a multitude of purposes, like serving desserts, as ice cream bowls or even for decorative purposes.
The bowls come in a set of six, for £37, from Jasmine Way. If pink isn’t for you, then they’re also available in white, brown, grey or light blue.
Doily style place mat
This look just like a doily, with it’s cutwork design going around the outside, but it’s in a luscious pink shade and is actually a designer place mat.
Designed by Donna Wilson, and measuring 30cm in size, this place mat would add a dash of colour and style to any dining table.
It’s available to buy from Liberty, where it costs £16.50.
This sweet pair of egg cups from Cath Kidston are in the new flower spray design.
The set of two spray flowers egg cups is available from Cath Kidston for £4.
Matching items, such as a butter dish, dinner plate and jug are also available.
Fun folk
Folk is being tipped as a hot favourite for 2010 and we think these plates give the folk look a cool new spin.
The pretty, coloured matryoshkas should brighten up light snacks and as they’re made from melamine, they’re perfect for children or for dining al fresco.
The tray costs £18.50 and a set of four plates costs £26.50, all from Pedlars.
Salt and pepper set
These little beauties caught our eye on the Lakeland website, where the’re reduced in the sale.
The shiny nickel-plated apple and pear, which come on presented on a lovely leaf, look like they’re simply decorative pieces.
But in fact they serve a practical purpose as a cruet set, or salt and pepper.
The salt and pepper is dispensed from the apple and pear from a plastic stopper at the top and they’d look great on your dining table, or given as a special gift.
The set of three pieces is now only £9.99 from Lakeland.
Shabby chic goes Danish
Why have plain glass when you can have an explosion of colour on your breakfast table?
Danish brand GreenGate is perfect for shabby chic fans that want their homewares to combine with modern living, so this 1 litre stoneware Mimi jug is dishwasher safe and handpainted.
Pretty fabulous candelabra
Candelabras do not have to be stern pieces of table decor, highly polished and dragged out but once a year.
No, they should be delicate, slightly vintagey, strewn with flowers and perched on a dainty base.
It’s a reasonable £39 and we don’t see why it shouldn’t be out on the table all year round.
Find it at Bombay Duck.
Perfect for afternoon tea
We love the idea of afternoon tea and you can’t possibly have one without a cake stand. Amongst all the pretty pink and cream offerings, we spyed this three tiered blue stand handpainted with dots and stripes which we think will do the trick.
It’s £25 from Laura Ashley where we found it in the 3 for 2 section, so you may as well purchase another gift and then a little something for yourself thrown in for free. Marvellous. Now, what cakes shall we have?
Boxed cutlery set
Sometimes cutlery can be a bit plain and boring, but this classic French bistro set from Cath Kidston will add some colour to your table.
The 16-piece cutlery set has knives, forks, spoons and tea spoons in four colours – red, green, blue and pink – and it comes presented in a wooden tray box, which is ideal for storing your cutlery.
It’s all dishwasher safe and should be hard-wearing. The cutlery set is priced at £38 from Cath Kidston.
