Tabletop Intros

While there were no startling new trends at Frankfurt's Ambiente show, held last February, tabletop manufacturers continued to emphasize shape and color (as well as white) in their introductions. A number of lines featured plates, bowls, and serving pieces with scooped shapes, even in the lips of the cups and glasses. In fact some of the scoops were so pronounced that it's a wonder someone can safely drink from them. The new shapes are meant to appeal to younger consumers who have already taken to the unorthodox dinnerware looks of Villeroy & Boch's Wave line and Royal Doulton's Touch collection, each introduced a few seasons ago. Plain white, or white with minimal decoration, is still so popular in dinnerware that it is the new shapes that actually distinguish a line.

In more colorful, decorated offerings, florals dominated tabletop patterns, with tulips and roses the blooms most in favor. The floral patterns are mostly simple, often with no more than a single stem decorating plate or platter.

Villeroy & Boch introduced Wonderful World, a casual line that emphasizes color and ethnicity. Two collections make up the line: Ipanema features vibrant, multicolored patterns while Timbuktu is black-and-white. Candleholders in the shape of village women holding pots (bases for the candles) on their heads epitomize the multiethnic style of the line. The collections can be mixed or accessorized with Conga, a line of black glass vases and drinking glasses.

Rosenthal added to its Andy Warhol line with the So Sweet collection of cups, plates, bowls, and other pieces featuring Warhol's "sweet" sketches of tarts and assorted desserts. Four mugs stack to form a motif of an ice cream sundae.

Wedgwood continues to push back from the table and into the rest of the home with the debut of its Kelly Hoppen collection, a 25-piece ensemble of vases, candleholders, bowls, frames, soap dishes, and other pieces made of bone china, jasperware, crystal, silver, and wood. Wedgwood will merchandise the entire collection in vignettes, as it did with its successful Vera Wang collection, which launched last year. (Hoppen is a British interior designer.)

Also edging away from producing strictly tabletop items are Thomas and Villeroy & Boch, which introduced kitchen collections of chopping and cutting boards, graters, colanders, juicers, and other prep utensils. The V&B line is called Home Elements; Thomas' is christened Thomas Kitchenhelpers. Gourmet shops are a target retailer for these lines.

There was also little in the way of new trends spotted in decorative accessories at Frankfurt. Neutral colors, natural materials, organic shapes, and the color green continued the "back to nature" movement. Lush roses and peonies led the floral parade, and embellishments — beads, embroidery, faux furs, and tassels — decorated lamp shades, cushions, home textiles, and fashion accents. Citrus colors and other brights were popular, as was European country, an upscale shabby chic design.