A Seat at Our Table
We moved to Dallas when I was 4 years old and it was in the great southern state where I first discovered the importance of a place setting. My family was surprisingly modern, however our Korean background left little room for fine porcelain plates and embroidered napkins and table cloths. We ate mainly on classic white dishes, our chopsticks neatly placed on folded paper napkins, and glass tumblers sold by dozen at Crate and Barrel.
It was my school friends who gave me a first glimpse into the uniqueness of plates and table dressing. Their southern roots lended themselves to vast family collections passed down from generation to the next. For some, there was a fondness for cheetah print, for another, a familiarity in blue chintz. Each family with her own style and flair; it was a delightful change from my “modern” table at home.
As I got older, my formal education came from a cotillion class I took at our local golf club. I was definitely the odd duck, but my mom was entertained in my enthusiasm for American culture, so she supported me fully. In this class, I learned how to stand, sit, dance, but most importantly, how to properly use my silverwear at a formal dinner. From what I remember, it was very enjoyable. There were white gloves and bows in our hair - it was completely, over the top, Texas.
Those rules and how-to’s have since left my memory unfortunately, but what has remained is a fondness for beautiful place settings and warm dinners. While we sit in our isolation circles made up of our close family members, I feel a newfound urge for collecting plates, linens, silverware. Perhaps it is the lack of opportunity that fuels the fire; with no more fashion dinners, weddings, or in person celebration, each home-cooked meal has become a time to experiment with my husband and kids as the guests of honor.
Thankfully, I feel that my lack of history in this space lends itself to an experimental approach regarding l’art de la table. There is no family collection to base my taste off of. Instead, I slowly bring in tableware pieces that spark an interest sometimes without a clue as to when I will use them. My recent finds have been from a wonderful vintage store online called Madame de la Maison. Thats the funny thing about history - sometimes, you can just buy it online.
A handful of vintage plates and champagne coups discovered at a Provence flea market. The selection was thoughtfully curated and sent to me by Madame Ajiri
