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The 5 Most Popular China Patterns and How to Style Them for a Fresh Look

These easy place setting ideas offer fresh ways to set the table with vintage patterns.

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Setting the dinner table with a special set of china is a holiday tradition for many families. Showcasing classic patterns and intricate details, these delicate dishes are often passed down through generations and admired as treasured heirlooms. But what if your grandmother's favorite tableware isn't quite your style? The right mix of accessories is key to giving old dishes a new look. To start, identify the colors and motifs portrayed on your china, then select chargers, napkins, glassware, and more that complement and balance those designs.

With help from Replacements, Ltd. (a retailer that sells current and vintage tableware), we identified some of the most popular pattern styles, including transferware, florals, and ornate rims, and compiled a set of accessories for each. Use these easy place setting ideas to update vintage china with a fresh look.

table setting with patterned plates and tablecloth

1. Botanical Scenes

Botanical china patterns (like Spode's Buttercup) tend to have a formal feel. To lighten the look, pair your set with botanical-print linens and touches of natural wood. Here, hints of gold and a mustard-yellow nod to the painted buttercups, while blue elements temper this summery pattern for fall. For an easy styling trick that ties it all together, use your set's platter as the base for a centerpiece.

Threshold 4-Pack Cotton Easy Care Napkins in Yellow

$10, Target

Contrast the blue accents with napkins in a warm mustard yellow.

Botanical Napkin Ring, Set of 4

$30, West Elm

Leaf-shaped napkin rings reinforce the botanical motif.

Kosta Boda Bruk Salad Plate in Blue Water

$15, Bed Bath and Beyond

Blue-tinted glass salad plates add a hint of color without hiding the china pattern beneath.

Doyingus 30-Piece Cutlery Set

$47, Amazon

A gold finish picks up the touches of yellow throughout the tablescape, while wood handles tie in with the natural theme.

brown and white bird and floral patterned plate

2. Transferware

The transferware technique involves printing china patterns rather than individually hand-painting them, which was time-consuming and expensive. Initially engraved into copper plates, these elaborate designs were transferred onto paper using ink, then applied to the dish's surface. Often featuring a single color against a white background, transferware can be highly ornate, showcasing romantic scenes of animals, architecture, florals, and more. To make a classic transferware pattern (like this Asiatic Pheasant Brown dinner plate by Royal Stafford) feel more down-to-earth, opt for on-trend speckled ceramics and metallic bark-patterned napkins. Contemporary glassware and repeating gold accents keep the look elevated.

Herb Garden Napkin Rings, Set of 8

$198, Anthropologie

Gilded herb cuttings are like statement jewelry for your napkins.

Bark Textured Jacquard Napkins, Set of 4

$35, West Elm

A metallic faux bois pattern amps up the autumnal feel.

Porsha Smoke Red Wine Glass

$13, CB2

Smoky stemware mimics the deep color of the china, but its sleek lines offer a touch of mod

colorful floral plate

3. Allover Florals

Many floral china patterns combine a variety of vibrant colors and intricately painted details against a white background. Balance busy designs like this one (Haddon Hall from Minton) by playing up a single color in the pattern and repeating it in varying shades on the table. Orange features heavily in this design, for example, so we chose it for our accent color. An overtly modern piece (say, an abstract salad plate) in the mix transforms the entire setting and keeps it from feeling too old-fashioned.

Rosado Pink Stemless Wine Glasses, Set of 4

$38, Oliver Bonas

The gold rim and warm hue make this stemless wineglass special.

Gilded Brushstrokes Salad Plate

$11, West Elm

Big hits of gold add big drama.

Scalloped Placemats, Set of 4

$80, Bed Threads

A playful place mat helps keep this table from feeling stuffy.

white plate with ornamental gold and red rim

4. Bold Rims

To update plates with a bold, ornate rim (like Style 3244 from Rosenthal-Continental), pair them with a tablecloth that also has big personality, but in a contrasting style. Here, a loose overall floral fabric echoes the china's color but tones down its formality. Keep the rest of the elements simple so they don't fight for the spotlight.

April Cornell Chambray Napkins, Set of 4

$26, QVC

Casual tasseled edges bring texture to the table.

Better Homes & Gardens 20 Piece Arlo Flatware Set

$25, Walmart

Gold flatware plays up the filigree detailing.

10 Strawberry Street Cream Double Gold Line Salad/Dessert Plate, Set of 6

$62, Amazon

Gold bands draw attention to the rim; creamy white warms the setting.

Harvest Bloom Tablecloth

$125, Williams-Sonoma

Realistic painterly florals could take the place of a centerpiece.

white plate with blue design

5. Delicate Designs

Dainty patterns with intricate scrolling or line work can easily get lost on a large table. Call attention to delicate designs like this one (Royal Copenhagen's Blue Fluted Plain) by sticking to pieces in the same colors. Avoid placing salad plates or napkins on top of the dinner plates where they'll hide the pattern.

Saro Lifestyle Florentia Charger Plates in Indigo, Set of 4

$39, Bed Bath and Beyond

A bold charger in the same palette gives the china more presence.

Bisou Dinner Napkin in Teal, Set of 4

$35, Room and Board

A simple embroidered edge won't overpower the china pattern.

Small Blue Glass Candle Holder

$17, Liberty London

Mix one or two of these with a collection of brass or glass taper holders.

Izon Mirror 5-Piece Silverware Set Rose Gold

$20, Target

Slim flatware with a rose gold hue balances all the cool tones.