In the house I grew up in, plates hung like paintings. My mom was an obsessive collector of blue and white china; nearly every wall was plastered with Willow and Canton. They framed the doorways, were lined up above the windows and were grouped above the dressers. Their beauty stemmed from a strength in numbers, but these Ibride trays need no such crutch. The trays’ portraits are so expressive that they surpass serving-platter status to become true artwork. The image is transferred onto the wood surface and then laminated, giving it a high gloss finish and a heat-resistant durability. The decorative cutout rim is like a built-in frame ready to be hung. I have to buy these for my mother.
(above, from left to right) Louise, Tara, Liu, Zem, $95; available at Environment 337: e337.com.