Year & Day is the dinnerware startup you've seen all over Instagram here's why its gorgeous tabl
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- Year & Day is the online dinnerware company whose simple and elegant table settings have already captivated homeowners and hosts during its barely year-old operation.
- The ceramic, semi-matte plates and bowls, stainless steel flatware, and Italian glassware are high-quality, durable, and beautiful additions to your home.
- However you style and combine the pieces, they fit in seamlessly with your life and elevate even the most ordinary meals.
I'm a sucker for a beautiful table setting. Whenever I go to a nice restaurant or event, I'm almost always as interested in the dinnerware and florals as I am in the actual dinner because of how they shape the mood and atmosphere of the space. They can make the most simple meals feel special, or match the elegance and thoughtfulness of an eight-course culinary journey.
As people move past the phase of their lives where they move apartments every year and make do with hand-me-downs or the cheapest home goods they could find, beautiful matching utensils and plates become just one marker of true adulthood and stability. You, too, can make meal time more intentional, whether you're honestly just reheating last night's take-out, or hosting a dinner party with your best friends.
When Year & Day founder Kathryn Duryea moved to San Francisco, she was ready to stock her new apartment with plates and flatware, but often found the options lacking — boring, expensive, and of poor quality. Long interested in the rituals of the table and entertaining, she began taking glaze-making classes, researching the industries of ceramics, flatware, and glass, and meeting with vendors who shared her vision of high-quality, beautiful, and durable dinnerware.
She found a factory in Portugal that is known for its ethical practices in crafting ceramics, and in November 2017, launched Year & Day. In less than a year, it's been a direct-to-consumer hit, selling out of product on four occasions and experiencing average revenue growth of 40% per month.
Year & Day sells three types of products: ceramic plates, bowls, and serving pieces in four different colors ($6.50-$13/piece); stainless steel flatware in polished or matte finishes ($9-$18/piece); and Italian glassware ($12-$15/piece). The brand first caught my eye on Instagram, where every image of its smooth blush and dark navy arrangements had me glaring at my own AmazonBasics plate with disdain. It sounds strange that the basic vessels responsible for holding and transporting my food can incite such strong feelings, but that's the Year & Day Effect, I suppose.
The designs are as simple and clean as you can imagine. Sturdy, rimless plates sit alongside balanced forks, knives, and spoons, and you can't forget the delicate, clear wine glasses. The ceramics are single-fired by Portuguese artisans using locally sourced clay, then finished with semi-matte colors that are especially eye-catching when you mix and match pieces. They have substantial weight, but aren't so heavy to be impractical for everyday use.
The flatware, which I have a set of in sleek matte black, is also made in Portugal, with 18/10 stainless steel. The knives have forged blades, so they're durable and will keep their edge longer. The glassware, an entertaining staple, is made in Italy with a breakage-resistant stem and chemical-free glass. Everything at Year & Day is dishwasher-friendly, not just pretty dinnerware you can only look at and wash delicately after the one time of the year you do use it. In the end, it's practical (as it should be), and you should put it to use every day and every year.
You can buy individual pieces of flatware as well as sets of ceramics and glassware, but you can and should also take advantage of the site's "Build My Complete Set" feature, which will clear up any confusion about what to buy for your lifestyle. In just a few clicks, you'll have a full set of dinnerware to perform and dazzle through any meal or drink you enjoy, for years to come.
Shop all dinnerware at Year & Day here
Build a complete set at Year & Day here
Connie Chen Connie Chen is a former senior reporter on the Insider Reviews team, where she led coverage of home textiles, home entertaining, and food and drink. While at Insider, she specialized in all the things that enhance life at home, from the most comfortable bed sheets and fluffy pillows to cool online wine clubs and bartender-approved cocktail shakers. She combined rigorous testing methods, conversations with professionals, and active knowledge of the home and kitchen space to help readers get the most out of their money. When she's not changing duvet covers or washing towels twice a day for articles, she loves talking about and trying the newest snacks, drinks, and food gifts. You can see more of her testing process and other behind-the-scenes of being a product journalist on her Instagram @connayreviews. Connie joined Insider Reviews as an early member in 2017 and has also reported on products and services in the style, tech, fitness, travel, and e-learning spaces, with a particular interest and expertise in emerging startups. She has represented the team at CES and moderated panels on media business and the future of retail. Connie graduated from UC Berkeley with degrees in media studies and business administration, which help inform her perspective on and coverage of industry trends, as well as the competitive e-commerce landscape at large. Read some of her work: The 4 best cocktail shakers in 2021 The 7 best women's bathrobes in 2021 The 5 best wine openers and corkscrews we tested in 2021 The 5 best bed sheets we tested in 2021 The 5 best cordless vacuums we tested in 2021 12 direct-to-consumer kitchen startups that are changing the way we shop for cookware and knives 8 tableware startups changing the way we shop for dishes Even chefs experience cooking burnout — here's how they get re-inspired in the kitchen How businesses create successful virtual experiences 50 cookbooks from famous restaurants across the US that will help you recreate their best dishes at home Learn more about how our team of experts tests and reviews products at Insider here. Learn more about how we test kitchen products. Read more Read lessYou can purchase logo and accolade licensing to this story here.
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