Designer Warren Kimble has drawn on folk themes and Americana to create charming dinnerware patterns. They’re timeless when it comes to a table setting focused on red, white and blue.
Solid color plates and glasses are easy to use when putting together a 4th of July, Labor Day or other holiday party table.
But I often think of patterns designed by Warren Kimble when I’m looking for dishes to use for a summer occasion. When you have a pattern called American as Apple Pie, for example, those are just the plates to use when it’s time for some fresh pie a la mode, on a warm evening in August.
His designs draw on the deepest roots of American life, and that makes them patriotic to my mind, whether they feature flags or lighthouses, barns or hens.
Kimble designs have been licensed for use on dinnerware produced by Sakura, Lenox and Otagiri, and possibly others. You’ll have to find most of these dishes in the secondary marketplaces now.
Some patterns were made as sets for an entire table, and others were only made as dessert serving ware, including only plate and mug piece types.
Here are just a few of the pattern names:
- American as Apple Pie
- American Folk Art
- Barns
- Barnyard Animals
- Cat Collection
- Coastal Breeze
- Colonial
- Country Life
- Henny Penny
- Home for the Holidays
- Home Sweet Home
- Spirit of the Flags
The farm life and animal patterns have a special place in my heart, too, like the chickens on Henny Penny. Those are part of my chicken collection.
You can also find Kimble designs on wall art and other types of goods, if you want to decorate your home or kitchen, using inspiration from these dishes.
I look for his pieces when I’m out and about. Sometimes I’ll find a lot, like an entire box of the Barn dinnerware. Other times, just a mug or plate. It’s one of the themes that I just cannot leave behind.
Your red, white and blue dishes can form the bones of a table setting. And vintage Kimble designs can be used to enhance your setting. Or you can mix them up along a general theme, like farms or flags.
There’s no end to the ways to mix and match dishes to make your table setting theme come alive, whether it’s a patriotic dinnerware setting, or any other idea that comes to mind.
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