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I’ll admit that the soup spoon might look a little funky to some, but if it didn’t, I wager the set could be mistaken for any generic place setting you might find in your gay uncle’s attic. Hence the unexpected and etheral forms of this stainless steel place setting by Zaha Hadid (winner of the Pritzker Architecture Prize – the equivalent of a Nobel Prize for architecture), brought to Earth in a mesmerizing mirror finish.

Black flatware… 1 cool point. Matte black flatware… 2 cool points. Stainless steel matte black flatware… cool point overload.

Produced in Europe
Manufacturer: TableArt
6-piece place setting available here.
Other black matte flatware and kitchen utensils available here.

With all the dreary weather that fall and winter can sometimes bring, you might as well stockpile some brightness for your tabletop with these colorful chopsticks. Might make a good host/hostess gift as well.

“Traditional Japanese chopsticks get a colorful make-over in this set of 24 Wood Chopsticks (1994). The round, lacquered wood utensils come in an assortment of 12 different hues, offering the freedom to mix or match colors, depending on your mood.”

Materials: Wood, lacquer.

The ubiquitous spork strikes again. It might be slightly uncouth, but it’s certainly handy to have in certain situations.

These eating tools have a spoon on one end, and feature a four-tine fork and knife — with a sawtooth blade — on the other. Super lightweight and extremely durable, they’re ideal for back packing, picnicking, lunchbox, briefcase or boat. Made of a heat-resistant (won’t melt in boiling water) polycarbonate material, they are machine washable and friendly to non-stick cooking surfaces.

Comes in Small and Medium for eating, and Large for cooking, stirring and serving.
Small: 6.5″ L x 1.5″ W, $5.95
Medium: 7.75″ L x 2″ W, $7.95
Large: 10″ L x 2″ W, $9.95
Buy it here.

Plastic is soo blasé. (Not really, but these are pretty cool.)

Each available in a set of 10.

Set of 10: $8.00, Buy it here.

[via happy mundane]

Never leave home without it…(‘it’ being cutlery that you can keep in your wallet).

In case of hunger don’t buy junk food, but good food. And be prepared to have your cutlery with you! Designed for, and available exclusively at, the Shop at the Cooper-Hewitt.

Designer: Ineke Hans, 2006

$10.00, Buy it here.

Sporks: one of man’s greatest inventions, especially at holiday parties.

Nicknamed ‘Sporks’, these spoon-and-forks are useful for hors d’oeuvres, picnics, or dining on-the-go. An example of the recent trend towards the inclusion of environmental responsibility as an important element of contemporary design, they are made of a 100% biodegradable corn-based plastic.

Hand-wash only. Set of twenty five.
Made in Italy

Size: 3.5″l

$24.00 ($21.60 Members), Buy it here.

While this utensil is most certainly classified as a ‘luxury good’, I would be very curious to see/hear if it’s worth the price tag.

The sterling silver TUKAANI is a hand made eating device for Asian food consumers in the West.
It may be held as traditional chopsticks. But unlike the disposable wooden chopsticks, TUKAANI is hand washable and much easier to set on – and use at table.
The matt surface and taut movement allow steady grip in the hand. The curl at the end of the TUKAANI provides eased food picking and delivery to the mouth. The loop also allows easier hanging, storage and display.
The Toucan’s bill provided inspiration for this cutlery project

1 TUKAANI: € 293
1 100% linen serviette: € 16
1 holder: € 48.50

Buy it here.

Designed in 1975, this flatware set has some sensible attributes to be sure (if only it were a tad bit more sensible price wise too…).

Carl Pott dedicated his career to studying the ergonomics of eating and using what he learned to design innovative flatware…To create the five-tined fork, which was an innovation when it was introduced, Pott extended its width and made the shape slightly spooned. These changes made for easier scooping of sauces and vegetables, like peas. The knife has a micro-serrated edge for cutting, and each piece has a fine groove at the end of each handle. “I am far from granting flatware more importance than it deserves,” said Pott. “However, as a daily tool, assuming it is functional and aesthetically pleasing, it is one of the cornerstones of our culture. How can we reach the summit, when the foundation of that which is ours, our home and our tools, is not solid, full of clarity and beauty?” Pott 33 is made of 18/10 stainless steel and each piece is handcrafted by artisans at a company of remarkable pedigree…The five piece set includes a knife, tablespoon, teaspoon, dinner fork, and salad fork. Made in Germany.

H 9″ W 2.25″

$280.00,
Buy it here.

These aren’t necessarily something you’d buy to complete your table setting, but I think they would be perfect as gift or to make the tea or coffee ritual a little more special.

Bisque porcelain

Small 4″l, Medium 4.5″l, Long 6.5″l.

Smart.

“restless, or uki hashi are chopsticks that don’t need a chopstick rest. because of their shape, the tips won’t touch the table when they’re set down. you’ll find comfort in their simple design.”

Black, Mustard, Red, or Off-White.

This simple set of flatwear was designed with ergonomic features, including an easy to grasp dinner knife which stands on its edge, and the dinner and salad forks which are angled to fit the mouth.

In addition, the silverware has a great weight to so you don’t feel like you’re eating with plastic utensils.

Made in Denmark
Size: 5.75l – 8.75″l
8/8 stainless steel
Dishwasher safe

I don’t usually go for gold, but I do have to admit this setting looks pretty luxe on a tabletop.

“Simple modern shapes in stainless steel are gilded with a durable matte gold finish.”

• 18/10 stainless steel
• Brushed finish with scratch-resistant PVD coating
• Dishwasher-safe
• Made in Italy

5-Piece Place Setting.

A modern take on 19th century Italian silverware. Dishwasher safe in temperatures of up to 250 degrees Farenheit.

Set includes four forks, four spoons, four knives and four dessert spoons.

designers:
Donata Paruccini,
Fabio Bortolani

manufacturer:
Pandora Design, Italy

materials:
plastic

If you use this for any dinner parties, you had better prepare something more spectacular than the flatware!

“Mango’s bold design continues to delight 21st century diners in both everyday and formal table settings with its genuine elegance. Made of matte brushed 18/10 stainless steel.

Nanny Still is one of Finland’s most colorful designers with a wide range of products. She works with the same clear elegance in a variety of different materials: metal, glass, ceramics. Nanny Still masters almost everything to do with art and industrial design. She was awarded the Pro Finlandia medal in 1972 and the Diploma of Honour at the Triennale in Milan in 1954, to name just a few of her awards.”

Designed in 1971 by Nanny Still

5 piece place setting as shown