Barware Fit For A Mad Men Scene...

If you’re as famished for the next episode of Mad Men as we are, you’re probably looking in all the usual places for a retro fix to hold yourself over until season four debuts—reruns, vintage stores, speakeasies. (For those of you who have not had the pleasure of indulging yourself in this award-winning AMC drama, here’s the gist: The swirling drama surrounding early 1960s gender roles, politics and the rise of commercialism all set in the boozy boys club of the New York Advertising world.) In a word: Barware.

Mix yourself a stiff Manhattan with these heavy, glass picks:

Wellington Spirits Decanter With No Drip Mouth

A beveled, architectural decanter fit for your single-malt scotch. Handsome (and substantial) enough to earn a spot on your mahogany bar-top.

Glass Animal Ice Bucket

Just the right size to keep your ice at-the-ready—with enough retro, Americana charm to keep up with your leather club-chair.


Arte Italica Milano Old Fashioned Glasses

The thick, wide-rimmed pewter bottoms on these tumblers were meant for leaving water stains. The kind that imply the host was too rapt in conversation with you to notice you missed the coaster. All the more evidence of your excellent company.

Host An English Afternoon Tea with Beautiful Tabletop Accessories

A traditional English afternoon tea party in the garden, complete with beautiful tabletop accessories, is a great way to celebrate almost any occasion, from birthdays to engagements to Mother's Days.

Anna, the Duchess of Bedford (1783 – 1847), who was a close friend of Queen Victoria, is credited with inventing the afternoon tea. Apparently, she liked to have her butler deliver tea and an assortment of sweet and savory treats to her sitting room around 4pm. (In those days, lunches were light and dinner was served as late as 8:30pm, so it was common for people to feel hungry as the afternoon wore on.) The Duchess soon began asking her friends to come around and join her – and the concept of the afternoon tea party caught on in many middle and upper class households.

An afternoon tea menu typically consists of a variety of sandwiches, including chicken mayonnaise and pine nuts, cucumber and mint, ham and cheese, smoked salmon and dill, as well as sweets like Madeira cake, chocolate éclairs or cream puffs, and sponge cake.

And, of course, a selection of fine teas should be on offer, including Earl Grey, Afternoon Darjeeling, and iced tea served in beverage dispensers if your party is in the Spring or Summer.

Wedding Presents: Arte Italica Dinnerware

Let’s face it, newly married couples need pretty much everything. Getting married means starting a new life, which means the lucky bride can ditch her chipped dinnerware from college in favor of higher quality pieces. If you have a couple of spring weddings on your calendar, why not give some dinnerware sets by Arte Italica?

Here are some of our favorite Arte Italica dinnerware collections:

Florentine Gold Dinnerware Set
For a truly regal vibe, the Florentine Gold collection takes the cake. This luxurious set for four features Italian Terra Bianca white clay decorated with scalloped edges surrounding an incredible 24-karat gold medallion. The bride won’t believe her eyes!

Tesoro Dinnerware Set
Boasting a unique pairing of blown glass and beaded pewter, this collection will showcase any soup, salad, or entrée to its full potential. This versatile set is at its most radiant when placed in the morning light, making it ideal for Sunday brunches.

Tuscan Dinnerware Set
This dinnerware set is a bridge between old and new, featuring a classic combination of pewter and ceramic with a crisp, modern edge. Best of all, this traditional palate pairs well with tabletop accessories and barware of all styles.

Beverage Dispensers for Mother’s Day

Thinking about Mother’s Day presents? You can’t go wrong with one of the beautiful beverage dispensers from www.ElegantTabletop.com. These neat gifts are ideal for entertaining or simply a quiet night with the family. Either way, Mom will love her new gift! Read on for four of our favorite beverage dispensers.

Glass Pedestal Dispenser with Ice Insert
Tired of melted ice cubes diluting your drinks? This ingenious dispenser has a separate ice insert to maintain a cool temperature. (It’ll make Mom look cool, too!)

Old Fashioned Beehive Dispenser
Forget the honey – Mom can dispense up to two gallons of sangria, iced tea, lemonade, and more using this dispenser crafted in a unique hive shape.

Garden Floral Dispenser with Handle
Flowers aren’t the only things that need watering! Picnics and garden parties alike can benefit from this cheerful beverage dispenser featuring a sturdy metal handle.

Globe Liquor Dispenser
This memorable dispenser is a classy way to dress up any spirited occasion. Plus, the silver plating will pair fantastically with any set of barware, no matter what Mom is serving.

Tabletop Accessories We Love: Decorative Centerpieces

If you’re shopping for tabletop accessories, you can’t go wrong with decorative centerpieces. This is because – let’s face it – a home can never have too many! Unlike plates and serving platters, which lend themselves to extended use, decorative centerpieces can change every season, month, or even week, depending on the hostess’ tastes.

Let’s take a look at two of our favorite decorative tabletop accessories:

Oro Ceramic Pomegranate: Part of an entire set by Arte Italica, this gold pomegranate is definitely our favorite. Like the other ceramic fruits, this one features an interesting blend of intentional distressing and radiant glaze.

Murano Shell: This luxurious centerpiece is crafted out of mouth-blown Venetian glass for a beautiful oceanic effect. Choose small, medium, or large sizes depending on your table size and individual preference.

Pompeii Planters: Available in a variety of entrancing colors including coral and turquoise, the Pompeii series by Arte Italica is rustic and versatile. You could use these planters for actual planting or, alternatively, to store small items like packets of sugar or tea. Even empty, these tabletop accessories are irresistible.

Your Hostess Gift Guide

Whenever you are invited to someone’s home for an evening or longer visit, it is appropriate to bring a hostess gift. This token helps to thank your hostess for the time, money, and energy she devoted to making your visit a good one. Hostess gifts can range from bottles of wine to Arte Italica tabletop accessories, and the size of your present should be determined by the significance of your stay; a weekend visit to a friend’s cottage warrants a larger gift than a two-hour dinner party, for example.

Although wine is often considered a classic hostess gift, this present is actually fraught with problems. First, unless you know that your hostess drinks alcohol, you can’t be sure that your gift will even be used. Additionally, wine is a temporary gift – after the bottle is empty and the glasses washed, what will be left of your present?

For a more lasting gift, we recommend choosing among the tabletop accessories and beverage dispensers from top brands like Arte Italica. If you’re worried about the expense, you might consider organizing a cumulative present from several guests, thus ensuring that your hostess receives one enduring gift, as opposed to half a dozen bottles of wine.

Brilliant Barware: Our Favorite Wine Glasses

A fine wine deserves a fine wine glass, wouldn’t you say? You can enhance your reds, whites, pinks, champagnes, and more with elegant and innovative barware. Check out a few of our favorite products below.

Double Blind Tasting Glasses: Ravenscroft Crystal has done it again! Pictured on the right, this opaque black glass makes it impossible to see what you’re drinking, which is great for formal wine tastings and casual gatherings alike. We can't think of a better way to test the knowledge of all those sommeliers-in-training you know.

Bella Bianca Wine Glasses: Arte Italica’s Bella Bianca series is known for its refined items for the home, and barware is no exception. Featuring subtle rippled glass and innovative silhouettes, Bella Bianca stemware is truly irresistible.

Animale Wine Glasses: Everybody will get something different when you pull out your assorted Animale wine glasses by Arte Italica. Each glass features a unique pewter head depicting a bull, bear, ram, or fox.

Minerale Wine Glasses: Uniquely textured out of mouth-blown glass, Minerale stemware for red and white wine is a conversation starter flattering to any vintage. Guests will love the way the modern shape contrasts with the timeless bubbled surface, hand-crafted in Italy by Arte Italica.

Arte Italica Beverage Dispensers and Serveware

Whether you're shopping for yourself or a friend or family member, Arte Italica is definitely something to consider. Known for its elegance and class, Arte Italica is a go-to manufacturer for beverage dispensers, serveware, and more.

One of our favorite collections is the line of Vetro beverage dispensers, featuring a blown glass shape and accents in either silver or gold. These Arte Italica pitchers are sure to showcase any beverage, not to mention your hostess skills.

Alternatively, you may prefer some serveware from the Arte Italica Bella Bianca collection. A fine example of Arte Italica ceramics, these impressive products are pristine white with subtle and intricate beaded designs, featuring soothing swirls and charming rosettes.

Choose a set of standard Bella Bianca serveware to craft refined place settings evocative of old Italy with chargers, dinner plates, salad plates, soup bowls, cups, and saucers. Or enhance your collection with specialty products like round and oval platters, soup tureens, dipping bowls, mugs, trays, and more. Best of all, you can find all of these Arte Italica products at significant discounts at www.ElegantTabletop.com.

Bridal Shower Gifts with a Personal Touch — Tabletop Accessories & More

Whether she's hoping for tabletop accessories, serveware, or bar glasses, a bride-to-be will assist her guests in the gift-giving process by creating her own bridal shower registry. Registries are fantastic tools to ensure the lucky lady gets exactly what she wants, but for some gift givers, arranging to have a present shipped to the bride lacks a certain personal touch.

Let's look at some easy ways to personalize bridal shower gifts:

Tabletop accessories. Coveted by brides-to-be everywhere, tabletop accessories combine form with function to create perfect usable pieces. To capitalize on said function—and make your gift stand out from the crowd—order an appropriate accompanying gift such as a bag of luxury chocolates for a candy dish or bouquet of roses for a glass vase.

Serveware. Plates, platters, bowls, and more are all standard bridal shower gifts, but as most homeowners know, setting a table is about more than just arranging the porcelain. To help the new bride find her way, give her fabric napkins or napkin rings in colors that coordinate with your serveware.

Glassware. When you pick out a set of elegant champagne flutes or sturdy highball glasses, you know the budding bride didn't request these items to drink soda and juice. To personalize your barware, supplement your present with a bottle of champagne or a kit for blending mixed drinks.

A Porcelain Cake Stand — The Perfect Hostess Gift

Her h'ors deuvres shine with on silver trays. Her soufflés soar in designer china. Even her after-dinner drinks glisten in barware made of pewter and glass. But what about her desserts? For the hostess who has everything, your perfect present could be a commonly overlooked item of serveware: the cake stand.

Like the pieces mentioned, cake stands amplify a hostess' culinary creations by showcasing her food before a sophisticated backdrop. Even the most skillfully decorated cheesecake, for example, will look all the more elegant when served over porcelain. Plus, these beautiful stands are the perfect way to give catered and store bought cakes a homemade feeling.

Best of all, these cake stands are ideal for desserts of all kinds. Many hostesses use these same items to serve cupcakes, scones, cookies, and cream-filled pastries. On the right stand, even a plate of cheese can be appropriate.

Whether the occasion is a child's birthday or a bridal shower, a porcelain cake stand can only enhance the atmosphere. For your next hostess gift, consider one of these versatile porcelain cake stands.

Beautiful Beverage Dispensers

Spring is still a few weeks away, but that doesn’t mean you can’t start planning for it now. Spring spells afternoon tea parties with cakes, finger sandwiches and cookies—and homemade pink lemonade and iced tea with lime zest. Spring is also the time for dinner parties, with plenty of sangria to welcome your guests. You could serve your drinks in some ordinary glass jugs, but you could also make a real statement and showcase your drinks with beverage dispensers.

Beverage dispensers are functional yet they look beautiful and striking on your tabletop, and add a little fun to your party. They also make it easy for your guests to help themselves to drinks: no more lifting heavy jugs and messy spills.

Beverage dispensers come in all shapes and sizes—curved, rectangular—and you can even get ones that look like a globe or a gas pump. I love my 2.5 gallon Elegant Beverage Server from Elegant Tabletop; the glass dispenser sits on a classic metal base, and best of all, the dispenser has a lid which makes it perfect for outdoor tea parties (there’s no chance of leaves or insects making their way in). And it’s so quick and easy to refill the dispenser when the drinks get low.

Ah, beverage dispensers…how did I ever survive without them?

Arte Italica: Il Migliore Per La Sua Cucina!

"The Best for Your Kitchen"

A fine addition to any kitchen is Arte Italica. www.ElegantTabletop.com has beautiful Italian ceramic pieces that look great whether perched upon your kitchen counter or on your table as a centerpiece. These pieces serve and store, or if you prefer, just look good. They can help to set the ambience that you desire, transporting your guests to the sun-bathed hills of Tuscany, and conjuring images of those wavering cypress trees, the long winding roads perched atop acres of sunflower fields, and the wine, oh, the wine…

The ancient Etruscans began the arte Italica tradition almost three thousand years ago, and in ancient Rome there were many artisans who specialized in ceramics. Today Italian ceramics remain top of the line.

For elegant organization, ceramic canisters can transform your method. Sealing in freshness and allowing for ease and convenience, these canisters give your kitchen a finishing touch. If you prefer glass, you will be able to see exactly when it is time to refill. And all of this arte Italica serves as a great gift for any housewarming party or bridal registry. Arte Italica is dishwasher and oven safe (up to 500 degrees) and whether you prefer the hand painted or hand carved designs, they will surely make a lasting impression.

Welcome to Elegant Table Top Blog!

Our website is an entertainer’s paradise filled with all of the necessities for home décor, barware, and dinnerware. If you have in mind tabletop accessories, we’ve got them! If you’re looking for a hostess gift, or looking to create your wedding registry - you can do it all here! And we also have tons of more exotic items for your own elegant table top – arte Italica for example is a beautiful addition to any home.

We are dedicated to providing you with the best service possible and we offer live help via chat if you have any questions at all. Join our mailing list, just by typing in your email address and you will receive special information and discounts. By the way, if you decide to buy in bulk we have additional discounts available, just email us for a quote!

All of our tabletop accessories are heavily discounted from the list price, and that’s just part of why you should shop with us. Our selection is vast, and offers seasonal and religious options. And if you’re looking to buy presents from a gift registry, it has never been easier.

We want to thank you for taking the time to visit our site. Keep checking our blog for new information and tips on how to keep your table top as elegant as can be!