A home that truly cares about its aesthetic appeal will pay as much attention to its paintings in the living room as it will to something mundane like its doorknobs. Take tableware, for instance. We worry about the look and taste of food, but how many take presentation into account? Tableware is one of those unsung heroes of our tables that make all the difference at dinner parties but go largely unnoticed because of what they hold in them. However, times are a-changing!

As an "Insta-worthy" lifestyle takes stage, and food photography soars in popularity, the younger generation is paying attention to the aesthetic appeal of both the food and the crockery it is being served in. Marbled crockery sets in lighter hues with gold lines threaded through them are all the rage now, as are bright, one-coloured sets on a contrasting mat.

Fun sets in speckled patterns or pottery prints in bright colours also look good at informal gatherings and make a bold statement. Crockery sets in matte black are high on the popularity spectrum, with eye popping half prints, or even in their plain Jane glory.

If artistic looking tableware is the conversation, rickshaw art cannot go without a mention. Nothing screams Bangladesh like rickshaw prints and this generation of homemakers embrace it wholeheartedly. On the same line of gutsy picks, are asymmetric crockery sets with curvy, gold lined plates, cups and serving dishes. They look hand-drawn and perfect, in their obvious imperfection.

However, no matter how receptive we are to eclectic collections of tableware, traditional, one-coloured, white or black dinner sets, with gold borders in florals or geometric motifs will never go out of style. Used best for formal occasions, it may seem like they go unnoticed but in reality, they blend with the occasion and altruistically enhance it, without attracting too much attention to themselves.

Shahriar Zaman from talks about their new wing in delighted tones.

"We have a complete solution for all your tableware requirements — from dinner, tea, and coffee sets to decorative mugs and vases in alluring shapes and designs," he said.

Zaman believes that their functionality and fresh designs set them apart. AKIJ does its gold plating with 22 carat gold polish for a finish that looks refined.

"We have received a lot of feedback from happy customers who love the premium feel of our products," Zaman added.

They have couple mug sets coming up for Valentine's Day and a floral collection that goes with Falgun. They also plan to bring in new dinner set collections for Ramadan and Eid, designed keeping in mind the popular foods of that time. Their products are priced between Tk 2500-8000 for their economy range and Tk 10-50,000 for their premium range.

Photo: AKIJ Tableware