A banana-shaped dish has a fairly convincing reason to exist before you put anything in it. Still, if you're hoping it will hold your glasses as well as your keys, it's worth giving the shape a moment's thought.
Small dishes, divided trays and low bowls make different kinds of space. Some give you a narrow place for rings or pins; others spread out across a table. Here's how we'd choose among the ceramics in the shop.
For the things you put down at the door
Lay out the things the dish needs to hold. A couple of rings take up very little room. Keys, a watch and glasses make a wider arrangement, especially if you'd like to see each thing without moving the others.
Howdy's Strawberry, Orange and Banana Trinket Dishes are made on a potter's wheel and hand painted in Texas. Compare their outlines as well as the fruit. The banana's longer shape gives a different resting place from a rounder dish, and curved edges take up some of the space you see from above.
If jewelry is the main job, our jewelry guide helps with necklace length and bracelet scale. A dish for a pair of studs doesn't need the same footprint as one where you'd like to lay a necklace out.
Compartments, or one open bowl?
Our Porcelain Lunch Trays are approximately 9.25 by 7 by 1 inches, made in Portland, Oregon. The divided shape takes its cue from cafeteria trays. It can separate snacks at the table or give little belongings their own sections.
The LUVHAUS Citreum Low Bowl and Aubade Low Bowl are approximately 9 inches across and 2 inches tall. They give you a continuous area instead. Picture what you're setting out: a few separate things, or something you'd rather arrange together in one low bowl.
For a table setting, you can compare those measurements with our cups and mugs. For a family table, the mealtime guide has ideas about the time spent around it.
The glaze is part of the piece
Citreum is a bright yellow with a hint of green and a soft satin sheen. Aubade is purple with lilac highlights and speckled blue undertones. They're specific LUVHAUS glaze designs, and the finishes vary from piece to piece.
LUVHAUS also notes that matte glazes can pick up cutlery marks. Follow its care recommendations for those surface marks; a marked glaze and a chip or crack are different things. There's no reason to experiment with an abrasive on a favorite bowl when you can ask about the finish first.
Using and washing the actual piece
The porcelain lunch trays are dishwasher and microwave safe. Howdy describes the fruit dishes as suitable for food and dishwasher cleaning, while recommending hand washing. Keep those directions attached to those pieces: a ceramic object's shape alone doesn't tell you about food use or care.
If you're choosing a gift, think about a place you can picture it landing—a desk, bedside table, or the spot where that person leaves their rings. Our gift guide has other household ideas. The fruit is the fun part; having somewhere for it to go makes the choice easier.
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