A League of Her Own

Q: What enticed you to design a tableware collection, and what were some of the key elements you wanted to incorporate?
A: Pickard is renowned in the tableware industry for producing fine, formal china, and I was excited by their willingness to experiment with the color and decorative elements I wanted to include in my two lines, Nancy and Elsie. Couples, especially newlyweds, entertain less formally today, so I decided to create china with less traditional themes, which could easily be dressed up or dressed down.

Q: So even though yours is a line of beautiful, fine china, you don’t believe it should be saved solely for special occasions. Why is that?
A: Every day should be a special occasion at the table. With the hectic lives we all tend to lead, dining is a chance to spend quality time with loved ones. Whether you’re having an intimate dinner with your fiancé or a buffet for ten girlfriends, use the best of what you have and really enjoy it. Setting the table with fine china also gives couples an opportunity to explore their sense of style on a daily basis. You can accessorize your pattern in a number of different ways—with color or even with dishes you already own.

Q: You have said that certain women are your silent muses. How have they influenced your Nancy and Elsie lines?
A: Both women, Nancy Lancaster and Elsie de Wolfe, were celebrated interior designers who had a love of home and entertaining. And I have always been drawn to strong women with whom I’ve studied, and whose work, energy and philosophy have inspired me. The green-toned and bamboo trellis patterns, specifically, were a natural fit for both women: Elsie had beautiful trellises in her garden at her villa in Versailles, France, and Nancy was an avid gardener. As a child, my maternal grandmother was a tremendous influence on my style of decorating and entertaining. I admired the ease with which she could host a gathering of 40 guests and her confidence about mixing and playing with patterns, accessories and color on her table.

EASY ELEGANCE From Charlotte Moss's dinnerware collection for Pickard, butter, salad and dinner plates, plus tea cups and saucers in Elsie, left, and Nancy, right. For more information on this collection and where to buy, please visit charlottemoss.com or pickardchina.com.

Q: What should couples keep in mind when choosing items for their registry?
A: Their registry is a rare opportunity to fill their homes with beautiful investment pieces. Too often, couples spend time choosing insignificant items like cookie sheets or egg beaters and don’t focus on things of value—china, serving pieces and flatware. Weddings are a wonderful occasion for your friends and family to give you something of significance that is elegant and lasting, and that will remind you of them when you use it.

Q: What is your favorite wedding present for family and friends?
A: I like to choose something special from their registry, like two place settings of china or silver, so that after their honeymoon, they can sit down to a nice dinner together.

Charlotte Says

• Follow a trend only if you can adapt some element of it to your own style. Otherwise, stick to what you know you both love.
• Buy one great investment piece to anchor a room, like a fabulous piece of art or a leather ottoman, and build your design scheme around it. Don’t waste money on items you don’t love just to fill blank spaces. Hold out until you find what you are looking for.
• Communicate with your spouse. Establish décor priorities. Buy the best value possible—and enjoy the home you have created together.