This may not be so important for some people, but for me getting good tableware in a new flat or house, for housewarming parties or dinners is an essential part of the eating or socialising process. There is nothing more satisfying than eating out of a beautifully decorated bowl or plate, with an exquisite selection of gourmet foods of soups, neatly presented on well decorated dining table and a complimentary folded napkin shaped like a swan.

Even in the comfort of your own home, one is able to recreate that restaurant feel, without having to spend out on designer tableware, cutlery and dishware. Informal feasting in an open plan kitchen or dining room has become a trendy event, rather than spending time on putting up a three-course meal and setting the table up fit for a royal banquet. This is now something of an old heritage and it is now in with the sociable gathering of friends and family munching on finger food and helping themselves to what is placed in front of them.

However, what makes this more appealing is the continual trend for simply designed plates, dishes and tableware. During the mid-eighties and late seventies, many will remember the floral designed china that parents used to store away for special occasions that were coated with a gold or silver rim and made with an unusual texture to it. Some were even brightly coloured, painted with polka-dots and looked like it was designed for a make-believe children's tea party.

Keeping special and expensive dishes stored away for special occasions is still something that many of us continue and have adopted from our predecessors, but gone are the days whereby everything is designed with complicated patterns and pictures telling a story of fantasy and mythical creatures. Many people prefer to buy tableware which are large, neutral in colour and made from a durable material. The general majority use fine china, porcelain plates and melamine, because they are good for long term usage and tend not to crack or chip so easily.

These days restaurants, large or small, serve their foods in a fashionable manner without even trying. Have you ever noticed how the plates are large, deep filled and come with shiny silver cutlery? There is nothing more appealing than eating out of a plain white dish, which is well-presented so as to feed the eyes as well as the taste buds. People like to see that their food is placed in such as way that makes it look interesting and stands out from the dish.

This makes for a more modern and chic look as opposed to being put off by the fuzzy fading images printed onto your plate. Some dishes are not always circular in shape and are available in a variety of sizes, such as square with a smooth edging, oval for appetisers, and large round soups with a lip, and rectangular plates for presenting finger foods. Soup spoons have also progressed from simple large and deep filled, to small porcelain ladles, taking on a traditional oriental style.

Tables are also simple in design as more people prefer to use colours of a neutral theme, with matching runners, places mats and napkins. These are usually available for cheap prices, rather than being made by designer manufacturers. Dinner parties are not necessarily an expensive event, which requires one to spend out on designer products and pricey ingredients. These can be enjoyed with the hosts looking to impress their guests with simple designed dishware and showing off their culinary skills.

Gone are the days of making dinner parties, as more and more people edge further into sociable and informal banquets. The display of foods remains an important tradition, without having to pick out elaborately designed china.