For all bespoke orders we generate a product image that shows exactly what your design will look like on the plates. We will make sure you are 100% happy with this product image before going ahead with any set up costs for the design.
Customising & Designing Bespoke China
Set yourself apart from the realm of the ordinary with your own bespoke china collection that's unique to you. Customising your dinnerware is not only an incredibly stylish way to tailor your dining table during the holidays and for special occasions, it is also a wonderful heirloom to pass down to future generations to cherish.
From ornate dinner services to simple kitchen china that can be used every single day, we can help you create unique tableware that will last longer than a lifetime. Continue reading to discover your options to customise and design bespoke china, how it works and how to submit an enquiry to create the bespoke tableware of your dreams.
WHY FINE BONE CHINA?
When considering a bespoke dinner service, it is important to use the very best materials that will last not only for the next ten years, but will stand the test of time for future generations to treasure and enjoy. Known for its translucent elegance, British fine bona china is the strongest material for dinnerware and least likely to chip. The 50% bone ash content in our plates and bowls means they are not only supremely thin and elegant, but also extremely tough and resilient. These properties make it the perfect canvas for dinnerware!
WHERE DO I START?
Initially, you will want to consider what you'd like to see on your dinner service; you will be looking at it every day after all! Would you like a motif from your wedding invitation, such as a floral border? Or would you prefer a simple initial in the middle? Are you looking for replacement plates for the old family china, where the crest has perhaps faded? Or would you like to commission a line drawing or your horse, for example? Our partnership with British brand Xavier China allows us to help you with:
Family Crests / Coats Of Arms
Monograms / Initials
Bespoke Wedding China (Floral Borders, Illustrations)
Recreation of Antique Family China
Hotel & Restaurant China
Corporate Gifts
CHOOSING THE COLOURWAY
Select what style china you would like from our customisable collections. Classic white bone china is available, as are a carefully curated selection of coloured borders, both gilded and plain. Whether you're looking for understated elegance or a tasteful punch of colour, consider mixing and matching colours, borders and styles across our collections to create your own set of complementary dinnerware.
With our brilliant British factory, we can work with any artwork and even colour match fabric samples, paint colours, antique china or Pantone colours. We will create a digital mock-up of your design so that you can check every detail before the placing the final order. And once your artwork is finalised we will keep it safe for future orders, including any leftover printed decals.
Our Customisable Collections
BESPOKE INITIALS
Having your initials monogrammed on your china is the most simple option for customised bone china. Not only will look smart in any kitchen or dining room, it will equally stand the test of time. It's as simple as confirming your colourways and style above, then selecting your font and finally deciding where you'd like the initial / monogram to appear. Popular choices include the centre of the plate or a miniature on the border.
- Modern Calligraphy
- Traditional Calligraphy
- Modern Calligraphy
- Serif
COATS OF ARMS OR CRESTS
European families have been decorating pottery with coats of arms since the Middle Ages. When porcelain replaced metal as the favoured material for elite tableware in the 18th Century, armorial porcelain became very popular. The traditional shapes in our collections suit armorial dinner services very well, from a glamorous crest in the middle, to a more discrete crest on the 'shoulder'; the possibilites are endless.
Gilding is a popular addition for more formal dinner services. We can add touches of gold to the crest itself for an added bit of sparkle.
WEDDING CHINA
A new set of china to celebrate the beginning of a marriage is both a timeless and beautiful tradition, and one that we celebrate. Personalised dinner services were once the preserve of royalty, but since partnering with British brand Xavier China, we can create bespoke tableware with a meaningful design that is unique to you as a couple. Favourite design options include: entwining your initials in the centre of a clean white plate, replicating the border from your wedding stationary, stamping your plates with your wedding date (this way your husband will never forget an anniversary again *wink wink*).
Questions?
Here are some FAQs or feel free to enquire with us today for a bespoke quotation.
How do I know what it will look like?
How is the cost calculated for bespoke china orders?
The cost will be made up of 1) the price of the plain white plates you want to buy; 2) the 'set up cost' at the factory for your design; and 3) the decorating cost per plate (all done by hand).
How much is the "set up cost" for bespoke design?
Set up costs depend on the number of colours you choose to use in your design (including 'shades' of the same colour). It is a one-off expense that will never have to be repeated as your artwork is stored for future orders. Set up costs will seem significantly cheaper on larger orders. A £500 set-up cost spread over 12 plates is quite high at £42 per piece, while the same amount spread over a 72-piece dinner service is only £6.95 per plate.
Does the number of colours include the border?
Yes. You must buy plain white plates and add the border as part of your custom design to be certain that the colour of your border matches the other parts of your design exactly. A bit like wallpaper each batch can come out slightly differently meaning clashing shades.
What if the design has more than 9 colours in it?
You can either splash the cash, or we will work with you to reduce the number of colours in the artwork. There are simple ways to do this and quite often it creates an even more attractive impression as a simple colour scheme works well with the china.
Do I have to use the colours that are listed on the product ranges for customisable china?
No. It is easier if you pick from an existing colours (Duke Blue, Sky Blue, Tiger Orange, French Grey, Blush, Crimson) but not essential. We will visit the factory and find a colour among the hundreds available that matches your design as closely as possible, which is usually relatively straightforward.
Is there a minimum order requirement for bespoke china?
Set up costs do not change depending on the size of the order so can seem very high for a small order. You can, however, buy the 'set up' as a gift in itself so that a newly married couple, for example, can buy any number of plates with their bespoke design without having to pay for the set up ever again. We have no official minimum order requirement, but suggest buying in sets of six.
Can I reorder plates with the same bespoke design?
Once you have set-up your bespoke design with us, we will keep the artwork and screen in stock so that you or the recipient can re-order at any time without repeating the initial set up costs. The subsequent cost for the china will be at 'normal' prices.
