Finding the Perfect Serving Bowl for Any Occasion

With years of hosting experience and a passion for gathering our loved ones, we understand the importance of having a collection of bowls at your fingertips. From setting the family's dinner table to dishing out dinner for a large guest list, it's important to find designs, styles, shapes, and types of bowls you enjoy for every occasion. Complete your dinnerware collection with a wide array, from serving bowls to small bowls, and you'll always be ready for your next event. 
  
You may think it’s obvious to have multiple styles of bowls in your curated collection, but do you know the different categories of bowls? Or which dish is best served in which bowl? With a little help from us, you’ll be able to choose the right bowls for your next event, the styles and designs you like, and how they can be used in your home décor.  

 

Why Are Bowls Essential to a Serveware Collection? 

Until you begin to host, you may not realize how many dishes require serving bowls in different shapes and sizes, like sauces, dips, salads, and pasta. Sometimes, a serving platter or a dinner plate won't cut it—serving bowls of different depths and styles are necessary to serve your guests and can also double as beautiful décor pieces around your home when not in use. From collecting small bowls for family breakfasts and easy snacks to owning an array of serving bowls for larger-scale serving, bowls are essential for any host. 

With our inspired menus, we quickly learned the importance of owning many different serving bowls. We design every type of bowl you could imagine, from shallow pasta bowls to small bowls for garnishes. Each of our bowls can be a versatile piece in your dinnerware collection with the right creativity and planning, so there's plenty of room to mix and match them with other dinnerware items for a striking tablescape every time.  

 

How to Find Bowls That Reflect Your Style 

When selecting serving bowls and small bowls to add to your curated dinnerware collection, it’s important to consider your personal style. To find bowls that reflect you and your home, think about what you’d like your everyday dinnerware to look like and search for different patterns, colors, and shapes that you enjoy. Everyone’s style is unique—that’s half the fun of adding bowls to your own collection. 
  
Take note of different serving bowl rims and shapes that catch your eye, and discover different wood dough bowls. Are you drawn to classic style or vibrant and unique patterns? Once you find a serving bowl you enjoy, consider if it will blend with the rest of your plate and bowl sets, and make your choice. 

 

Checklist for Finding the Perfect Serving Bowls 

When your friends and family gather around your table for an intimate night-in, having different sets of serving bowls on hand is important. But what questions should you ask yourself when narrowing down serving bowl choices? Refer to this checklist next time you’re looking to add bowls to your collection: 

• How many of each bowl do you need? 

• Do the bowls have varying depths? 

• Can your bowls be used to serve different dishes? 

• Do you have an assortment of sizes? 

• What styles and designs do you enjoy? 

• Can this bowl double as home décor? 

• Is this serving bowl for everyday use or seasonal?  

 

Where to Use Your Bowls 

Serving bowls are one of the most multi-functional items in a dinnerware collection. In every course, from appetizers to entrées to desserts, bowls are a necessary tool for both small-scale and large-scale serving. A scallop bowl can double as an ice bucket on the bar or corral corks, cocktail napkins, and bar tools. They can also double as stylish storage or statement décor around your home. There will always be a place and a use for your wide variety of serving bowls.  

 

5 Must-Have Categories of Bowls 

We find that bowls fall under five categories, varying from small bowls for everyday dining to essential serving bowls for hosting all your loved ones. While every serving bowl can be rotated into your everyday dinnerware collection, there are a few types of bowls that you should always have in your cabinets. As you hunt down bowls to add to your collection, ensure you score these five categories for a complete, ready-for-anything set of bowls: 

• Individual bowls 

• Extra-small bowls 

• Small serving bowls 

• Large serving bowls

• Seasonal bowls 

 

Individual Bowls for Place Settings 

Whether setting the table for your average weeknight family dinner or planning a tablescape for a grand celebration, bowls for individual place settings are a required part of your dinnerware collection. Owning different individual bowl styles will allow you the flexibility to plan any menu, from pasta bowls for Grandma's Sunday sauce recipe to summertime salads on the patio. 

For your main course or larger-scale serving, we enjoy large bowls with depth to serve dishes to each person at the table. Our Signature White Ruffle Bowl is designed deeper than the average bowl, making it perfect for serving your guests soups, salads, and pasta entrees. Pair it with the Signature White 7' Rimmed Bowl for a modern rimmed edge and versatile use to add a unique element to any table. Elevate ramen or curry takeout with the Iris Blue Sprout 6-Footed Bowl, featuring a footed base to keep tables and counters safe—footed bowls are also available in blush and ecru to suit any style. 
  
Smaller bowls are also a must-have for a place setting. Where those bigger bowls are sure to hold the elements of your main course, small bowls are perfect for serving up smaller dishes, like ice cream, dips, nuts, or appetizers. Pair a small bowl like the Iris Blue Drop Small Bowl with a serving platter for an easy appetizer spread, or use the Blush Arabesque Trim Small Bowl to present anything from cereal in the morning to dessert at a dinner party. Elevate your table with Deco Gold Scallop Small Bowls for different pre-dinner treats, or layer with a matching dinner plate and salad plate for a cohesive look.    

 

Essential Extra-Small Bowls  

Extra-small bowls are often forgotten when completing your bowl collection, but it's always handy to have a couple stored nearby. Extra-small bowls are perfect for serving snacks before a large gathering or sweet treats at the end of a long day. 
  
The rustic texture of the Fundamental Wood Ruffle Small Bowl is great for dishing up light bites and working as a catchall bowl by the front door. With a shallow design, it can hold the perfect portion of a sweet treat with a hefty ice cream topping or enhance your home décor. 

The Signature White Ruffle Dipping Bowl is the perfect small bowl for a serving spread, great for holding toppings, sauces, and dips. Place them by each place setting so your guests can easily access any garnishes they'd enjoy for their meal, or use this petite bowl for a sweet trinket dish to hold jewelry or knick-knacks on your dresser or vanity.  

 

Versatile Small Serving Bowls

All of our individual bowls can double as a serving dish when needed. Mix and match your different serving bowls and platters for those extra-long guest lists or creative tablescape ideas. Simply place them in the middle of a larger, shallow bowl for a chip and dip option or on a platter for a complete serving spread. By nestling the dishes together, you take up less of your serving space and can guide your guests to the food and flavors created to be enjoyed together.  

 

Must-Have Large Serving Bowls 

When gathering around the table with your loved ones, you want to be prepared for any theme or menu—owning large serving bowls helps make that possible. While setting the table, we’ve found that large serving bowls can be used for anything from a casual bag of chips during a movie night to a plated serving style for an elegant birthday party. Always have a couple of large serving bowls on hand to serve a crowd of any size. 

Our Signature White 13" Ruffle Best Bowl is a striking, shallow serving dish perfect for serving large portions of a main course to the table. The Fundamental Wood Large Ruffle Bowl is perfect for tossing salads for the first course or storing fruit on the countertop. Owning foundational serving bowls in your collection will help you serve any meal for any occasion.  
  
If you're looking for a matching set of large serving bowls, complete the look at any gathering with the blue artisanal pattern of the Iris Blue Burst Pip Mix Pasta Bowls, Iris Blue Pip Mango Wood Dough Bowl, and Iris Blue Sprout Mango Wood Footed Bowl and serve with style, from pasta dishes to dinner rolls. If you're looking for serving bowls to add a touch of glam to any tabletop, pair the Deco Gold Scallop Covered Bowl, Deco Gold 9 Scallop Bowl, and Deco Gold Scallop Oval Handled Bowl for beautiful gold details.  

 

Don’t Forget Seasonal Bowls 

To make the most of your completed collection, it's important to rotate your dinnerware seasonally—seasonal serving bowls are a must for your kitchen, gatherings, and home décor. Whether you're switching out small bowls for holiday décor or switching out your serving bowls for an Easter celebration, adding seasonal cheer to your collection will bring excitement to your home and gatherings.  

 

3 Seasons to Switch Your Bowls: 

1. Spring

2. Thanksgiving

3. Winter holidays

 

1. Seasonal Spring Bowls 

When the days start getting longer, hop into spring with pastel, nature-themed bowls. Simply switch out your everyday small bowls with Speckled Rabbit Ears Ruffle Appetizer Bowls for a playful look on your bedside table or tablescape. Enjoy the enchanting rabbit silhouettes of the Speckled Rabbit Ruffle Best Bowl during your everyday meals or when you set the table for an Easter celebration. 

 

  

 

2. Thanksgiving Bowls 

Invite your family over during the season of giving thanks, and make sure your home décor and dinnerware match the festive tone by adding Thanksgiving dishes into your serving bowl rotation. Fill our Feathered Dusk Wooden Dough Bowl with appetizers at your annual dinner or with greenery as a centerpiece. After you set the Thanksgiving table with a matching plate and bowl sets, feature fall-themed accent small bowls like our Give Thanks Round Dipping Bowl to celebrate family with style.   

 

  

3. Winter Holiday Bowls 

When the winter season comes along, we enjoy hosting various holiday gatherings, whether trimming the tree with care or hosting an intimate Christmas Eve dinner for friends and family. The serving bowls from our various holiday collections bring an element of nostalgia and cheer to the table every year.  
  
For festive reds and greens, set the table with the Balsam and Berry Ruffle Best Bowl, Balsam and Berry Ruffle Appetizer Bowl, and Balsam and Berry Holly Wooden Dough Bowl. Embrace nostalgia with the illustrated holiday town square with the Christmas in the Village Town Small Pasta Bowl or the festive North Pole Reindeer Small Bowl. For a festive reminder of why we celebrate this time of year, serve tasty treats in the O Holy Night Footed Bowl.  

 

Using Bowls as Home Décor 

We are firm believers that your serving bowls should double as home décor. Whether you're preparing for a Lunar New Year Gathering with bowls from the Chinese Zodiac Collection or need to find creative storage for your serving bowls, keeping them displayed around the house allows you and your family can enjoy them every day.  
  
Whether using small bowls as trinket dishes, wood dough bowls as centerpieces, or scallop bowls as catchalls, your serving bowls will elevate any room. Displaying, storing, and organizing your serving bowls in plain sight is stylish as well as convenient. When you're preparing to host, simply grab them from these spots around your home, wipe them down, and set the table. 

 

9 Home Spaces to Decorate With Serving Bowls: 

• Bedside table  

• Centerpieces 

• China cabinet 

• Mantle 

• Entryway  

• Coffee table 

• Bookshelves 

• Bar  

• Vanity 

 

Searching for the perfect variety of small bowls and serving bowls is essential for any host when building your dinnerware collection. From choosing the perfect pasta bowls for your next gathering to finding small wood bowls that double as home décor, you'll be prepared to host unforgettable gatherings for any occasion. So, consider the sizes, shapes, and styles of serving bowls and build your collection for you and your loved ones to enjoy year-round.