The Magical Bend

I have seen tons of elegant flatware but none of them as ingenious as this! The Magic Spoon is a delightful set of spoons, knives and forks that have built-in clasps at the end. Yes, exactly the hairpin kind! You can cleverly cling it to your plate while clearing out the dishes, seal pouches or simply be this show-off with cool cutlery!

Magic Spoon is a 2010 Kitchen Tools Winner!
Designer: Ivan Erkic

Brilliant Tableware

I’m loving this bronze cutlery by designer Maximilian Löw. The set combines elegant, soft curves similar to that of classic cutlery with sharp, rigorous edges that give it modern, masculine appeal. For each piece, a 3D model was created so that different variations could be built using CNC technology. After the ergonomic & aesthetic requirements were achieved, preperations for the bronze casting process were made. The result: stark yet elegant tableware in high polished bronze that deserves to be shown off.
Designer: Maximilian Löw

Handmade wooden tableware by Takashi Tomii

I don’t do gift guides anymore but if I did, these would certainly be on the list! Takashi Tomii is an artisan based in Kyoto and creates stunning wooden tableware out of solid pieces of wood that he hand-picks. I love how the hand of the artist is so apparent in the etchings and carvings of each of his pieces.
You can buy some of his tableware through Mjolk, who just happens to be the first non-Japan retailer to carry his work (each image linked to product page)!

Dylan Kendall – Efeet Collection

Dylan Kendall’s Efeet Collection is pretty sweet – bowls, vases, sugar bowls, all with feet. It reminds me of Jorine Oosterhoff’s Tea Time tableware – I don’t know what it is about adding a pair of feet to a bowl or a vase, but it definitely makes for some happy tableware. Even better, $1 of every item sold goes to support Hollywood Arts.

For the Curious Coffee Lover

The idea behind the Brothers in Arms espresso set was to express a sense of unity between objects within in the series. Using embedded magnets as connectors, each set of cup, saucer, and spoon becomes a conjoined false single piece. A clever design sure to catch the curiosity of each new user.
Designer: André Gouveia & Gonçalo Pimenta

Dining Table Puppetry

I love to play with my left overs. I figure, someone is just going to throw away all the scraps so why not prepare it into something beautiful before it’s marched to the dark voids of a food disposal. Play is a physical expression of our imagination and we need more of. Damn the rules of etiquette! Puppets are flatware shaped like people starring Mr. Knife, Miss Spoon and the mysterious Lady Spoon. Ooo GIRL! I can already imagine the ensuing drama! Create your own stories at the dining table. I encourage it.

Designer: Su Jo-yin

Soji wooden tableware designed by MUTE

Upon request from Unomatudo, an Ishikawa-based lacquer ware-maker with an 80-year history, Kenji Ito and Takahiro Umino of design unit MUTE have designed a wooden tableware set that consists of plates, bowls, boxes and canisters.
Aptly titled Soji (素地) – a term often used to describe greenware pottery before it’s been fired – the collection, contrary to the lacquer-finished pieces the company is known for, are all made from bare wood.
The pieces were on display at the 2011 Tokyo Giftshow last month.

An Angle on the Fruit Bowl

In its history, the fruit bowl has always been a central object of table culture. This “bowl” by Thomas Feichtner is a step beyond the traditional rounded body. The open design stabilizes the fruit in position and keeps surface contact to a minimum. In keeping with traditional Austrian design, the structure is composed of solid silver and contrasts nicely with the texture of any fruit.
Designer: Thomas Feichtner

ärta - Tea Leaf Infuser

Love this Tea Leaf Infuser by ärta. Sweet and simple. Via Baker's Mark.

Fork, Knife and Spoon Go Where?

The plastic cutlery set JOIN has a very unique and playful joining mechanism inspired by an old Japanese game. It challenges the classic table setting and toys with proper etiquette. It’s absolutely brilliant. I want it bad – functional and whimsical. Explains why it was awarded the Design Plus award.

Designer: DING3000 with Konstantin Slawinsk 

Nendo - Forest-Spoon

The Forest-Spoon! Nendo's design for the Japan-wide curry chain restaurant Coco Ichibanya's annual 'Grandmother Curry' campaign, in which 100,000 lucky customers win curry spoons through a lottery.

Spoons are a tool for eating, and our world is full of spoons designed for that function. In contrast, we wanted to make a spoon that would be fun to look at when it wasn't in use. As part of this, we know that spoons are used on their own, but wanted to create a spoon design that would have a new charm when the spoons were brought together. When our spoon is lying on its own on a kitchen shelf, it looks like a single tree. But when you assemble a number of spoons, our design creates a 'landscape' in the home.

Magical Seasoning

The Magical Sapor combines my interests in cooking and dressing up as a fairy godmother into a set of seasoning wands. It’s easy to understand and the minimalist approach keeps the whimsicality in check. Love the idea. Needs a matching gown apron.

Designer: Arthur Xin (Se Xin)

Tea for two

Tea for two from Japan's Shinzi Katoh Design. Adorable!

Tableware by Marcel Wanders for KLM

Amsterdam designer Marcel Wanders has created a dinner service for Dutch airline KLM.

The project involved creating new porcelain, glassware, cutlery, linen and a tray.

The service will be in use on World Business Class flights from March 2011.

More about Marcel Wanders on Dezeen »
More tableware on Dezeen »

Here are some more details from Marcel Wanders:

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New tableware by Designer Marcel Wanders for KLM World Business Class
KLM Royal Dutch Airlines will begin serving meals on a new service for World Business Class passengers effective 27 March 2011.

Leading Dutch designer Marcel Wanders has created porcelain, glassware, cutlery, linen and a tray.

The entire presentation of meals and drinks has been completely renewed to reflect the journey of inspiration KLM strives to offer its passengers.

In designing the new service elements, Marcel Wanders has, at the behest of KLM, taken into account the wishes of its customers, the working procedures of cabin crew, as well as environmental considerations.

Typically Dutch
Customers have indicated that they appreciate KLM’s typically Dutch character.

KLM has therefore decided to embrace this by working with Dutch chefs and designers.

Our partnership with Marcel Wanders reflects this philosophy.

Less weight
KLM reduces environmental impact by reducing the weight of the service.

The lighter the load on board an aircraft, the less fuel it burns, resulting in lower CO2 emissions.

“We are proud to offer our World Business Class passengers a fresh, new product.

We are investing in this class and are constantly striving to further improve our products and services,” says Erik Varwijk, Executive Vice President of KLM Commercial.

“With the introduction of this new service, a longstanding wish of mine has been fulfilled,” says Marcel Wanders.

“As a frequent flyer with KLM, I found it quite easy to get a feel for the assignment and to bring about a metamorphosis of the existing service elements.

Owing to the ergonomic, technical, economic and logistic guidelines for this design, the new service matches the quality standards of top restaurants.”