For those who love a well-plated table — and who here doesn’t? — we are happy to report that outdoor dinnerware is having a moment. Think artisan paper plates, richly toned enamelware, as well as melamine in vibrant patterns for the perfect summer picnic. Here are a few sources to dress your summer table in style; many are available only online.

Dress Your Summer Picnic with Stunning Paper Plates, Melamine, and Enamelware

Paper Plates 

Table Two

Former Pittsburgher Gabby Amato paired up with Carolyn Hakansson while living in NYC to open Table Two. Their aim is to elevate outdoor gatherings, with fashion-forward plates that look like ceramic but can be tossed away like paper. Plates are designed to mix and match. Style inspirations include ocean waves, Mediterranean motifs, coral reefs and floral wreaths, and kitchsy lobsters. The artwork is handprinted and the plates are 100% recycled paper. Table Two will take you picnic game up a notch, or maybe even two. 

Meri Meri 

In 2026, this UK-based company has landed some sweet collaborations. A partnership with the luxury department store Liberty London resulted in a collection featuring delicate melamine floral platters and plates with scalloped edges and colorful combos. For those who embrace a Boho ethos, Meri Meri partnered with British printmaker Molly Mahon to produce paper plates and napkins (and paper lanterns, if you are so inspired) with repeating block print patterns. And for the gingham crowd, Meri Meri offers paper plates in pastel shades, as well as red and white with a cheery blue border.  

Caspari 

Making statements on tables since 1945, it’s no wonder Caspari is has been the well-heeled mom’s choice for paper plateware for decades. Inspired by art, textiles, and ceramics, Caspari’s designs are the fine art of the paper plate world, showcasing artistic replications from their partnership with the Museum of Fine Arts Boston, the Royal Horticultural Society, and French design house Pierre Frey. In Pittsburgh, you can source their cocktail napkins at Penn Hollows in Shadyside. Their fern garden pattern is spot on for a garden party, and then the mahjong napkins are perfect for your favorite player or for your next game.  

Melamine Dinnerware

John Derian

If you are new to world of John Derian, welcome. It’s like an artistic fever dream, with pieces inspired by the mind of an archivist, no maybe a botanist, or perhaps a cartophile, or is it a 19th century French artist— or is it all of these? Melamine plates feature lush watercolors of magenta peonies, with each size plate featuring a different take. An intriguing option is the faïence à la corne plate, rich with cornucopias, birds, butterflies, and florals depicted in jewel tones of cobalt, teal and sunflower yellow. But Derian’s affection for garden florals infuses all his designs with élan.

Juliska 

For those who like to do their shopping IRL, Juliska is the brand to look for, as it’s sold in Pittsburgh at Glassworks, Molly Singer Design, Contemporary Concepts, as well as Apropos. Plates come in solid colors such as coral, seagrass, sunshine, and ocean — or in a cabana-style striped variety. 

Hawkins New York 

Hawkins embraces a more minimalist vibe that skips the florals in favor of a simple-yet-unexpected lines in grid, wide stripe, or madras patterns, each in a variety of colors. The melamine-bamboo plates come in sets of four.  

Enamelware 

Golden Rabbit

Since 1977, Golden Rabbit has done one thing: made enamelware. This family-owned company reports it offers the largest selection of enamelware in the world, so if there’s a style or design you’re looking for, chances are you’ll likely find it here: swirled, marbled, coastal motifs, and seasonal patterns such as a fresh produce line with images of artichokes, pears, and asparagus. Not only do they have plates, Golden Rabbit runs the gamut of table and kitchenware in their eco-friendly enamelware. 

East Fork 

The colors of East Fork’s enamelware give a hint to their audience about inspiration: bluegrass, robin, campfire, chive. It’s a steep upgrade from the blue-and-white speckled enamelware found around campsites for the past fifty years. The colors are deep, rich, and made to mix and match; the design is pleasingly simple with one base color and a rim to differentiate the look. Dinnerware come in a variety of bowl, plate and cup sizes, as well as mugs, tumblers, pitchers, and bakeware. East Fork founder Alex Matisse is the grandson of Henri Matisse. 

MacKenzie-Childs 

If you like fun Palm Breeze colors like melon pink, lime green, and lavender in a Harlequin pattern or if you like unexpected designs, like their mash-up of checks and a swirl — like you painted a pink checkerboard and before it dried, swirled in a swath of yellow — then MacKenzie-Childs might be appearing on your patio soon. The photo above is of their melamine Palm Springs pattern, but their Courtly Check pattern (see below), invented by the company’s founders, is the creme de la creme of enamelware.

Plus, fill out the rest of your picnic supplies with our list of essentials.

Story by Lauri Gravina
Featured Photo From Table Two

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