The colour purple, from pale violet through to its rich, regal counterpart, is an unusual colour in tableware, modern or antique. As purple pansies are among my very favourite flowers, my antenna are always up for tableware that can show to advantage with this delightful herald of spring.

My usual preference is for finer glass, but when Juliska brought out their Colette hand-pressed glassware  in a deep amethyst colour, I was pleased to give it a try. The scalloped shape is very appealing, and it’s sturdy enough to be used on the patio for outdoor dining.  The collection includes tumblers, dessert plates and bowls, too – all beautiful.

Digging around for a complementary china pattern, I discovered Mures by Gien (soon to be discontinued, so giddy-up). Gien’s Faience dinnerware is a very high quality earthenware – casual but elegant. The Mures pattern, part of the Tables du Charme collection, is of blackberries and other berries on stems and leaves.

To complete the look, I employed blackberry sprays and napkin rings from Pottery Barn, and small open salts I found on a discount table in a cookware store.