I had mentioned in a post in March that I was looking for new dinnerware because I’d gotten a ceramic splinter from the chipped edge of a worn-out plate. My old Corelle set had lasted for many years, and some of the pieces were still in good condition, such as my teacups and saucers. But the pattern, called Old Town Blue, is no longer made, so I couldn’t just replace some of them unless I wanted to buy used. That wasn’t my preference; I wanted something new to bring fresh energy into my kitchen, but I also felt reluctant to let the old set go entirely.

Corelle is a much smaller company now, alas, with fewer choices. When I found a blue pattern that looked like a suitable replacement, it had only basic pieces and none of the platters, teacups, saucers, and other extra pieces that filled in my current set. Interestingly, though, the patterns were not identical. As a result, when I put the new set next to my old set, it was not an obvious mismatch. One of the pieces shown below came from the old set—can you tell which it is?

The large and medium plates are from the new set, as you probably guessed because their patterns are similar. The white bowl with the blue rim is also from the new set, and the small plate is the old pattern. So, it’s the best of both worlds; I kept the old pieces that were in good condition, while replacing the large and medium plates and the bowls (which were the most worn), and I got some “new stuff” energy.

The kitchen cabinet now looks like a much more cheerful place, which is why I tagged this post “Places.” I’m generally using that tag for posts about how my surroundings make me feel. What I have in mind is similar to feng shui decorating, also called the Chinese art of placement, in which items are carefully placed within and around a home to improve the occupants’ well-being. Sometimes I use the tag when I write about emotional imprints from places I visit. It reflects that I am still a work in progress, and my home and blog are too.