The tail end of the swanlike "Paloma" makes for a perfect handle; "Amadeo." "Eve" comes with a DVD to explain the pouring technique and the cleaning instructions; "Cornetto." The wide mouth of "Tyrol" promotes aeration, making it an ideal vessel for red wine, all Riedel.

Introduce a little trompe l'oeil at the dinner table with these hot plate dishes. Hot plate dishware, blackinkboston.com.

The dark side has never been so alluring. Add some noir to your soiree with ebony crystal glasses. A little bit rock 'n' roll, a whole lot glamorous, these opaque yet lustrous pieces cut striking silhouettes.

"Palais" goblet, champagne flute, iced-beverage glass, and wine glass, Noritake, from Bed Bath & Beyond.
"Perspective" black double old-fashioned, Noritake, from Replacements Ltd., 800-737-5223.
"Octime" fluted champagne glass, $8; water goblets, Arcoroc, from Replacements Ltd., 800-737-5223.
The hand-painted, mouthblown "Series B" tumbler elevates hydrating to an art form, Lobmeyr, from Tableart.
"Cascara" goblet, Villeroy & Boch.
"Accent" juice glass, Gorham Crystal, from Replacements Ltd., 800-737-5223.
"Un Parfait" set of goblets comes with one perfect -- and five unperfects (each with a minor flaw), Philippe Starck for Baccarat.

Here's proof that modern basics don't have to be boring. Mix contemporary white pieces with crystal and some fun and quirky patterns and you've got the recipe for a modern and chic table. Use some of our favorites as inspiration when putting together your own modern registry list.

"Oyyo White" large plate, Teroforma.

Buying durable china cuts down on consumption. Blue Fluted Mega tableware, Royal Copenhagen. Transglass recycled-glass carafe and glasses, Artecnica, from Re:Modern. "Living Green" (Freedom Press, 2006) by Greg Horn, from amazon.com.

This tray just makes us feel like entertaining with its six compartments of varying sizes. It will only look better with snacks added! Chelsea tray, wetterhome.com.

Clean of line, completely devoid of embellishments, and updated for the modern table, these crystal pieces are decidedly unfussy and remarkably chic. Just don't call them simple.

"Medoc" single decanter guarantees a good, nonslip grip. Riedel.
 The "Pavot" decanter has a classic shape, but its pure lines propel it into our modern times.Baccarat.
Appropriately named, the "Aalto" vase (aalto means "wave" in Finnish) was first shown at the 1937 World's Fair in Paris. Iittala, from Unica Home.
"Arles" champagne flute, made in Italy, Ichendorf, from Unica Home.
Mouth-blown in Austria, Lobmeyr's new G size (15 inches high, 8 1/2 inches deep), Lobmeyr, from Tableart.
These "Kissing Candlesticks" (a "Kissing Salt and Pepper" set is also available), Karim Rashid for Nambe, nambe.com.

"Oyyo White" extra-small jug, Teroforma, teroforma.com.

Black makes bold hues and graphics pop. Floral plates and solid yellow plate, Raynaud; black plate (under gold floral), Heath Ceramics; teacup, saucer, and striped dinner plate, J.L. Couquet; soup bowl and black salad plate, Wedgwood.

Relax with a freshly made cocktail, and to help, consider these festive finds to be required registering.

Make like James Bond and add a sleek and stylish cocktail shaker to your wish list. "Challis" martini shaker, Vera Wang for Wedgwood from Amazon.com.
Consider this sublime vessel the Bentley of water pitchers. "Excess" water jug, Saint-Louis, from Hermes.
This cost-effective, pressure-regulated soda siphon turns tap water into bubble-filled seltzer -- a required ingredient for light, refreshing cocktails. Siphon, Williams-Sonoma.

"When you're using just one color, contrast is important," says associate style editor Marisa Sellitti. "I make it a point to mix modern, shiny pieces with matte, homespun linens." Small napkin, Teroforma.

A white-on-white dinner plate by Rosenthal features delicate striping along the edge.

You wouldn't use words such as granola or earthy to describe these goods. They're bold, cheerful, and -- most important -- alive with energy.

Bicycle, Novara Mia, from REI.
Natural maple Cain chair, Staach, from The Future Perfect.
Wear-resistant cast-iron dutch oven, Le Creuset, from Williams-Sonoma.
Organic cotton twill napkins in Cartouche, Olive Dots, and Confetti, Plover Organic.
Hand-printed Pods and Shade pillows, dyed with water-based inks, by Balanced Design, from Nimli; and Chevron organic block-print pillow, Madeline Weinrib, from ABC Carpet & Home, 212-473-3000.
Bamboo Bo and Sumo bowls, Ekobo, from The Conran Shop.
Sustainably made Coupe tableware, Heath Ceramics.
Trail organic hemp and cotton table runner, Amenity Home.

The leafy green edge of a salad plate plays off the lighter green in the dinner plate. "Tropic Green" salad plate and "Verdures" dinner plate, Raynaud from Michael C. Fina.

This modern design by Rosenthal suits formal and casual settings.

It reinforces the subtle textures of fluted edges; and in a charger, the color acts as a great framing device. Insect plate, Ted Muehling for Nymphenburg; fluted-edge plates, Porzellan Nymphenburg; dessert bowl, Heath Ceramics; black lace plate, Mottahedeh; espresso set, Bernardaud.

"Oyyo White" small bowl, Teroforma.

The traditional martini glass receives softer lines in this design, Orrefors; spiral cocktail pick by Oneida. 

Dots and lines add a whimsical touch to the border of a Provence White dinner plate by Haviland.

Subtle tailoring frames a Swedish Terrace dinner plate by Lenox.

If you're starting off in an apartment, and your outdoor space consists of a fire escape, this grill pan is your answer to barbecuing. Le Creuset Enameled Cast Iron Square Skillet Grill, macys.com.

A mix of modern patterns in bold colors such as red and orange adds a contemporary and bold feeling to any dinner table. 

Who doesn't love a good cup of coffee? Well, if you love coffee as much as we do, this mug is the one for you. It's the perfect size and the handle is big enough for all your fingers to hold it snug. Latte mug, Crate and Barrel.

Richard Ginori's brilliant coffeepot will brighten up anyone's morning. 

A crosshatch pattern lies beneath the glaze on the "Grid White" dinner plate by Calvin Klein Home.

A swanlike creamer and sugar bowl by Modus.

Whether you use many pieces or just a few, silver transforms the table with its luster. Use it frequently, and you won't need to polish it much -- so go ahead and enjoy. Less costly alternatives include silverplate (silver bonded to another metal), and pewter (a silverlike, tarnish-resistant alloy of copper and tin). This piece is a hammered silverplate martini pitcher from Michael C. Fina.

A sleek teapot by Villeroy & Boch.

A silver Art Deco set by Christofle.

When registering for flatware, it's a good idea to ask for 12 place settings. A basic place setting, like this one in Robbe & Berking's "Atlantic" pattern, includes five pieces: a teaspoon, salad fork, dinner fork, tablespoon, and dinner knife.

To get a better sense of how a particular pattern will work with colored linens and other tabletop pieces, mix and match items right in the store before making your decision. Shown at left, etched rings on "Hemisphere" by Jean-Louis Coquet, which represent an artist's brushstrokes.

Shira Savada, our real weddings and editorial coordinator, has a thing for plain white. "I love plain white tank tops because they work with any outfit. Same goes for plates. The food always looks good! These plates are great for everyday, but they're clean and thin so they feel a little nicer." Aspen dinnerware from Crate and Barrel.

A modern, sleek, and functional tea kettle. OXO Uplift tea kettles, surlatable.com.

The thought of using this simple, streamlined dustpan almost makes us excited about doing housework. Enamel dustpan, ancientindustries.com.