There's so much trash in this country. Thrift stores all across America are absolutely bursting at the seams. One Parsons School of Design graduate, Sara Cihat, has discovered a simple formula: take butt-ugly mismatched thrift store dishes that no one wants, reglaze them using modern colors and motifs, refire them, and voila! You get an artful product line defined by a juxtaposition of old and new, mismatched yet matched. The size of the plates and chosen motif tie the set together even though each one might be a little different. A whole set of this must be lovely, and quite the conversation starter.

Her designs themes include an assortment of silhouettes, with a style to suit every mood. Some 80's motifs- hair-band-rocker-dude, cassette tape; some cliche' tattoos- heart & dagger, anchor, pin up girls; even some creepiness- spiders and skulls. Because each plate is handmade, a complete set will only be loosely matching. The stenciled design will vary in size and location from plate to plate, often overlapping the edge of the dish. Glazes will vary in shade and opacity. The ghost of the original underlying pattern will be unique with each plate.

I love this not only because it is so simply and beautifully designed, but also because of the green factor. There's nothing more green that using what we already have. It's true- a kiln uses a ridiculous amount of energy to fire these dishes (a second time), but new dishes would have to be fired anyway. Her rehabilitated dishware saves resources, plus takes unwanted dishes out of the junk stores and puts them into our homes where we will use them and treasure them. At $108 per dinner plate and handmade in her Brooklyn studio, they are definitely treasures! A creative alternative to stuffy fine china?

Sarsh Cihat's complete line of dishware is available in retail stores in select metro areas and online at roseandradish.com. You can also contact Sarah for custom orders via email: sarah@sarahcihat.com.