Contemporary

The Contemporary collection is vancasso's clean lined group: stoneware dinnerware built around three finishes, matte, semimatte, and gloss, with shapes simple enough to mix across the line. The sets run from 12 to 24 pieces, so the group works for a first apartment, a growing family, or a table that wants one calm look. If you like modern shapes but still want some character in the glaze, this is where to look.

Most of the line is stoneware, which gives the pieces weight and a soft, warm surface that suits everyday use. A few entries, like the Simi bowls and soup plates, are porcelain for a lighter, crisper feel. The stoneware dinnerware guide and the porcelain vs stoneware guide break down the trade off if you are choosing a body.

How Contemporary Reads Across Three Finishes

The finishes are the easiest way to sort the collection. Matte bodies, like Moda and Venus, read earthy and quiet, with the glaze sitting flat against the clay. Semimatte pieces, like Sabine, keep a little light without going shiny. Gloss bodies, like Playa and Simi, catch the room and make color pop. Pick the finish first, then let the pattern do the talking.

Matte: Moda and the Venus 12 Piece Set

Moda is the matte anchor of the group. The Moda 16 Piece Dinnerware Set is robust stoneware with a flat monochrome glaze, scattered black speckles, and a brown eyelash rim that frames each piece. It serves four with 10.6 inch dinner plates, 8.2 inch salad plates, 6.6 inch bowls, and 12oz mugs, in blue, grey, and black. The Venus 12 piece set takes the same quiet mood with a vertical edge and a service for four layout, if you want fewer pieces to start.

Semimatte: Sabine

Sabine softens the matte look with a sesame glaze. The Sabine 16 Piece Dinnerware Set is semimatte stoneware with fine speckles across a warm body, serving four with 10.7 inch dinner plates, 8.4 inch salad plates, 8.7 inch pasta bowls, and 7.1 inch cereal bowls. It is the pick when you want the speckle without the full matte flatness, and it sits between Moda and the glossy group on the same table.

Gloss: Playa, Simi, and the Colorful Round Sets

Playa carries the gloss finish with a reactive glaze and a Modern Ibiza mood. The Playa 24 Piece Glossy Dinnerware Set is glossy stoneware with a lipped edge and a matte black exterior, serving six with 10.25 inch dinner plates, 8.25 inch dessert plates, 8.15 inch soup plates, and 5.8 inch bowls; it is microwave, dishwasher, and oven safe with a scratch resistant coating. Simi double-sided pasta bowls bring the same shine in porcelain, hand painted with boho florals. The rest of the gloss group, Macaron, Tulip, and Sesam, are round colorful stoneware sets for a brighter table.

Pick the Right Piece Count

Match the set to how many you seat. The contemporary dinnerware sets run 12, 16, and 24 pieces, covering a dinnerware set for 4 and a fuller dinnerware set for 6. If you already own Playa or Moda plates, extend the table with open stock bowls or the Simi serving pieces instead of buying a second full set.

Contemporary vs Other vancasso Finishes

The contemporary group shares its stoneware body with the matte finish dinnerware and farmhouse dinnerware lines, but it is the only one organized around three clean finishes rather than a single pattern. The reactive glaze dinnerware shows up here in Playa and Starry, and the porcelain dinnerware group offers the Simi shapes in a lighter body. The how to choose dinnerware style guide helps if you are weighing these side by side.

Material and Care

Stoneware and porcelain both handle daily use, but they like slightly different care. The contemporary stoneware, Moda, Playa, Sabine, Venus, and Starry, is microwave and dishwasher friendly; Playa and Starry are also rated oven safe, while Moda, Sabine, and Venus should be checked on the listing before a hot oven. The porcelain Simi bowls are microwave, oven, and dishwasher safe. Let pieces cool toward room temperature before microwaving, and dry the unglazed foot before stacking so moisture does not sit at the base.

The stoneware care guide covers long term handling, and the microwave safe dinnerware guide explains which pieces take heat without issue.

Contemporary Material and Care at a Glance

Contemporary Dinnerware at a Glance

Contemporary Dinnerware FAQs

Q: Is the Contemporary Collection Stoneware or Porcelain?

Mostly stoneware, with a few porcelain pieces. Moda, Venus, Sabine, Playa, and Starry are stoneware; the Simi bowls and soup plates are porcelain for a lighter, crisper feel.

Q: Are Contemporary Pieces Microwave and Dishwasher Safe?

Yes for everyday microwave and dishwasher use across the stoneware line. Playa and Starry are also rated oven safe; for Moda, Sabine, and Venus, oven safety varies by piece, so check the product page. The porcelain Simi bowls are microwave, oven, and dishwasher safe.

Q: What Is Included in a Contemporary Dinnerware Set?

It depends on the series. The Moda 16 piece set serves four with 10.6 inch dinner plates, 8.2 inch salad plates, 6.6 inch bowls, and 12oz mugs. The Playa 24 piece set serves six with 10.25 inch dinner plates, 8.25 inch dessert plates, 8.15 inch soup plates, and 5.8 inch bowls. The Sabine 16 piece set serves four with dinner plates, salad plates, pasta bowls, and cereal bowls, and the Venus 12 piece set serves four with dinner plates, dessert plates, and bowls.

Q: Can I Mix Contemporary With Other vancasso Patterns?

Yes. The contemporary group shares the stoneware body and the calm, modern mood of the matte and farmhouse lines, so mixing course by course reads as one table rather than two. The reactive glaze pieces add just enough variation to keep it interesting.

Q: Does the Reactive Glaze Color Wear Off?

No. On Playa and Starry the color shifts in the kiln and sits under a durable gloss glaze, so it will not rub off the way a surface print would.