IMHO designers need to lead ... if they come up with well thought out designs which are practical the public will buy....eventually.
In the short term the buying public are too easily swayed by decoration and fashion. They only learn functional shortcommings after purchase and use. It's the designers job to think about that before hand.
But...............
More ideas are needed!!
OK then I vote :
Serving dishes...in a variety of shapes according to use (ie oblongish for Lasagne, Spanakopita, round for Cauli Cheese etc. etc)
General attributes
a) Oven, Microwave, Freezer, Dishwasher proof .
b) No sharp edges or corners
c) Textured externally but with texture disappearing towards the rim of serving dishes so that spills over the edge don't get stuck in the grooves.
OR internal desings with glass fiber
d) Vented, slotted lids for excess steam and stay-put draining
e) Knobbled insert trays for microwave steaming
f) Clear glass - They will transmit whatever color is beneath. Want white ? use white tablecloth or place mats (US coasters). Want black ? - use black rubber (Max control yourself)
Dining Service 1)Oval (rounded oblong) rimless plates with a shallow even gradient towards a sous-plateau centre so that gravy and sauces stay where they are supposed to.
2) Medium sized shallow bowls for stir-fry's and pastas
(about the size of Leni's Denby)
3) Slim Salad "trays" to lie along the top of the plate so that salad takes a central place on the table and in the diet. These can double as corn-on-cob dishes and whole trout platters.
4) Pear dishes large enough for large Avo's and large poached pears
with shaped base for smaller pears.
5) Lidded & handled soup bowls for mircowave warming - no messey geysers caked to microwave walls.
6) Shallow desert dishes to make portions look more generous but deep enough to double for individually baked lasagnas, pies, puddings etc.
7) Sectioned TV supper trays to slot into wooden lap tray.....Lidded for "your dinner's in the microwave" re-heats.
Just shorter than pencil pot size containers for Cruditees Jardineres. The pieces stand upright.
9) Rim level handles for style, ease of carrying and ease of molding.
Thumb & finger depessions above and below for gripability.
No huge salad bowls
- Too space hungry
- large leaf salads and tossing = yesteryear
Small leaves are in and drizzle is the new toss
Instead (if you must) a Chunky Salad Tower (smaller footprint) with grabber tongs for extracting desired pieces to be drizzled en assiette. Can double as chip (UK crisps) tower for chips n dips.
Stackable dip dishes and other larger containers with plastic lids for immediate return to fridge. Less washing up = ecofriendly.
Inverse Stackability
? Use wire plate separators !
Just a few thoughts.......................