Add A Gracious Decorating Touch With An Attractive Water Pitchers Before households had running water, lovely hand painted and glass water pitchers graced every dinner table. No one ran out to draw water in the midst of a meal. These pitchers added a gracious touch in less than modern times. Bedrooms were also equipped with a water pitcher and bowl, so that you could wash your face upon arising. I can't say if the water was fetched and delivered by the maid, as you've seen in the old movies. I think, as often as not, it was Mother. Nonetheless, these functional and necessary home items were usually decorated ceramic pitchers and a basin in matched sets. In this day of running water, these pitchers are no longer necessary – you can just fill your glass at the sink. However, nostalgia has its place and you can dress up your dinner table with this simple device. When I was a kid, our family used to frequent an Italian restaurant in San Francisco's North Beach district. This was one of my favorite outings. The tableware was strictly Italian, as was the food and service. I'm not sure why, but the large, hand painted Italian styled water pitcher fascinated me. I couldn't wait for the waiter to bring it and set it down next to the bread, always generally in the middle of the table. Perhaps it was the swirly floral designs with vines spiraling around the pitcher's handle. Each water pitcher had a different design, always brightly colored. The container made me want to drink water! So, from a kid's perspective, the customary pitcher was a special part of dining Italian. I've since collected more water pitchers than one should have, according to my husband, anyway. However, I'm never caught short on a pitcher to match the occasion, perfectly. You can find these at the most unlikely places. Antique shops are a good place to look, as they usually have one of a kind gems. Flea markets, yard sales and online auctions like eBay are other good sources. Colored glass water pitchers are good for everyday use and can be picked up at ordinary discount stores. You'll have to look further afield for majolica pitchers, but well worth the search. When not using your pitchers to serve water, they also double admirably as flower vases to hold both fresh and dried bouquets. For keeping the kids supplied with water, the handy, utilitarian plastic pitcher in the frig does the job. In fact, it's not a great idea to put your fancy glass or ceramic pitchers in the frig, as kids and husbands rustling through the frig can break your prize pitchers. For whatever reason – romance, nostalgia or just making a soup and salad meal a little more classy - add some charm to the dinner table with the simple addition of a water pitcher. Summary Attractive water pitchers just add a touch of elegance to a dining room table. You can find antique pitchers online or in your local antique shop. The need for water pitchers does not really exist anymore in modern times, but having a unique pitcher on the table creates an air of nostalgia and make the meal better somehow. Related Articles Ceramic Bread Box Spice Rack Cookie Jars Related Sites