Salatskåle

A salad bowl needs to do more than just hold leaves and dressing. At Dims Studio you'll find hand-painted salad bowls in ceramic, stoneware, dolomite and porcelain, shaped like everything from oysters and clams to lemons, strawberries and crabs. The bowls come in several sizes, from small bowls for dips and sides to large salad bowls that can take centre stage on the table for dinner. Here's a guide to types, materials, sizes and brands, so you can find the salad bowl that suits your kitchen and your table.

Types of salad bowls: find the right motif

The range of salad bowls at Dims Studio is built around figurative shapes and nature motifs. Below you'll find the recurring types, so you can quickly spot the bowl that matches your tableware.

Bowls shaped like fish and shellfish

The largest group in the range is bowls shaped like seafood. You'll find oyster bowls in several sizes from Caja Company, including a series in Ø8, Ø14, Ø20 and Ø25 cm, plus an oyster bowl from &Klevering. There are also clam bowls in both ceramic and porcelain from &Klevering, a deep crab bowl and a small Moules bowl from Anna + Nina, and fish-shaped canapé bowls in lime, blue and red from Caja Company. Bowls with a seafood motif are a natural match for serving seafood, tapas or dips, but they also work perfectly well as a salad bowl if you like a clear theme on the table.

Bowls shaped like fruit and vegetables

Another large group is bowls shaped like fruit and vegetables. Here you'll find strawberry bowls, lemon bowls in several sizes, a garlic bowl, an onion bowl and an olive bowl, all in ceramic from Caja Company. This type of bowl is a natural fit for a fresh salad with seasonal vegetables, or as a fun detail when you serve the very fruit or vegetable the bowl is shaped like.

Bowls with flower and leaf motifs

If you want a softer look, the flower bowls are a good place to start. Rice has a small flower bowl in several colours, including pink, yellow, orange, blue, light green and purple, and Caja Company has a bowl shaped like a vine leaf as well as a hydrangea bowl in blue and pink. Flower bowls suit a light summer salad well, or as a serving bowl for fruit and berries.

Round stoneware bowls with no figurative motif

If you prefer a more classic shape, we also have round stoneware bowls with no figurative motif. The Nini bowl from Bloomingville comes both as a small bowl and as a stoneware bowl, the Shakti bowl from Creative Collection is a large stoneware bowl, and the Limone bowl, also from Creative Collection, is a large stoneware bowl with a lemon motif in the glaze. These bowls are great all-rounders, suiting everything from a large mixed salad to pasta or rice.

Chip and popcorn bowls for serving

If the salad bowl needs to do more than hold salad, we have two bowls designed for snacks: a chip bowl and a popcorn bowl, both in ceramic from Bloomingville. They're large enough for a salad for two to four people and work just as well for a cosy night on the sofa.

Types compared

Type	Look	Suits well for	Examples in the range
Fish and shellfish	Playful and themed	Seafood nights, tapas, dips	Oyster bowl, clam bowl, crab bowl, canapé bowls
Fruit and vegetables	Colourful and everyday	Fresh salad, serving the matching produce	Strawberry bowl, lemon bowl, garlic bowl, onion bowl
Flowers and leaves	Soft and feminine	Summer salad, fruit and berries	Small flower bowl, vine leaf bowl, hydrangea bowl
Round stoneware bowls	Classic and versatile	Large salad, pasta, rice	Nini, Shakti, Limone
Snack bowls	Practical and roomy	Chips, popcorn, snacks	Chip bowl, popcorn bowl

Materials: ceramic, stoneware, dolomite and porcelain

The material affects both look and durability. Most salad bowls at Dims Studio are hand-painted, which means colour and pattern vary slightly from bowl to bowl, since no brushstroke is ever quite the same.

Ceramic

Most of the salad bowls in the range are made in ceramic, including the entire series from Caja Company and the bowls from Rice and Anna + Nina. Ceramic is a solid, versatile material suited to everyday use at the table. Hand-painted ceramic often has a slightly uneven surface and a hint of brushwork, which is part of the handmade look rather than a flaw.

Stoneware

Stoneware is fired at a higher temperature than ordinary ceramic, making the bowls more resistant to everyday use. The Nini bowl from Bloomingville, and the Shakti and Limone bowls from Creative Collection, are all made in stoneware. Choose stoneware if the salad bowl will see frequent use, or if you want a bowl that can go straight on the table without a mat underneath.

Dolomite

The walnut bowl from &Klevering is made in dolomite, a mineral-rich clay that, like stoneware, gives a sturdy, heavy bowl. Dolomite typically has a matte, earthy surface that suits a simple, natural look on the table.

Porcelain

The clam bowl from &Klevering also comes in a porcelain version. Porcelain is finer and more delicate than ceramic and stoneware, but has a smooth, light surface that suits serving smaller amounts, such as dips or a few pieces of shellfish.

How to care for your salad bowl

• Hand wash hand-painted bowls to protect the glaze and keep the colours looking their best.
• Avoid sudden changes in temperature, such as pouring boiling liquid into a cold bowl, as this can crack the glaze.
• Do not put bowls with metal decoration or brass details in the microwave.
• Let the bowl dry completely before stacking it with other tableware, so the glaze doesn't get scratched.

Materials compared

Material	Look	Durability	Examples in the range
Ceramic	Hand-painted and varied	Good for everyday use	Caja Company, Rice, Anna + Nina
Stoneware	Classic and sturdy	Very sturdy	Bloomingville, Creative Collection
Dolomite	Matte and earthy	Sturdy and heavy	&Klevering
Porcelain	Smooth and fine	Needs careful handling	&Klevering

Salad bowls for the kitchen, the dinner table and serving guests

Where and how the bowl will be used matters for which size and shape you should choose.

Everyday salad in the kitchen

For the everyday salad you make for yourself or your family, a medium-sized ceramic bowl is often the most practical choice. A bowl like Nini from Bloomingville, or one of the smaller lemon bowls from Caja Company, is easy to toss the salad in without spilling, and won't take up too much space in the cupboard.

Serving at the dinner table

If the salad is being served at a dinner table with guests, a larger bowl with a clear look is a good choice. The Shakti or Limone bowl from Creative Collection is large enough for several people, and a bowl with a seafood motif, such as one of the oyster bowls from Caja Company, also adds a festive theme if the menu features fish or shellfish.

Tapas and snacks

For tapas, snacks and small starters, the smaller bowls are a natural choice. The fish-shaped canapé bowls, the small strawberry and garlic bowls, and the crab bowls from Caja Company can all be set out at once, so guests can taste their way through different dishes. See also our serving bowls for inspiration for the rest of the table.

Gifts and home decor

A hand-painted salad bowl also makes an obvious gift, because it's both useful and decorative. Bowls with a clear motif, like the clam bowl or the flower bowl from Rice, also work as a decorative touch on a shelf or kitchen counter when not in use.

Group bowls together around a theme

Several of the bowls in the range work well combined. If you're planning a seafood night, set out the large Ø25 cm oyster bowl as the centrepiece and fill in around it with the smaller fish-shaped canapé bowls and the deep crab bowl. Likewise, the lemon bowls in several sizes from Caja Company can be stacked inside each other on the shelf when not in use, so they also work as a small decorative arrangement in the kitchen. If you have a colourful ceramic vase or a platter in the same colour family, it ties the table together even more.

Sizes: from small bowl to large serving bowl

Salad bowls from Dims Studio range from small bowls under 10 cm in diameter to large serving bowls that can hold a whole salad for several people. Measurements and variant names are always listed under each bowl.

Small bowl

The small bowls, such as the smallest Ø8 cm oyster bowls from Caja Company or the small flower bowl from Rice, are suited to dip, dressing, snacks or a small salad portion for one person.

Medium bowl

The medium size, such as the Ø14 cm oyster bowl or the Nini bowl from Bloomingville, is well suited to a regular salad portion for two people or as a side bowl at the table.

Large bowl

The large bowls, such as Shakti, Limone and the largest Ø20 and Ø25 cm oyster bowls, are meant to take centre stage on the table when the salad is shared between several people. The chip and popcorn bowls from Bloomingville also belong among the large, roomy bowls.

Sizes compared

Size	Typical use	Number of people
Small	Dip, dressing, snacks	1
Medium	Everyday salad, side	1 to 2
Large	Serving at the table, chips, popcorn	3 and more

Brands behind the salad bowls

The range brings together several brands, each with its own look. Here are the names you'll come across among the salad bowls.

Caja Company

Caja Company is behind the largest part of the range, with hand-painted, often Italian-inspired ceramic in figurative shapes like oyster, lemon, strawberry, crab and garlic. What the bowls have in common is the hand-painted look, where each bowl varies slightly in colour and pattern.

&Klevering

&Klevering makes bowls with a sea theme, including oyster and clam bowls in ceramic, dolomite and porcelain. The brand has a simple, nature-inspired design language.

Bloomingville

From Bloomingville you'll find both classic stoneware bowls like Nini and the more practical chip and popcorn bowls. The brand combines a calm, Scandinavian look with everyday function.

Creative Collection

Creative Collection, part of the Bloomingville house, is behind the Shakti and Limone bowls in stoneware, two large, sturdy serving bowls.

Rice

Rice is known for colourful ceramics, and the small flower bowl comes in a wide range of cheerful colours, from pink and yellow to blue and purple.

Anna + Nina and Doing Goods

Anna + Nina contributes a small Moules bowl in ceramic, while Doing Goods has a flower bowl in brass, which stands out from the rest by being metal rather than ceramic or stoneware.

Which salad bowl should you choose? Our recommendations

Situation	Our recommendation
Everyday salad for one or two	A medium ceramic bowl, e.g. Nini from Bloomingville or a lemon bowl from Caja Company
Dinner with guests	A large stoneware bowl like Shakti or Limone, or a large oyster bowl from Caja Company
Tapas and seafood night	Several small bowls with a seafood motif, e.g. clam and crab bowls
Chips or popcorn for a cosy night in	The chip or popcorn bowl from Bloomingville
Needs to handle everyday use	A bowl in stoneware or dolomite rather than fine porcelain
Gift for someone who loves kitchen things	A hand-painted bowl with a clear motif, e.g. the strawberry or lemon bowl

Frequently asked questions about salad bowls

What size salad bowl should I choose?

It depends on how many people you are. A small or medium bowl suits a portion for one or two people, while a large bowl like Shakti or Limone is meant to be shared between several people at the table.

Can the salad bowl be used for anything other than salad?

Yes. The deep bowls also work well for other serving at the table, such as sides, dips, fruit or snacks like chips and popcorn.

Are all the bowls identical, since they're hand-painted?

No. Each bowl has small variations in colour and pattern because it's painted by hand. That's part of the handmade look, and it means no two bowls are ever quite the same.

Which brands do you carry salad bowls from?

We carry hand-painted ceramic and stoneware from, among others, Caja Company, &Klevering, Bloomingville, Creative Collection, Rice, Anna + Nina and Doing Goods.

Can the salad bowl go in the dishwasher?

Hand washing is recommended for hand-painted bowls to protect the glaze and keep the colours looking their best over time.

Can you put the salad bowl in the microwave?

Bowls with metal decoration or brass details should not go in the microwave. Plain ceramic and stoneware bowls without metal typically handle it better, but always check the description for the individual bowl.

Why are some salad bowls shaped like oysters or clams?

The shape is part of the playful, figurative look that runs through many of Dims Studio's bowls. Bowls with a seafood motif were originally intended for serving that exact type of seafood, but are used just as often for salad and other dishes.

What's the difference between ceramic and stoneware?

Ceramic is a broader term for pottery, while stoneware is a more densely fired, more durable type of ceramic. Stoneware generally handles everyday use better, while hand-painted ceramic often has a more varied, artistic look.

Does a colourful salad bowl suit every kitchen?

Yes, a single colourful bowl can work as an eye-catcher in an otherwise neutral kitchen, while several bowls in the same colour family give a more cohesive look. See also our ceramic bowls for more colours and shapes.

Can the salad bowl be used as decoration when not in use?

Yes, many of the bowls, especially those with a clear motif like flowers or fruit, work well as decoration on a shelf or kitchen counter between meals.

How many bowls do I need if I want to serve several dishes at once?

If you're setting out several small dishes, for example for tapas, it's a good idea to have several smaller bowls in different motifs, like the canapé bowls or the small garlic and strawberry bowls. See also our serving platters to gather the bowls on.

Where can you buy salad bowls?

You can buy salad bowls online at Dims Studio, where you'll find hand-painted bowls in ceramic, stoneware, dolomite and porcelain from, among others, Caja Company, &Klevering and Bloomingville.

Can I mix several motifs on the same table?

Yes, many people deliberately mix seafood-shaped bowls with bowls shaped like fruit or flowers to get a more playful, personal table. Keep the colours within the same palette if you want a calm, cohesive look, or deliberately choose contrasting colours if you want to add more life to the table.