Every so often, a new group of design enthusiasts discovers cabbage ware, and a home-decor trend emerges. Again. Because, in fact, the foliate ceramics have been on the table for a long time, appreciated by, among others, members of the mid-20th century Palm Beach social set documented by Slim Aarons.
The style has its roots in 18th-century Europe. But it didn’t take off in the United States until the 1960s, when Dodie Thayer, known as the “pottery queen of Palm Beach,” became famous for her lettuce and cabbage ware.
The current interest in cabbage ware seems to be more than a blip on the blink-and-you-missed-it TikTok trend radar. According to Elle Decor, Pinterest searches for “cabbage ware” last year were up 250 percent from 2024. Responding to the popularity of vintage cabbage ware items, major retailers have released their own versions, like Target’s pink-and-white radicchio stoneware offerings. And cabbage-ware aficonado Tory Burch began working in 2012 with the retired Thayer on a co-branded collection, which, despite her death in 2018, lives on.
Actual cabbage is having something of a moment as well. The humble leafy green has been popping up on the menus of trendy restaurants and been declared the “vegetable of the year” by the New York Times and “chic” by Vogue. Calling cabbage (or any cruciferous vegetable, really) chic might be a stretch, but cabbage ware is undeniably charming and whimsical. And if you can set a table that sets a lighthearted mood, you’re off to a good start. Below are some of our favorite cabbage-ware pieces on 1stDibs.
