This Genius Stack Goes From Decor to Plate Set, and Back — And It's on Sale at Saks

Modular design meets table settings in a 1970s design known as 'La Boule'

globe-shaped stacked bowls and plates
This spherical decoration opens up into seven pieces featuring two serving bowls, two pasta bowls, two plates, and a singular serving dish.
(Image credit: Saks)

Isn't it just great when purposeful home products are also chic and stylish? I, for one, am enchanted by decor that does its job and isn't an eyesore. So when I came across this stylish modular dinner set from Saks, I instantly needed to know more. At first glance, it's just a decorative sphere. Very nice, yes, but that's not all. Would you believe me if I told you it's also a set of seven serving plates and bowls stacked together and disguised to form a sphere? Yes, I know, right.

Initially created by German designer Helen von Boch for ceramic manufacturer Villeroy & Boch in the 1970s, this design, known as 'La Boule', reimagines dinnerware as eye-catching statement decor that is perfectly crafted to stack together after use. It's the table-setting version of modular design; the Russian tea dolls of dinnerware. When it comes to the best dinnerware sets, I just don't think you can do better.

Functional, stylish, and multi-purpose. Romantic dinner for two? Unstack the sphere to set the table. Solo night? Use the top bowl for your takeout. And when you're done, simply re-stack the design and let it transform back into a chic decorative object. Win-win.

Both dishwasher and microwave safe, La Boule is just like your average bowls and plates, but so much cooler. Of course, I'm loving the attractive style and functionality, but I just can't get over how perfect this set would be for anyone living in a small space — you get both artistic decor and practical tableware all in one compact sphere. It's a small kitchen decor idea that'll help you save space and add style.

Below, discover three other styles of La Boule from Saks — all of which happen to be on sale right now. Don't walk, run!

These practical and modern designs are such a great way to add some style to your kitchen or dining room, both as a stacked decoration or unstacked plates and bowls. All that you need to do now is work out how to set a table that not only features these dishes, but cutlery, linens, and glassware, too.

Devin Toolen
Style Editor

Devin is a New York-based Style Editor for Livingetc who is keen on all aspects of personal style. From a young age, she was drawn to the design world, whether that was taking sewing classes in her hometown, or flipping through the pages of her mother’s interior design magazines. She spent hours on end watching HGTV home improvement and design programs, often sharing her opinions as if the TV could hear her.

After graduating from Villanova University with a BA in Communication and Spanish Language Studies, Devin moved to Paris, France to pursue her Master’s Degree in Fashion Studies at Parsons. It was here she refined her love for style in every sense of the word. While there to study fashion, living in Paris allowed Devin to fall in love with interior style. She grew fond of the city’s mix of both classic and contemporary designs that felt intentional and personal.

After moving back to the United States, Devin worked at Tom Ford and later Cosmopolitan Magazine. She loves sharing design choices with her readers, from explaining how to incorporate trends into interior spaces to sourcing the best products for your home. Devin believes style should be inclusive, exciting, and at its core, fun