Inconsistent cutlery and crockery etc

Lots of posters here have mixed pots and pans for different tasks - I've got four or five brands floating around in my cabinets that I can think of off the top of my head. As long as your stuff is in good repair, or has a happily used look, I think it's a non-issue. Your goal as host is to make your guests feel comfortable and enjoy their time with you. Do that and no one will care.

If it's bothering the heck out of you, you can give yourself a great look without highlighting your differing equipment. Consider a drawer for your knives.

http://www.williams-sonoma.com/products/customizable-mahogany-drawer-storage-tray/?pkey=ckitchen-organization|deckitdrw

And there are lots of decent, inexpensive pieces that can give you consistency -- you can pick up a basic white $30 dish set from ikea. Their flatware is dirt cheap too if it runs to your taste. And restaurant supply stores have very good and reasonably priced pots and pans, so another good option if you need consistency in look, but also want some quality.

As long as you stay away from German enamel cookware (don't remember brand) you should be fine.

Personally I prefer differing styles in cookware and distrust any cook who has everything matching and too clean. One of the best cooks I know gets everything thrifted, nothing matches save a couple of Chantal frypans.

I think it's alright, except you either have 1 of one kind, enough different but similarly themed pieces for a service, or 4 or 5 pieces or so of the same exact thing, table-wise. In the kitchen, who cares? Pots and pans don't come to the table.

I feel that kitchenware shouldn't be bought in sets, uniformity in cutlery, china etc. gives off that OCD vibe and might make your home feel a bit clinical and industrial for your visiting guests. Just keep thrifting and going to garage sales, you will find a lot of items sold in sets.

Chopsticks on the other hand should be consistent, it will be a pain in the ass to match them up every time you decide to use them.

Matching cutlery and china is OCD? I agree that its funny to have all matching cookware (unless you are just starting and bought one of those gigantic sets where you won't use half of it) but plates and knives? How many adults who are not living in their first or second apartment don't actually have enough matching plates/knives/forks/glasses/etc that they could not have matching place settings for a dinner for 4?

To the OP, I have had really good luck with slickdeals for cutlery. Seems like there are deals on Oneida sets pretty frequently and $35 or whatever isn't really much to spend on full service for 8...

China and cutlery should at the very least compliment each other.

I'd rather (and I'm doing it) get one set of cutlery and crockery, even if it's not "the one"... Go for a discount set.

If I opened someone's drawer, and saw this: I would considered that to be slightly OCD. edit: but then again, I live with two chefs. So my idea of a kitchen is warped.

But that's not cutlery...that is a matched knife set (and probably not OCD just $$$ with zero actual interest in cooking).

I still don't think there is anything OCD about having 8 matching knives/forks/spoons/plates/glasses

I think that would be considered sliverware/flatware and not cutlery. Cutlery being your cutting knives and such. I can't imagine people have 3 or 4 different patterns of spoons and forks.

Looks like I meant silverware/flatwear too

Looks like the US or some parts of it would only use cutlery for knives but in general it is your silverware.

I actually ate in a restaurant once that used mismatched and varying styles and patterns of cutlery (tableware) and dishes. It worked for them. It was done in an artistic way and fit the personality of the place.

If I tried to do that, everyone would assume I was in serious need of medical attention.