Meet Amy Burstyn Fritz and Sarah Pecaut, Sisters and Founders of Misette

We’ll be the first to remind you about the importance of gathering, but if you need another gentle nudge of convincing, the founders of dinnerware and decor brand Misette will gladly tell you. Misette founders Amy Burstyn Fritz and Sarah Pecaut have alot in common — they are sisters, business partners, and they both appreciate a well-thought-out (and beautifully designed) tablescape. It’s no surprise to us that they’re the brains behind Misette.

We’re excited to share our conversation below with Amy and Sarah. In it, you’ll find more about the art of hosting, tablescape-making, and the history behind the colorful brand Misette.

(Caveat: We take no responsibility for the number of things you will be saving to your shopping cart after reading this interview.)

Hi Amy and Sarah! Tell us about yourselves and how Misette got started.

AMY: My sister Sarah and I both have an events background (she’s the head of events at The Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York, while I have my party-planning agency in Toronto). So during the pandemic, we were inspired to bring the curation and care of big-scale events into homes. We wanted to help make ordinary everyday meals feel special, and tableware is a great way to do that — and so in May 2021, we brought Misette to life! 

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What does setting the table and gathering mean to you?

Growing up, our grandmother told us the highest compliment bestowed upon any host would be about their beautifully set table, and it really stayed with us. There’s also something special about sitting down together for a meal. It’s a time to connect, unwind, catch up, and make memories — and we believe in setting the scene for these moments.

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Do you have a favorite piece that you carry?

SARAH: I’m quite partial to our Primary dinnerware. The collection is inspired by Modern Art greats (such as Dali and Miró), and I feel like they could belong in an art museum. With hand-painted designs and a bright primary palette, the plates add an instant splash of color (and joy) to the table. 

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AMY: Linen napkins are such an elegant touch for any tablescape, and I think the ones we’ve designed elevate any meal. They instantly deliver style and playfulness to the table with their pop of color. You can pick a single hue for every setting or, as I say, have some fun and mix and match. We’ve actually coordinated the color palette of the linens from this particular Colorblock collection to work together seamlessly.

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Do you have any hosting tips or tricks that our readers could learn from?

• Dim the room lighting and light tapered candlesticks to create a nice ambiance. We like to set candlesticks in small clusters so there are still gaps for clear sight lines across the table.
• Lately, we've been really into placing folded linen napkins in the center of the dinner plate with a little flower or sprig of greenery on top.
• Take care of the little details. For example, if you're using a tablecloth, arrange your chairs so that the tablecloth just skips the edge of the seat — you don't want your chairs tucked all the way in. 
• Decant your wine in advance, and place it on the table. It’ll double as a decor piece and also tastes better!

What drives your creative spark?

Pretty much anything, from our day-to-day lives or on our travels. But we particularly get a lot of inspiration from the art world. While our Line Drawing collection draws from Picasso’s sketch drawings, our latest collection, Primary, in collaboration with Moda Operandi, we specifically leaned on the works of artists like Dali, Calder, Miró, and Mondrian. We work closely with our product designer Leslie Hamilton to create these artistic dinnerware collections and decor you’re proud to take out of the hutch and show off on your table.

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What can we expect from Misette in 2023?

We just launched our spring collection called Fête that centers around celebration with hand-painted fruits and veggies. The design is artful and inspired by Parisian picnics and charming dinner parties — a love letter to good times together.

^{Photo Credit: (Top Right) Misette; (Center Left) Sarah Van Liefde}