Kaya makes two collections, Basic and Saint-Tropez, and both are handmade in Portugal for everyday use. Basic is the quieter everyday foundation with clean, flat surfaces, while Saint-Tropez carries sculpted raised lines and a stronger Riviera character. Which one suits you depends on how much you want the tableware to be noticed.
Choose Basic for a quiet everyday foundation
The Basic range is the natural starting point if you want handmade ceramic plates that don’t ask for attention. The large plate is 25 cm and the salad plate 22 cm, both with clean lines and a flat surface, and they sit easily through breakfast, lunch and a weekday dinner.
Choose Basic if you want:
- a calm table setting
- everyday plates with handmade character
- a simpler visual expression
- the lower price point in Kaya’s range
- pieces that can be used often without feeling formal
Basic works when you want the tableware to feel considered rather than decorative.
Choose Saint-Tropez for more texture
The Saint-Tropez Collection takes its mood from the South of France, and the raised lines running across every piece are what you notice first, both by eye and in the hand. The large plate is 28 cm, slightly deeper at 4 cm, and the collection also covers pasta plates, bowls and mugs in all four colors.
Choose Saint-Tropez if you want:
- a more expressive handmade look
- sculpted raised lines and glaze character
- tableware inspired by the French Riviera
- pieces that feel generous on the table
- a collection that can carry the whole setting
Saint-Tropez suits tables where the ceramics are part of the meal rather than a surface under it.
How the collections differ
| Basic | Saint-Tropez | |
|---|---|---|
| Surface | clean, flat | sculpted raised lines |
| Large plate | 25 cm | 28 cm |
| Small plate | 22 cm | 20.5 cm |
| Range | plates | plates, pasta plates, bowls, mugs |
Both can live in the same home, with Basic as the everyday foundation and Saint-Tropez adding stronger moments through mugs, bowls or pasta plates.
Can you mix them?
Yes, as long as one element stays consistent. The simplest approach is to use Basic large plates as the base and add Saint-Tropez mugs or bowls for texture, or to keep the whole table within one color family and let the different surfaces do the work. Both collections use the same four colors, Baby Blue, Sand, Vanilla Creme and Étoupe, which makes this easier than it sounds.
Mixing works best when the table keeps a clear rhythm:
- one shared palette
- repeated shapes
- a balance between quiet pieces and expressive ones
Which should you start with?
Start with Basic if your main goal is everyday simplicity, and with Saint-Tropez if you want texture and atmosphere. If you’re building the set slowly, buy the pieces you’ll use most first, which for most homes means large plates or small plates, then add bowls, mugs or pasta plates as your habits become clearer.
Short Answer
Choose Basic for a calm handmade foundation with flat surfaces, 25 cm large plates and 22 cm salad plates. Choose Saint-Tropez for sculpted raised lines, 28 cm large plates and a wider range that includes pasta plates, bowls and mugs. The two mix well because they share the same four colors.