The two words that come to mind when I look at my new set of Dinnerware is Beautiful and Classy. While I did find some imperfections, I feel it lends to the authenticity of the Italian Look and Feel. We used dinnerware such as this in so many Trattoria's' and Cafe's. The gloss is high and they are quite heavy which for us doesn't matter but for young children I would say stick with Melamine. My husband and I hand wash our dishes so I can't honestly say how they would hold up in a dishwasher but to me I feel they would be fine. The "tiles" that go around the edges are very true to the website colors but I found that the brown of the inner part of the plates, bowls and mugs are a bit lighter which is fine. I do highly recommend these not only for everyday use , but for holidays and to give as a gift.