I love the William Sonoma open kitchen line of stuff. Lots of options, moderately priced last I checked. But we use the handled platters a lot! And have had them for years. More on reddit.com

A few options: You can sometimes find high-end brands for discounted prices in stores like TJ Maxx, Marshalls, etc. Do you have local farmers' markets or craft fairs? Sometimes you can find some really cool unique cutting boards and ceramic serving plates and support a local artist. Is there a small family-owned kitchen store near you? I used to work at a store like that which basically had all the same stuff as Williams-Sonoma and other similar high-end retailers, but your consumer dollars would go toward a local family rather than a big company. If none of the above options seem likely to yield what you're looking for, then you'll definitely find those sorts of things at Williams-Sonoma or Sur La Table. I personally DON'T recommend cheese boards that come with a build-in drawer for the knives. They're clunky, not as versatile, and can be a pain to clean. But that's just personal preference. In addition to a basic nice cutting board and cheese knives, it's nice to have some small bowls and little spoons for jams, olives, nuts, etc. In terms of colors/patterns/materials for bowls and other accessories, just look around at the types of dishes you already have that your wife likes and maybe try to find stuff that complements them. For bigger serving plates, you can't go wrong with classic white oval or rectangular plates. More on reddit.com

My MiL does family parties all the time, and her go-to bill of fare is as follows: a board of charcuterie with cheeses, cured meats, crackers, pate/jams, baguette a veggie tray with dip (and/or hummus) a fruit plate a crock pot full of soup/stew/chili/casserole a dessert plate (tarts, squares,cookies, etc.) More on reddit.com

I don't know where you are based, but if it's in the US and you are on a budget, go to HomeGoods. They have an array of interesting dishware that is unique, yet modern. If you want something beautiful and handmade check out Jono Pandolfi or Felt+Fat. Other options would be East Fork Pottery, World Market, or West Elm and the like. Etsy also has a lot of great options and smaller artisans. More on reddit.com