BELLA ITALIA

T. Opdyke III (ENLARGE)

Serving pieces stand in a bowl of rice in front of ceramics. The original artwork is also for sale.

T. Opdyke III/Special (ENLARGE)

Ceramic plates from Bella Italia show off a range of patterns and colors.

T. Opdyke III/Special (ENLARGE)

The store stocks a selection of Italian linens, including tablecloths, place mats and towels.

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• Where: 1403 Highland Ave., Atlanta
• Hours: 11 a.m.-7 p.m. Tuesday-Friday; 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Saturday; 1-5 p.m. Sunday
•Phone: 404-249-6688
• Web site: http://www.bella-italia-atlanta.com

Step out of the Atlanta sun and into the shade of a Tuscan porch, where the table is laid for a feast with imported ceramics from the popular region in Italy.

Cathy Walls and Steve Anthony, the married owners of Bella Italia in Virginia-Highland, have captured a bit of that country's warmth in a store with wood floors, warm amber walls and the vivid colors of dishware and linen as only the Italians can create.

"Italian pottery has always been my weakness," admits owner Walls. "The way they make it, it's just so beautiful. We love to travel there, and every time we'd bring something home, our friends would say, 'I want one of those,' or 'Bring me back this next time you go.' So about two years ago, we turned that into a business."

WHAT YOU'LL FIND

The display tables and shelves are stocked with every imaginable dish for dining. They start as small finger bowls and salad plates and grow into soup bowls, serving dishes, platters and soup tureens. Jugs, mugs, relish dishes, salt and pepper shakers, butter dishes, lemon keepers, olive oil bottles, bottle stoppers, candlesticks and wine stoppers come in colorful patterns of vivid yellows, blues, golds and reds.

There's also a smattering of high-quality Bussatti linens, including tablecloths, place mats, aprons, bath towels and napkins. The artworks on the wall, many depicting Tuscan scenery, and unframed prints are also for sale.

Prices range from $9 for a ceramic-topped wine stopper to more than $500.

BEST-SELLERS

The perennial best-sellers come from the Deruta Majolica collection. Each glazed ceramic piece is hand-painted (and best hand-washed to keep it from fading). A line of dishes with a bright red poppy design are another favorite.

Other top items come from the gift category: a spout for an olive oil bottle, a package of gourmet pasta or a jar of vanilla jelly from the assorted imported foods.

FUN FACT

Check out the framed photo of the soda fountain and drugstore. The handsome dude on the left is Anthony's grandfather, who met his wife on the ship coming from Genoa, Italy, to America.

TRENDS

Things don't vary much in the world of classic craftsman, said Walls. Buyers enjoy adding to their collection of ceramics and like that many of the patterns remain the same each year. They're also fond of picking up colorful individual pieces.