Table Style for a Wintery Welcome

Having recovered from the recent festivities, the focus shifts to a new year and to catching up with friends and family who perhaps were overlooked during the busy advent season.

Just as we layer our clothes to create impact, a table can likewise be dressed. Start with a plain linen cloth in a jewel tone, beautifully soft and durable but unlikely to detract from the other components. Look to nature to inspire your centrepiece - the garden may not be as bountiful at this time of year but it still has gifts to bestow. Ivy, moss, eucalyptus, hellebores, skimmia and early daphne and viburnum bodnantense can all add some interest to the table, ideally in a low profile arrangement so that guests can easily converse.

Consider repurposing household items (we used lovely espresso cups for our candle holders, read our guide here) and let your creativity flow, so weave, tangle or pin seasonal greenery and flower heads and embellish with some twinkly fairy lights to add a sense of magical occasion.

Place your ceramics, cutlery and sparkling glasses around the centrepiece, which will anchor the design so keep a colour theme throughout in order to achieve a cohesive setting. We’ve used a mix of beautiful Sthal tableware, where the attractive nature of the glazed finish gives an impression of shifting tones, adding variations of colour and texture to the table. Allow space for the all important candles, ready to light as your guests arrive, smiling in delight at the effort you have made…