Inspirational ideas for setting the table this season, selected by Amelia Thorpe.
Crafted Christmas
‘Every scrap of fabric and leftover tin of paint is an opportunity for decoration,’ says Annie Sloan, who suggests painting napkin rings, dishes and more using her signature Chalk Paint, from £6.95 for 120ml, and combining them with napkins and placemats made in Graphite Ticking, £34.95m.
01865 770061; www.anniesloan.co.uk
Mix and match
Shown here in Russet Red, these Bobbin candlesticks, from £30 each, are also available in five other colours, so you can create a mix-and-match look to suit your tablescape, from Birdie Fortescue.
01328 851651; www.birdiefortescue.co.uk
Handmade elegance
Hand-painted porcelain plates grace the table —these Foret Bird dinner plates, £1,050 for a set of six, are crafted by Herend as an imaginative take on the classic Rothschild Bird pattern, from Bonadea.
020–8088 2009; www.bonadea.com
Dress to impress
The Suhana tablecloth, £85, is block printed on unbleached pure cotton, traditionally made by artisans in India and available from Faro Home.
www.farohome.com
Statement salad
‘Who said salad had to be boring?’ asks the team at ceramic tableware specialist Hot Pottery, of their statement Pistachio salad bowl, £45, handmade and painted in Puglia, Italy, from where the distinctive splatter design originates.
www.hotpottery.co.uk
Smart set
Classic in shape, but bold in colour, this Reds 12-piece cutlery set, £130, is made of four placements, combining knife, fork and spoon in burgundy, red, yellow and pink, from Matilda Goad & Co.
www.matildagoad.com
Festive charm
These pretty porcelain Castleton ceramic houses, from £10 each at Neptune, are designed to sit over a tealight, so that their cut-out windows glow with festive warmth.
01793 934011; www.neptune.com
Classic reinvention
William Morris’s classic Bachelor’s Button design has been reimagined by Ben Pentreath in glorious new colourways, shown here as a Leaf Green & Sky napkin, £30, from Pentreath & Hall.
020–7430 2526; www.pentreath-hall.com
Portable light
The Amelia rechargeable table lamp in Antique Silver, £120, has a battery life of at least 10 hours, ideal for lighting the dining table—with no need for a trailing cable to a faraway socket. Shown here with a 20cm (8in) empire shade in Verdant Arrows, £40, from Pooky.
020–7351 3003; www.pooky.com
Hand printed
These hand-printed Christmas Robin cotton napkins, £42 for a set of six, are by artist Lottie Day, inspired by the birds that visit her parents’ garden in Norfolk, from Rhubarb & Hare.
www.rhubarbandhare.co.uk
Festive fare
Dress the table in style: Gold Beaded Shell decorations, £12 each, Vintage-style Glass dinner plate in Soft Pink, £19 each, Rose Tint wine glasses, £43 set of four, Khaki Stripe paper napkins, £5 set of 16, all Rockett St George.
01444 253391; www.rockettstgeorge.co.uk
Tangerine touch
Finished with a hand-embroidered border, these Orange Scallop napkins, £55 for a set of four, are made of crisp 100% cotton, from Sophie Conran.
0333 240 1228; www.sophieconran.com
Focal point
This Tall hand-engraved Hurricane vase, £59, makes an elegant table centrepiece when filled with long-stemmed flowers or a pretty candle, from Susie Watson Designs.
0344 980 8185; www.susiewatsondesigns.co.uk
Creative joy
Deck the table in the Zig Zag Stripe tablecloth, from £195, and Chequerboard napkins, £45 set of two, woven in Lancashire and produced as a creative collaboration between Cath Kidston of Joy of Print and textile designer Tori Murphy.
01773 711128; www.torimurphy.com
Pretty plate
This Scallop Round platter in Pink, £110, is handmade and hand painted in Vietri, Italy, and available from Wicklewood.
020–7460 6493; www.wicklewood.com
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