The dinner party is one of our most enduring pastimes. The act of gathering people around a table to feast and gossip has taken many elaborate forms over the centuries before culminating in the more relaxed affairs we enjoy today.
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If scrolling online has inspired you to venture into dinner party territory, a plain-coloured tablecloth, ideally white, is a good place to begin. Next, add placemats, plates, bowls, cutlery and glassware. These key components can easily be dressed up or down and are great to build confidence.
Once you’ve mastered the basics, dip into a themed affair that will soon become addictive.
Romantic
Designers Guild Maple Tree Celadon fabric, $479 (per metre); Mokum Lino mist fabric, $189 (per metre); Sabre salad servers, $129.90; Sabre bread knife, $39.90; Broste Copenhagen champagne glasses, $125 (for four); Bordallo Pinheiro Maria Flor platter, $79.90; Sthal Arabesque salad plate, $76; Thread Design tea towel, $39; Bianca Lorenne cake stand, $92; all from Allium Interiors. Vander candle plate, $89 (medium); Vander candle plate, $39 (mini); Danish candle, $4.50; Prayer candles, $19 (for 12); all from Ornament. Flower coaster, $14.99 (for four); Silver napkin rings, $27.99 (for two); Ruffle napkin, $27.99 (for two); all from H&M. Pia dining chair, $219.99 (for two), from Mocka. CC Interiors fluted dish, $19, from Maman. Leja placemat, $35 (for two), from Freedom. Tasteology dinner plate, $55.90; Tasteology side plate, $45; Diva cutlery, from $6 each; all from Father Rabbit. Smooth carafe, $360, from Monmouth Glass.Clockwise from top left: Bordallo Maria Flor Daisy centrepiece, $339.99, from Wells Trading Co; Tulip placemat, $69 (for four), from Gorman; The Mud Fairy Blooming Hearts platter, $119.19, from Anthropologie; Icon juice glass, $28.05, from Anthropologie; Zinnia side plate, $69.99 (for four), from Nood.
Channel opulence within the boundaries of your dining table with a Romantic-themed soiree. Take notes from the Rococo era and Romantic period paintings with lush florals, pinks and greens. Don’t be afraid to dive headfirst into the feminine touch of the era.
This theme is also a great excuse to practise your centrepiece skills. Try a custom floral arrangement, foraged branches and linen table runners in earthy hues.
For serveware, pink is the obvious choice. This is the moment to display those antique candle holders you’ve been hoarding for years.
Make sure guests can still see each other over the decor and consider what you’ll be serving and where.
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New Marine
Annabel Trends Seafood tablecloth, $299; Red Carnival tray, $115; Aegean tumblers, $79 (for two); Crab napkin rings, $13.90; Bison teak knife, $11; all from Allium Interiors. Red stripe side plate, $29; Red stripe dinner plate, $44; Confetti dinner plate, $49; Confetti bowl, $39; Yellow crab decor, $89; all from Kiki Bazaar. Nonna’s Grocer tomato candle, $79; Nonna’s Grocer lemon candle, $79; Les Ottomans Capri napkin and placemat set, $129; Les Ottomans lobster side plate, $169; French Country tea towel, $24.50; all from Maman. Calbert cutlery, $85; Armidale platter, $50; Armidale side plate, $30; all from Freedom. Acacia bowl, $59.99, from H&M.Clockwise from top left: Business & Pleasure Co table runner, $190.84, from The Iconic; In the Roundhouse x Superette plate, $45, from Superette; Mepra Fantasia four-piece cutlery set, $85, from Paper Plane; Porto Lido dinner set, $149.99 (12-pieces), from Farmers; Bardot champagne flute, $32.99 (for two), from Adairs.
As our summer fades, the dream of a European summer appears. We’re pitching a new marine-style dinner party, reminiscent of an endless summer.
Add some crustaceans to your table in the form of plates, napkin rings or decor. The classic coastal elements apply (blue, white, stripes, wooden accents), but elevate it with bursts of red and gold. Blue and red is a colour combination that has sky-rocketed in popularity recently, and we don’t see it disappearing any time soon.
The menu doesn’t have to be seafood but consider a Mediterranean-style feast to pair with the table. Leave the centre of the table open for share dishes or nibbles.
Contemporary
Nola tablecloth, $65; Lino linen napkin, $18 (for two), Soho cutlery, $85; all from Freedom. La Danse jug, $239; La Danse goblets, $119 (for two); Les Mains dinner plate, $99 (for two); all from Maman. Yellow stripe pasta bowl, $44, from Kiki Bazaar. Black dinner plate, $24.99; Side plate, $24.99; Bowl, $14.99; all from H&M. One of a kind yellow mini dish, $33; One of a kind yellow tumbler, $89; all from Madder & Rouge.Clockwise from top left: Fable placemat, $15.90, from Ballantynes; Serax Feast plate, $115 (two), from ECC; Soho cutlery set, $84.95, from Freedom; Living & Co Eva bowl, $5, from The Warehouse; Bianca Lorenne mustard candleholder, $59.90, from Addy & Lou; Kip & Co San Diego brasserie salad servers, $99, from Ballantynes.
This is the more formal and refined option. We’re talking crisp white linens (finely pressed, of course), elegant candleholders and minimalist flair. Black and white are the leading colours.
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Think a contemporary Downton Abbey, sans butlers, aristocracy and etiquette. This is the best moment to flex what you’ve learned in your table-setting journey. For a bit of flair, add pieces with abstract lines or a hint of metallic. A contemporary formal style works for a charcuterie board or a roast dinner-led menu. If you’re willing to risk tablecloth stains, offer red wine.
Palm Springs
Terracotta linen fabric, $19.20 (per metre), from The Fabric Store. Chefanie cane placemats, $289 (for four); Visconti placemats, $99 (for four); Les Ottomans bamboo side plate, $79; J’ai Soif glass and carafe set, $109; Gold cutlery, $180 (18-piece set); Palm tree candleholder, $399; Shrimp napkins, $20 (for four); Open artichoke, $20.45; all from Maman. Rivsalt spice bowls, $59.90; Bison Ceramics condiment bowl, $24; Bison Ceramics milk bottle, $39; Bordallo Pinheiro Maria Flor plate, $61.90; all from Allium Interiors. One of a kind coral plate, $85; One of a kind pistachio bowl, $185; all from Madder & Rouge. Darya napkin, $7.95, from Freedom. Sucker straws, $29.95 (for four), from Father Rabbit.Clockwise from top left: Bonnie and Neil Margot pink napkin, $29.90, from Allium Interiors; Woven placemat, $19.90, from Citta; Garcia mosaic terracotta paddle board, $59.99, from Shut the Front Door; Speechless tablecloth, $149, from Gorman; Maison Balzac Palmier candleholder, $209, from Maman.
Colour can be intimidating when you’re new to table setting, but sticking to a theme provides for a pre-determined palette.
Take a Palm Springs theme, for example. Your mind instantly goes to the basics – palm trees, corals, greens and golds. Chances are that the menu in your mind consists of fruity cocktails and fresh dishes. Let that guide you. Try not to fall into the trap of too many costume pieces – they’re good for the occasion, but it’s good to collate a series of items that can be mixed and matched with as many themes as possible.
Photography: Helen Bankers. Styling: Lauren Olive
