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One of our favourite rituals in our home is the evening meal. My son and I are both vegetarian (he quite recently) whilst I’m married to a devoted carnivore, our meals don’t always look the same, but we do all love to sit around the dining table and share moments together in the evenings, especially so as we head towards summer and the days dimming light floods into our eating space.
In the summer I swap out the tablecloth we use in winter and keep things as relaxed as the food (which is usually a variety of mezze in the summer). I don’t believe in much formality around the home so our dining space has very little. However there are a couple of items I really think elevate this simple moment of coming together. At our table we use four central items.
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Dinnerware
Firstly the plates and glasses, and what could be prettier than these new floral shaped plates from Arket. You definitely eat with your eyes and I’ve never believed in saving best for occasions (I imagine that people who do have far more refined gatherings than I!) so using crockery and glassware that bring you joy is a staple.
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Candlelight
Secondly, a candle holder. Nothing in the world beats the light of a candle for creating a feeling of coziness and relaxed conviviality. They may hark back to times of formal dining before electricity was common, but there’s something enduringly quiet and simply stylish about candle light. We always use our classic Stoff Nagel modular candle holders and they bring me as much joy elevating this simple moment of the day four years down the line as they did when we first got them.
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Flowers
It would be ludicrous to suggest that we buy a bunch of flowers each week all year round – we can’t all be Elton John you know! But a couple of sprigs of greenery or flowers foraged locally on walks or seasonally from your garden will really alter the welcome of your table. If like me, you are tight on space, a whole arrangement can feel dominating, but a few carefully chosen blooms or leaves will bring the outside in and give your table a feeling of centred-ness.
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Linen
The final thing we regularly use when we have guest over, and which I consider a little fancy, are linen napkins. Ours were bought cheaply on the high street in an array of shades, and they really uplift a relaxed tablescape to the next level, especially when tied with string and some herbs or foliage to decorate.
This summer I’d like to try my hand at using edible flowers in ice cubes, but I’m waiting for truly warmer days, perhaps ones where we can eat outdoors in the evening. What evening rituals do you like to bring to your table? Let me know in the comments below.
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