Tablescape Muses: Laura Stephens
To celebrate the start of the festive season, we’ve collaborated with a handful of tastemakers for our inaugural Tablescape Muses series. Our Muses have styled a dining table in their own homes for Christmas using their selection of our festive tableware, interpreted in their own way. Keep your eyes peeled throughout the month for other instalments in this series.
Our second Muse is London-based interior designer, Laura Stephens. Laura was a winner of the House & Garden ‘The List’ award for Design Excellence this year, and is known for her beautiful and practical interiors. Laura styled a festive table using our scalloped rattan placemats and scalloped Olivia crockery, offering a more contemporary take on a Christmas tablescape. Read on to discover Laura’s table styling tips.
Could you share your top tips for styling a Christmas table?
Make it your own. You don’t need to stick to the conventions of red, green and gold. Make it work with your own decor. For me it’s all about candles. I like to use a sparkly elevated version of the colour scheme that runs throughout the house, so lots of green and pink, and making it sing with flashes of gold and silver.
What are your favourite ways to decorate your home for Christmas?
I love to make an entrance. I always make my own festive wreath where my motto is ‘go big or go home’. Christmas is a great excuse to go over the top with your decor which I fully embrace. I also wind faux eucalyptus around my banister and then wrap fairy lights around it for extra sparkle - it’s a lovely Christmassy welcome to the house. In the living room, I hang foliage over the mantlepieces and tie big bows to my wall lights which look super pretty
What extra little touches to you add to your table over the festive period?
It’s all about candles on the Christmas table for me. I like to have them at different heights using a range of vintage candle holders. The key is to have one or two candle colours to keep some continuity. I love to bring out by our silver wine holders and antique coasters I picked up years ago from an antiques fair.
Do you have any family traditions at Christmas?
We burn an advent candle every evening at dinner throughout December. We love having family over but try to keep Christmas morning just with the children to really enjoy the magic of Father Christmas whilst we can.
What is your favourite festive drink?
Without a doubt, a sloe gin.
Any tips for seamless entertaining?
Take the pressure off and do as many pre-made dishes as possible to allow you to talk to guests and enjoy your evening. I always do starters which don’t involve any last-minute cooking so I can be with guests when they arrive and hand out drinks and catch up with them. And you can never have too many bottles of bubbles in the fridge!
Laura’s Christmas Edit
Ruffle Irish Linen Tablecloth, Taupe from £189
Natural Wood Cutlery from £20
Scalloped Rattan Placemat, Natural £22
Set of 6 Lacquered Tall Twist Candles, Various Colours £32
Set of 4 Rippled Tumblers £39
Set of 4 Olivia Scalloped Crockery from £60