The Edit | A summer dinner party

A couple of weeks ago I shared an Instagram reel showing how I’d styled the table for a summer dinner party with friends. I had lots of people asking where various items came from, but I’ve had most of them for ages and sadly they’re no longer available. So, I thought I’d use my latest instalment of ‘The Edit’ to round up some alternatives to help you recreate the look for yourself. 

I love styling simple yet beautiful tablescapes, and over the years I’ve built up a little collection of crockery, vases, candleholders and linens that I can use in different ways. This particular look was inspired by some woven rattan napkin rings that I picked up in Colombia (I’ve included some similar ones below) and the key to making it work is incorporating elements of contrast – pairing sleek black tableware and minimalist chrome candleholders with organic shapes and unexpected textures. For the centrepiece, I created a trio of mini vase arrangements using dried grasses, which add another textural touch and evoke the long, golden days and harvests of late summer. I also mixed in some fresh flowers and foliage from the garden, but they’d look just as good on their own. 

1. ‘Fractured Moon’ handmade oak serving tray, £150, Pacha Design
2. Bitz 16-piece cutlery set in black, £110, Nordic Nest [AD – affiliate link]
3. Set of three ‘Irda’ tealight holders in clear glass, £18, Nkuku
4. Set of four natural raffia napkin rings, £42, Wolf & Badger
5. Audo Copenhagen ‘New Norm’ fruit / salad bowl in ‘Dark Glazed’, £68, Nordic Nest [AD – affiliate link]
6. Set of four Ester & Erik tapered candles in ‘Linen Grey’, £16 for a matte finish or £27 for a lacquered one, Nordic Nest [AD – affiliate link]
7. ‘Terra’ fringed linen napkins in ‘Natural’, £9.49 each for the smaller size (42 x 42cm) or £11.99 each for the larger one (51 x 51cm), LinenMe
8. Set of four Serax ‘Passe-Partout’ white wine glasses, £84, Nordic Nest [AD – affiliate link]
9. ‘Melt’ mouth-blown glass vase (15cm high), £75, LSA International
10. Lind DNA ‘Curve’ candlestick in chrome, £46.50, Nordic Nest [AD – affiliate link]
11. Set of four ‘Sacha’ stoneware dinner plates in black (matching items also available), £55, La Redoute [AD – affiliate link]
12. Bitz oak salad servers, £21.25, Nordic Nest [AD – affiliate link]
13. ‘Ecru’ dried-stem bud bouquet, £12, Shida Preserved Flowers
14. Ernst rattan and seagrass trivet, £6-8 depending on the size (14.5cm, 18cm and 24cm diameters available), Nordic Nest [AD – affiliate link]
15. Tell Me More ‘Marion’ linen tablecloth in ‘Wheat’, £130.40 for the smaller size (145 x 270cm) or £157.40 for the larger one (145 x 330cm), Nordic Nest [AD – affiliate link]
16. Audo Copenhagen ‘Strandgade’ carafe, £40, Nordic Nest [AD – affiliate link], and set of two ‘Strandgade’ drinking glasses, £19, Nest.co.uk

Please note this post contains affiliate links (all clearly marked), which means I will receive a small commission on any resulting sales. You won’t pay any more by clicking on these links than you would by visiting the websites directly, and it helps to support the free content I create here.

Top and bottom images by Abi Dare; all other photography courtesy of the respective brands, makers and retailers