It’s the small things in life that - surprisingly - often bring us the greatest joy. And it’s the small things that you can do to the table which will create that sense of occasion and celebration, even on a Tuesday night. Very little extra effort - but well worth the while…

 

CANDLES

Lots of candles. You can’t have too many. Go for colours, if you like. I love shades of rose pink and pistachio green. I also have a soft spot for waffle beeswax candles.

 

FRUIT

Use fruit to decorate your table: it looks so vibrant and inviting. Even just a big bowl of sunny lemons casually plonked in the middle can transform the room. Try it.

 

LINENS

Few things feel quite so luxurious as a proper napkin: press it neatly and set it on top of your dinner plate. If you want to go that extra mile, you could add a sprig of fresh herbs on top for decoration or tie the napkin with a pretty ribbon. By no means necessary, but quite fun if you're in the mood.

 

SMALL DETAILS

Customising each place setting with a hand-written place-card or menu is a simple way to create a sense of occasion. You can use printed menu cards or scribble the menu on the back of a postcard.

 

WINE GLASSES

I love laying lots of glasses on the table: they look so pretty and shimmer like jewels, especially in candlelight. Also even just the hint of a wine glass at each setting will make the dinner feel like a party.