Setting the scene for both social and intimate dining is often part of the experience itself. If you’re designing a tablescape around a seasonal event such as Christmas or a personal celebration such as an anniversary or birthday, you might find yourself adding some specific themed items such as seasonal foliage, photos, props and decor, but there are a few staples that can remain unchanged no matter what the occasion. These are your dinnerware, glassware, napkins and cutlery. Everything else can be swapped out and shifted to create a theme, but your non-negotiables are worth investing in. That’s where our all-new range of tableware comes in.

How to style a dining table for an event or occasion

Just like the rest of your home interior, styling a dining table for an event or occasion will come down to personal preference and individual taste. However, one universal tip for creating a stunning spread no matter the celebration is to create textural and tasteful layers for each place setting that draw the eye along the table. For example, things like table runners, charger plates, napkin arrangements, candleholders and creative name places all add a new layer of luxury that will impress.

Good dining table styling will be built atop your basics, which is why investing in some luxurious plates, napkins, cutlery and glassware is a good idea for those who love to host. We explore the different factors of your luxury basics below.

Crockery: Stylish dinner plates and bowls

Your dinnerware is ultimately an extension of the food you serve, and to some degree, will impact how the food is actually enjoyed. It also provides a great opportunity to infuse your event with a touch of your personality. Key themes for dinnerware in 2024 include graphic designs, whimsical floral touches and irregular, organic pieces, which is where our new collections come in.

Our Elin and Rustica ranges have all been carefully handmade using terracotta, which is a natural clay that goes some way to balance the pH of your food and look beautiful while doing so. Translating to ‘fired earth,’ terracotta pieces add a natural, organic look to your dining table. Our Rustica Collection is available in both white and brown and is inspired by the variations and unique forms found in abstract art. The Elin Collection is a soft blue-grey in colour with raw, hand-shaped edges and darker rims adding unparalleled texture. Chosen specifically by Saints for their versatility and impact, both ranges are perfect for a variety of styling requirements.

Napkins: An easy essential that adds instant texture

Perhaps the most underrated element of any dining table is the humble napkin. This practical essential may be a tiny part of the overall arrangement but has the power to completely transform the look and feel of each place setting based on the placement.

For example, folded napkins atop each plate have a clean and sophisticated feel that invites you to top them with sprigs of foliage or name cards. Folded napkins to the side topped with cutlery have a more formal feel, while napkins that are placed more organically without folding instantly create a relaxed, fluid and bohemian mood. You can also accessorise with napkin rings, and even create specific shapes if you happen to be a dab-hand at folding.

For texture, tone and beauty, we believe linen and cloth napkins to be superior. While recycled paper napkins are perfect for BBQs and picnics, there’s no competition for the class and eco-friendliness of material napkins that can be washed and re-used endlessly. Our frayed edge cloth napkins work beautifully alongside the rustic beauty of our dinnerware ranges and are available in versatile shades of Charcoal, Mocha and Linen.

Cutlery: Shapes and shades worth thinking about

Your cutlery is equally important as your dinnerware. Complementing both the appearance and flavour of the food you serve, it’s essential that each piece feels enjoyable in the hand and is just right in terms of size, weight, colour and texture. Not convinced? an experiment of more than 130 diners at an Edinburgh restaurant revealed that customers eating with higher-quality cutlery were prepared to pay 15-percent more than those without. Overall, slightly weightier cutlery tends to make food taste better.

When it comes to colour, we recommend sticking to something clean and classic such as silver or a warm, golden-brass finish for a truly luxurious experience.

Glassware: From classic to colourful 

Your glassware is a great opportunity to introduce colour into your aesthetic. Whether you go full eclectic with mismatched jewel tones and a variety of shapes, or keep things understated and atmospheric with smoked glass, it’s guaranteed to have an instant effect.

With the rustic, tactile textures of our dinnerware collection and frayed-edge cloth napkins, two easily achievable themes are:

• Bring nature in with the soft green shades of our Willow glassware.
• Keep things strictly sophisticated and luxurious with the Gatsby black and gold