BY
For those of us fortunate enough to have a garden, most of us want to savour our time spent in it. Allegra Marchiorello and Valeria Piovesana Thompson, co-founders of luxury linen brand Once Milano, are veterans of alfresco dining - in fact, in the summer months, the two enjoy most meals outside. But, how do you dress a garden table beautifully?
"It’s partly about making a moment more beautiful," said Marchiorello. "When you make the table more beautiful, it is just different. Everyone appreciates beauty and it changes the atmosphere for the better. The point is to enjoy the time together rather than to admire the table, but it can play such a big part in adding to the occasion."
Here, Marchiorello offers her easy, yet stylish, table-setting tips.
All images are courtesy. This article originally appeared on Harpersbazaar.com
Mix candles with foliage from the garden
“You want to stay outside as long as you can, so clusters of candles give a lovely, flattering light and mean that you aren’t forced indoors before the evening is ready to end. I rarely buy cut flowers for the table and I tend to choose something from my garden – even a piece of greenery or a beautiful piece of wood. It’s less jarring with my garden seating area than cut flowers would be. If I had a very modern terrace, I might use bolder flowers just as I might use brighter tableware, but it’s all about working in harmony with the setting.”
