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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
Consider neutral tones
“I find patterns like our gingham are wonderful for very informal occasions or lunches but for most evenings I tend to use our more neutral tones of natural linen; cream, grey, sage. They set the scene for the meal but don’t overpower the table. Tablecloths are wonderful and I love to use them touching the floor – although if you don’t eat outside often enough you may prefer to invest in a variety of napkins, placemats and runners for more variety and less effort.”
