The Art of Hosting in Winter: How to Create the Perfect Table Set

Winter is the season that encourages us to slow down, spend time indoors, and gather together. Whether it's an intimate dinner with friends, a fireside lunch, or warm drinks shared on the couch, how you set the scene matters just as much as what's served. 

If you're wondering how to create the perfect hosting environment, that is not only beautiful but created for connections over food, below are our primary go-to tips.  Of course, using artisan-made pieces, natural textures, and thoughtful styling to design a table that feels cost, curated, and uniquely you. 

State With a Statement Serving Piece 

Winter calls for richness, both in terms of colour and texture. Colour richness could be through moody-deep reds, and texture richness could be raw and highly textured materials like stone or a high-grain timber.

Begin your table setup with a central piece that grounds the space. This might be a carved wooden bowl filled with fruit or nuts for pre-meal snacking, a brass serving tray, or a handcrafted terracotta dish. If you're using a table cloth as a part of your setting, remember that this statement piece doesn't have to match - in fact, sometimes it's better if it doesn't. Matching will cause your statement piece to simply blend in, so consider a contrast in styles like a vintage tablecloth and print with a art-deco metal piece, or a simple linen tablecloth with a bright pop of colour. 

Remember, your statement pieces don't have to be large in size to be a statement. They could be small like our brass teaspoons that become a statement through the metal used - and are your statement because everything else placed on your table is a compliment to your statement piece. 

Mix Materials for Warmth

Unless it is 100% your taste, you don't want everything matching and looking like you purchasing it as a set from a store-display. Break up your setting and add depth and warmth by incorporating a combination of materials. After all; your life is made up of micro moments and memories, and your home should reflect this through your décor.

Think of materials like wood of multiple textures and tones, brass, linen or even ceramic pieces to create this warmth. Mixing textures is especially powerful in winter where soft light and darker tones come into play. Think of your table as a sensory experience, before the food is even served. 

Using artisan-made pieces, we would look to being in earthy ceramics with warm-toned napkins, or layer neutral placemats with a textured table runner for the eye to follow.

Don't Forget Functional Beauty 

The trick to creating the perfect table setting it to bring in functional pieces that are also aesthetic and feel considered. You want every piece placed on your table to feel that it belongs. 

Serving spoons, drinkware, and table accents can double and add to your table décor. Look for items that can stay on display even after the last course. Coasters that hold glassware over the meal, then mugs after all the bellies are full, are a great example of this. 

Embrace Candlelight and Winters Soft Glow

Winter entertaining thrives on mood. We want to encourage this over a meal and maybe even a bottle of wine by swapping any bright ceiling lights out for softer touches like tea lights, taper candles or a single statement lamp nearby. If you have dimmers, then you can also achieve this by reduce the intensity of your lights. 

Candle holders like our textured terracotta candle holders, brass candelabras or hand-moulded ceramic pots repurposed for holding candle sand, are all great ways to achieve this softer moodier lighting. 

Set a Slower Pace With Small Rituals 

Hosting at any time of the year should be calm and relaxing. While you might feel like you spent the entire time in the kitchen, it is important to force yourself (and your guests) to sit in the moment a little more. 

This in winter could be lingering at the table for longer with the offer of an after-dinner tea served in a considered teacup, styled to your table settings. Or, it might be setting up a small dessert or cheese board on a unique serving tray. These extra moments make hosting feel more generous and grounded. 

Some other ideas here are to use natural incense sticks to set the tone, through another sense, or by having a warm spiced drink on the stove to fill the space with inviting smells that remind everyone of winter and being cosy indoors. 

Let the Table Reflect Your Space

While hosting often focuses on just the table setting itself, remember that your guests will likely start in a living room, an undercover outdoor area and of course, have visibility over other areas of your home. So it's important not to forget about these either. 

Think about your coffee table and how you can use that as an extension of your table setting, or the kitchen bench if you have a small space and want to utilise that as a pre-dinner hosting zone with small snacks. 

Stuck on where to start? Style a small side table with a game or deck of cards - something small your guests will notice and can easily pick up and play at any time of the night. Put out photo books that includes photos of your guests, or books they are passionate about like travel or food. Add some more soft light into the guest bathroom to carry this feeling throughout all areas, or place some natural oils with a calming affect in a purposeful bowl like our wooden teak bowls - showing the intention of your styling throughout all areas of the home. 

Ready to become the best host this winter? Explore our curated range of artisan-made serving ware and kitchen pieces to set the tone for your next gathering. 

FAQs

What should be on a hosting table in winter? Focus on layered textures, natural materials, candlelight, and functional décor that also adds to your aesthetic. Add comfort with napkins, ceramic mugs, and small handcrafted pieces.

How do I make my table feel warm and inviting? Use soft lighting, warm colour palettes, and mixed materials like linen, terracotta, and wood. Keep things personal and styled, not staged. Layer and think of differing heights and don't be afraid to add layers on layers.

What are some easy winter hosting tips? Focus on mood over perfection. Use fewer but more intentional pieces, set the tone with scent or music, and serve food that encourages comfort.