by Furnishly | Jan 9, 2023 | Design Inspiration, Style
We independently select these products—if you buy from one of our links, we may earn a commission. All prices were accurate at the time of publishing.
When an Italian rendition of the coastal grandmother aesthetic began hitting my social feeds this summer, I found it to be a comforting reminder of a world I already understood, given my family heritage. The Lisa Say Gah “Italian Summer” clothing collection, The Pasta Tarot’s release of the wind-swept Pasta Scarf, @pastagirlfriend’s rise to Insta fame, “Stanley Tucci: Searching for Italy” on CNN, and “The White Lotus” season two — all wonderful, gorgeous examples of how the Italians celebrate good food, good wine, and good times. Truly, though, none of these could ever fully replicate the experience of living with my Italian grandparents. While far from the Amalfi coastline, I would watch my grandmother handpick juicy, summer tomatoes from her backyard garden in the Bronx for marinara she would then ladle onto blue-and-white Spode plates at dinner. My grandfather, in his slip-on loafers and breast-pocket polo shirts, would quietly speak about the “old country” while dipping bread into freshly-served sauce.
I watched meal after meal offered with love on those blue, ornate plates — and what I loved the most was how no matter the occasion or time of day, it always felt special. This bold-looking tableware transformed a simple pasta into something magical. Quick pennes and thrown-together salads felt modern and Instagram-worthy, even though the plates were passed down from my great-great-grandmother in Pompeii, my great-grandmother in Naples, and to my grandmother when she got married here in the states.
For more content like this follow
Beyond my sunny memories, this dinnerware trend has recently been dominating TikTok and Instagram, leaving its mark on modern kitchenware and leaning into the #italiansummer aesthetic. More than their signature ocean-blue markings and ceramic craftsmanship, these plates are a reminder to slow down, dine well, and bask in beauty like the Italians do. In fact, when visiting Italy this fall, I happened to take a cooking class with Stefanie Celio, owner of The Blue Kitchen Capri cooking school, who describes this distinct shade of blue as an ode to Italian summers. “Blue for Italians is truly the feeling of a summer beach day embracing la dolce vita at a very slow pace, living in the moment surrounded by natural beauty,” Celio says. Even though we grew up an ocean apart, the dinnerware styles between Capri and my grandmother’s kitchen were enchantingly parallel.
While the warm months in the Bronx listening to opera music and nursing a blue bowl full of ravioli are long gone, I can always see the ocean peeking up at me from my own dinner set, reminding me of the allure of an Italian summer. Ready to channel that wanderlust for yourself and serve up a big plate of ravioli (or any entree, really) on luxe-looking Italian-inspired dinnerware? Still reeling from a Monica Vitti-impersonating Jennifer Coolidge slurping down linguine vongole, as well? Then say hello to these eight blue-and-white plates below, which add a celebratory, summery touch to any dinner table, year-round.
by Furnishly | Nov 19, 2022 | Design Inspiration, Style
published about 4 hours ago
We independently select these products—if you buy from one of our links, we may earn a commission. All prices were accurate at the time of publishing.
I know, I know: The food you serve at any upcoming seasonal gathering is far more important that the way your holiday table looks — and really, quality time with your nearest and dearest matters the most. If you’re not the world’s greatest home chef though (*raises hand sheepishly*), creating a memorable holiday tablescape can be a meditative activity and a conversation starter for your party guests once they sit down for your meal. The latter of these two scenarios is exactly what happened at Apartment Therapy’s own Dine by Design event at the House of Showfields in Brooklyn, New York, where, in collaboration with Pinterest, we hosted a series of meals at designer-decorated tables that got everyone who came through the doors talking.
For more content like this follow
Apartment Therapy tapped ten creatives to riff on 2022’s hottest holiday trends at Dine by Design, with each design expert setting a unique table for two (and I even got in on the decorating fun furnishing the lounge area with Kaiyo, which you can see above). The results were so striking that we wanted to share those trends and some tablescaping ideas with you here. Who knows? Maybe you’ll be inspired by these looks and splurge-worthy home decor products for your own holiday table (and even well beyond the holidays). And if you want to know more about all of the items in these exact looks, visit our Dine by Design board on Pinterest for all the details.
Disco balls also reigned supreme in our lounge area (pictured at the top of this page), which showcased furniture and a cozy rug sourced from Kaiyo, a full-service marketplace for secondhand furniture. Anchored by a trendy green tufted sofa, purple zig zag chairs, and side tables that feature a neoclassical column-inspired silhouette, the lounge stands as its own version of a post-modern, New Wave ’80s-inspired space that’s as comfortable for hosting as it is easy on the eyes.
Buy: Disco Ball Ornaments, $42.00 $33.60 for a Set of 3 from West Elm
Designer Miles Willis McDermott’s drippy, trippy black-and-white tabletop proves that you shouldn’t be wary of leaning into this classic color scheme for your holiday gatherings. McDermott calls his signature aesthetic Supergraphic Regency, and the trick to making it feel right for the season lies in the festive brass accents. I also love the no fuss approach to a centerpiece — fresh and dried herbs and spices — which is easy to copy. All you have to do is place a few bundles in clear glass vases and decant things like salt and peppercorns into brass vessels. Bonus points if your spices and herbs are grindable tableside as was the case here, thanks to small mortars and pestles sitting at each place setting.
Buy: Manufacture Rock Rice Bowl, $36.00 $27.99 from Villeroy & Boch
Have you ever looked at a painting by Rembrandt, Vermeer, of any of the other Dutch Masters and been in awe of its atmospheric colors and skilled representation of highlights and shadows? Content creator and blogger Tommy Lei translated that interplay of light and dark into tabletop form with the Moody Masterpiece trend, and it’s about as simple but impactful as it gets, thanks to the organic shaped JARS dinnerware that juxtaposes high gloss finishes with matte details, which, in turn, contrasts beautifully with the warm wood table and the Graf Lantz Noir Merino Wool Felt Tabletop Set. I especially loved the Misette Line Drawing Hand-Painted Twist Candles, which also speak to the unique taper trend you’ve probably been seeing everywhere. They’re almost too pretty to burn!
Buy: Line Drawing Hand-Painted Twist Candles, $65.00 from Misette
You can get a unique, retro-inspired look with all new items and just a few key pieces. Just take this earthy meets technicolor tablescape created by secondhand shopping extraordinaire Virginia Chamlee, author of “Big Thrift Energy,” as your proof. Using East Fork’s The Coupes and Cake Plates in their Amaro colorway and Annie Selke’s Palm Evergreen Placemats, Chamlee put her own spin on a classic red and green holiday color scheme. Matisse-like blobby clay polymer napkin rings and cut paper place cards, both DIYed by Chamlee, bring an extra touch of quirk to the table. And about those #vintagevibes? Annie Selke’s set of Sita Marble Bowls full of retro ball ornaments, citrus fruits, and pomegranates, make for the easiest-ever centerpieces.
Buy: Cake Plate, $18.00 from East Fork
Speaking of nature-inspired trends, you can double down on greenery, straw, and seasonal gourds used as table decor by following in the footsteps of plant expert Kamili Bell Hill of Plant Blerd, who took on the Boho Flair trend. Think warm mixed metals, matte black dinnerware, and simple linens that let the rest of the tabletop elements shine. Grab a can or two of spray paint and give those gourds some extra shimmer with a coat of metallic copper. A final finishing touch? Little potted herb plants used like place cards, which become take-home favors post-meal.
Buy: Straw Loop Placemat in Natural, $28.00 from Juliska
If you feeling less than confident about your mixing and matching tablescaping skills, why not try a Monochrome Mix? Here entertaining expert Amber Mayfield of To Be Hosted and While Entertaining chose an unconventional fall color — blue — and leaned into that hue with everything from linens and dishes to Estelle Colored Glass goblets and decorative accessories, including spray painted pumpkins, all in various shades of blue. You could recreate a look like this with any color of your choosing though. Pink would be another fun, unexpected shade for the holidays.
Buy: Glass Goblets, $100.00 for a Set of Two from Estelle Colored Glass
by Furnishly | Jun 3, 2022 | Design Inspiration, Style
We independently select these products—if you buy from one of our links, we may earn a commission. All prices were accurate at the time of publishing.
Here at Apartment Therapy, there are some DTC brands we find ourselves consistently turning to when looking to stock our homes and kitchens. And when it comes to ceramicware, we have an undeniable obsession with community-founded pottery brand, East Fork. The brand specializes in tasteful, muted colors and an organic feel, resulting in fan-favorite pieces that sell out faster than you can click add-to-cart. And while we find ourselves picking up gorgeous mugs, bowls, and dinner sets for our homes year-round, we anxiously await East Fork’s rare Seconds Sale. This can’t-miss savings event doesn’t happen too often and features some of their slightly imperfect wares at a discount — they even donate a percent of the proceeds from the sales as an added bonus!
And this weekend, we can finally put our anticipation to rest. That’s right, East Fork is having a surprise summer sale! You can score dozens of coveted, one-of-a-kind items for 50 percent off — that’s 30 percent more of a discount than previous sales on the site. The only catch: The pieces are available until they sell out. AKA you need to act fast in order to take advantage of the sale.
The sale is chock full of East Fork classics, like the ever-so-coveted The Mug, endlessly versatile Everyday Bowls, and fun, large serving bowls and platters all of which are available in a variety of stylish colors (including some of our favorite hues!). Each piece is hand-crafted with regional materials (local to North Carolina) and is 100 percent lead-free. Every bowl, plate, and mug is also microwave- and dishwasher-safe so that reheating and cleaning is just as breezy as using them.
Now, just because the discounted pieces are seconds does not mean they’re any less beautiful! These pieces either have minor blemishes, slight variances in shape or hue, or small scratches. But all the pottery included in the sale is perfectly safe and functional and still absolutely stunning. In fact, we love the fact that these reserved pieces have just a little more character. Who doesn’t want dinnerware no one else has?
With or without minor imperfections, East Fork is truly one of the best when it comes to craftsmanship, style, durability, and utility. Its virtually unheard of to get the chance to score these functional masterpieces at 50 percent off, even if they are a little more unique than their full-priced counterparts. Our philosophy? A little scratch never hurt anyone!
by Furnishly | May 27, 2022 | Design Inspiration, Style
Olivia Harvey
Contributor
Olivia Harvey is a freelance writer and award-winning scriptwriter from outside Boston, Massachusetts. She’s a big fan of scented candles, getting dressed up, and the 2005 film adaptation of Pride and Prejudice starring Keira Knightley. You can make sure she’s doing okay via Instagram and/or Twitter.
Follow Olivia
by Furnishly | Apr 2, 2022 | Design Inspiration, Style
Ramadan, the ninth month of the Islamic calendar, starts this year on April 2. While Muslims the world over are fasting from sunrise to sunset, Iftar acts as the main meal each day where family and community come together after prayers for a feast. (Suhoor is a hearty meal that happens before dawn that will help fuel fasters throughout the day.)
To mark the holy month, Ayesha Anwar, the creative behind the blog Plays on Patterns created a beautiful tablescape to celebrate Ramadan.
“In Ramadan, Muslims take part in added worship, reflection, building community, working on their character, and charity,” Anwar says in the video below.
“With two kids, we love to decorate designated spaces where we spend lots of time in, with decor that reminds us of our faith and culture,” she adds. “These include things like moons and stars, mosque domes, and lots of twinkling lights.”
“Our favorite time to come together is during the breaking of the fast meal called Iftar,” she says. “During this time we reflect and count our blessings and break our fast with dates and water.”
“The end of Ramadan is marked by a holiday called Eid,” Anwar shares.
Anwar ends the video by “wishing all my Muslim family a Ramadan Mubarak,” which translates to a blessed Ramadan.
Tara Bellucci
News and Culture Director
Tara is Apartment Therapy’s News & Culture Director. When not scrolling through Instagram double-tapping pet pics and astrology memes, you’ll find her thrift shopping around Boston, kayaking on the Charles, and trying not to buy more plants.
Follow Tara
