I never make my dinner party tableware match – here's how I make it look good

Interior designer Natalie Jahangiry is one of Ideal Home's new Open House contributors, sharing her thoughts on decorating a home to suit a busy family life while sticking to your aesthetic values, too. See the rest of her articles here.

I come from a long line of feeders. My dad's a chef, my mum isn't happy unless you have food and drink in hand at all times, my grandma was Persian and that's all I need to say (if you know you know!!). So it's safe to say that with all of that comes the ability to host and throw a party.

At all stages of my life, family meals have been important. Coming from a partly Middle Eastern background, it's where you catch up from the day's events, debate, share and enjoy time together. All big discussions are held around the family table, where food sets the tone and the table sets the mood. It's something I have always shared with our girls, an important part of everyday life. So you can say hosting has been built into my DNA. Which is why our kitchen / dining space was so important when we designed it… it's the heart of our home.

Acts of service have always been my love language, and hosting feels like an extension of that. Bringing everyone together, making sure everyone is fed and comfortable, makes my heart happy. It’s more than just the food, it’s creating a space people feel welcome and want to stay just that little longer.

In September, I attended a talk at Livingetc Unlocked with Pip Rich and Yotam Ottolenghi, a chef I’ve followed for years. They discussed what a dinner party looks like at Yotam’s home, and so much of it resonated with how we host as a family. Perhaps it’s our shared Middle Eastern heritage, or simply a love of bringing people together and making memories around a table. Either way, it got me thinking about sharing some of these ideas with you. So as we head into what I like to call it ‘the season of hosting’, here’s my recipe for creating the perfect backdrop for a cosy dinner party at home.

Victoria Beckham has entered the chat

Now, as I was writing this piece, the new Victoria Beckham homeware collection dropped at Westwing, so I felt it my duty to talk about it. Partly because I'm writing about hosting anyway, but also because I’m a self-confessed tableware and serveware addict… I mean, what sane person needs 100+ glasses? Because I can tell you I probably have more!

Ok, so I have thoughts. I love the simple and sophisticated style of the collection. The vibe is very minimal and luxurious and it’s totally on-brand for the Victoria Beckham empire. Chic and on trend, it plays on steel and monochrome alongside some lovely shapes and textures.

However, the price point is on the higher side (I’m not sure I want to spend £60 on one butter, dish as nice as it is) and the Westwing/VB collab claims to "reimagine the art of the table”, which I wouldn’t necessarily agree with. To me, it’s a modern nod to vintage classics we have seen before. That said, it’s refined and certainly has a place.

Personally, my hosting style is much more Ottolenghi inspired. Mixing and matching, making it personal and bringing a little history to the table with grandma’s old gravy boat or a casserole dish that has been passed down the generations. Somewhat like decorating in general. So, although there are pieces I like in the collection, will I be getting out a white tablecloth and napkins to simplify my tablescapes anytime soon? No. They can stay in the cupboard with the beige paint.

The steel effect

Having said all of the above, I do quite like steel dinnerware at the moment, however leaning towards something a little more vintage in style. I recently found some wonderful stainless steel olive coupes at the Chiswick Lazy Flea Market. I love the history that comes with vintage pieces, but if you can’t find any, you can pick up something similar from Soos Atelier.

H&M also has a great collection of chrome and stainless steel tableware at the moment. I’ve mixed in these candlesticks alongside these other ones on my own dinner table setting. I also added in these black candlesticks for drama and height. I love playing with different materials, textures and metal tones, to mix and match styles, rather than everything looking too overly coordinated.

A little ceramic charm

As a perfect partner to metallics, ceramics can often soften the look and bring character. I recently came across Honung Ceramics, a small independent brand with a playful approach to everyday homeware. What I love about the collection is that the products feel playful and decorative, with interesting shapes and earthy tones that bring something different to the table.

On my table I have showcased the ever so delightful bubble coaster and cup set in burgundy, which I think works beautifully with the cooler stainless steel and black accent pieces. The tealight holders are another great addition with that little pop of texture here and there. Candles are important to me (we will cover this further down the article… I promise!) in creating that cosy intimate dinner party vibe, so having candles at different levels works really well to set the tone. And maybe my favourite item is the ceramic wine bottle coaster(which is a touch of genius!), because even the wine deserves its own little spot at the table.

Glasses set the tone

We’ve already established that I have a slight obsession with glassware, so it probably comes as no surprise that this is one of my favourite parts of setting the scene.

And ok… I am a glass snob, and I’m not afraid to admit it (as I recently documented in this Insta post). Give me a short stumpy wine glass with a thick stem and I think I might cry. It also changes the way the wine tastes, don’t you think?! Anyway, I love a fine stem and an elegant shape in my glasses, which is why Nude Glasses really speak to my wine loving soul. Nude is a contemporary glassware brand from Turkish glassmaker Şişecam, with a focus on simple, beautiful design. The brand creates wonderfully delicate shapes with… incredibly fine stems (hallelujah). It’s the sort of glassware that feels special without being super fussy. I have opted for the large Stem Zero Elegant Red Wine Glasses in my table set up and they are a true delight all round.

But alongside this I wanted a water glass that had a pop of colour… something a little different. So I have married the delicate wine glass design with the more playful Night + Day glasses from Our Place in Rosa. They are handmade, stackable and come in a range of gorgeous colours… you can even buy a set of mismatched colours, hoorah.

Made to be served

Over the years I’ve collected quite the assortment of serveware. From presenting food for my previous family business Modern Persian Kitchen, to hosting supper clubs and dinner parties, I’ve always believed how you serve food is just as important as the food itself… you eat with your eyes first! I love blending old with new, different shapes, proportions and styles. Nothing needs to match, and I think that’s what makes a table feel interesting.

One of my favourite additions is the new Dual Handle Always Pan from Our Place. I’ve been a long-time fan of the Our Place brand, having received one of their original Always Pans years ago (10 pans and counting in my collection now, plus all the accessories!). The brand, if you haven’t heard of them, celebrates bringing people together through food, something that as I mentioned, resonates deeply with me. I’ve always loved their colours and modern designs, which fit perfectly into our home. The new pan is both functional and pretty, making it a great edition from hob to table. Because you can make the rules for hosting, and no one said cookware couldn’t be part of the table setting. Functional and pretty is a surefire win for me!

Set the mood

For me, lighting is one of the most important elements not only at a dinner party, but in a room generally. And if you have been following along you will have heard me talking about layered lighting time and time again… but you could have the most beautifully dressed table and then spot lights glaring down on it that kill the mood instantly. Turn that overhead light off and bring in softer low level lighting, and of course, candles. Lots of candles. I like playing with different heights and colours to give the table a more eclectic feel.

I’ve recently fallen in love with the glass candlesticks from Issy Granger (although they have to be kept safely on the high shelf away from the kids). Their designs are playful with a nod to unusual shapes and sculptures. The Bugle Glass Holders are particularly beautiful, alongside the Martini Glass Candle Holders. Handblown by artisans in Cairo, they are almost little pieces of art across the table. Even when the candles aren’t lit they are pretty enough on their own to leave out on display. Set alongside a few rechargeable lamps, the mood will be well and truly set to cosy.

The finer details

It’s often the little finishing touches that bring the scheme together, and there are a few final things I always like to consider.

Flowers… of course! But make it subtle. Ottolenghi touched on this during his talk and I have to agree. I love flowers, of course I do, both of my children are named after flowers, however when it comes to a dinner party don’t go overboard on a big centre piece display in the middle of the table. It makes it challenging to talk over and gets in the way of a natural flow of conversation. Instead I like to get creative, use little vases, jugs or even mugs to dot smaller bunches or single stems around the table. It’s a lovely way to add a touch of nature without having to peer at each other around a big bouquet.

Linen is another area in which you can inject personality with patterned tablecloths, napkins and placemats. You can even use a little ribbon to tie your napkins for a cute little finishing touch. And the same goes for cutlery, mix and match it with different styles around the table rather than feeling everything needs to come from one set.

Finally, let's talk about a scent to set the scene. For something a little different, why not introduce a scent to the evening? Yes, the food will eventually do most of the hard work for you here, but a lovely fragrance as guests arrive can help set the mood. Something a little quirkier than a candle is the wax warmer from The Droplet Co. A lovely way to welcome guests before the cooking aroma kicks in.

Your table, your rules

For me, it’s the smaller details that bring everything together. It doesn't need to be perfect, in fact imperfect setups make it more appealing. It just needs to be you. Let’s call it the perfectly imperfect art of hosting.

Ultimately a dinner party is about spending time with your friends and family and enjoying the company in your home. So nothing above is a set in stone rule you have to follow, but a few small touches here and there go a long way. Happy hosting!