We recently had the privilege of working with the wonderful team at the New Zealand Superyacht Academy, to create a luxurious tablescape that would feel sumptuous and lush in the plush setting of a Superyacht dining room. Superyacht academy have a training programme this week based in the beautiful ‘Jace Space’ in Symonds Street in Auckland, and asked us to set up a mid-winter banquet style theme, inspired by the brick walls of the venue and their Versace plates. We had so much fun styling this, so we thought we best share our inspiration and give you a little 'how to' guide for styling your own Mid-Winter table. Here are our winter banquet table styling tips:
THEME & COLOUR SCHEME
Choose a Theme: Decide on a cohesive theme that reflects the occasion (e.g. maximalist opulence, nordic nights, mid winter Christmas). In this example our brief was ‘warm, rich, full and luxurious’.
Colour Palette: Stick to a refined colour palette with one or two main colours and complementary accents. Warm, rich colours work best for a winter feel – you can’t go wrong with deep reds, greens, ochre and gold. The Superyacht academy wanted the tablescape based on the Versace plates, so we drew colour inspiration from them using burgundy, golds and black.
TABLE LINENS
Quality Linens: Use high-quality tablecloths, runners, and napkins. We love linen, but if you want to lean into very rich saturated colours then you could opt for a cotton Sateen or cotton velvet.
Layering: Layer different linens to add texture and depth. A table runner over a tablecloth or place-mats on top can create visual interest. Cloth napkins are always a good idea!
TABLEWARE
Elegant Dinnerware: Choose china that complements the look you are going for, think about the colour, the finish and the shape. Consider using different colours for different size plates, e.g the dinner size plate is different to the entree plate, this adds another layer and more interest.
Glassware: Use crystal glasses for water, wine, and champagne. Ensure they are spotless and polished.
Flatware: Opt for high-quality silver or gold-plated flatware which complement the colours on the table. Arrange it properly according to formal dining etiquette – we left this to the Superyacht academy team who run training programmes on this as part of their course!
CENTREPIECES
Candles: Incorporate candles in varying heights. Candelabras, votives, and taper candles can create a warm and inviting atmosphere. In this instance we went with our ‘Black & Brass Candlesticks’ which come as a set of 3 in differing heights. Adding gold velvet ribbon bows elevated the look and added another layer of texture and warmth. Rather than using our traditional wax taper candles, these candles are our new and amazing LED versions which are still made of wax but are run by battery (they even flicker like a real candle!) We will be listing these soon as we love them for this sort of setting, knowing they don’t need to be replaced when the wax melts or having to clean up melted wax.
A focal point: Curated Botanics obviously specialises in this aspect of table decoration and for this project Heather designed these beautiful bespoke long table garlands (2 x 1.8m) using artificial stems, which tied through with the burgundy colour theme. You can also space flower arrangements down the table or use some foraged pinecones, evergreen branches, berries etc to create a rustic centrepiece.
PLACE SETTINGS
Charger Plates/Place-mats: Start with a beautiful charger plate or place-mat as the base for each setting. In this example the layering of plates themselves adds enough interest and as space was tight we didn’t use a place-mat.
Napkin Presentation: Fold napkins elegantly or use napkin rings like our gold-plated brass napkin rings. Place them on the plates or to the left of the forks.
Name Cards: Personalised name cards can add a bespoke touch.
ACCENTS & DETAILS
Luxurious Accents: Velvet ribbon burgundy bows added to the chairs (along with the gold velvet ribbon bows to the candlesticks) were our finishing touches to this table setting. It might be some special salt and pepper shakers, wine decanter, ornate butter dishes, or elegant bread baskets etc.
Consistency: Ensure all elements from tableware to decor are consistent with the theme and color scheme.
LIGHTING
Ambiance: Soft, ambient lighting enhances the luxurious feel. Use candles, dimmable lights or strategically placed lamps.
BALANCING ELEMENTS
Symmetry and Balance: Ensure the table is balanced. Symmetrical arrangements often work well, but don’t be afraid to break symmetry for a more dynamic look.
Scale and Proportion: Make sure all elements are appropriately scaled to the size of the table and the room. Also consider how easy your tablescape will be for conversation.
PRACTISE SETTING UP
Mock Setup: Do a trial run to see how everything looks together. This helps identify any adjustments needed before the event. We had this table set up, adjusted, re-adjusted and re-adjusted again before packing it all down to then film the time lapse to set it all up again… We then made more changes!
WINTER BANQUET STYLING VIDEO
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