The Rise of Tablescaping

My home has always been my happy place, the place where I feel most comfortable and enjoy pottering, creating and pondering. But boy, like many homes, it’s had to work overtime during lockdown.

During the pandemic I’m sure we’ve all experienced how days, hours and minutes have rolled into one, and how even just the small act of having a simple meal has become an event; a way in which to punctuate the day and also help differentiate it from a weekday to weekend. Well, as a result there seems to be a growing phenomenon of people tablescaping - the act of layering tables with tableware, crockery, ornaments, napkins, flowers so you have a wonderful display in which to enjoy your meal. Ok, so this is not something new to lockdown and has been a growing Instagram trend over the last few years but I’m sure, like me, you have drooled over the cascading floral displays and exquisite crockery. However, during the pandemic, for many people it has become, and still is a part of a need to want to nest and create homes that are nurturing and restful. There has been a shift from the lavish and the full-on maximalist style of tablescaping and a more relaxed and homely vibe has started to evolve. Like with the craze for baking bread and banana cake, the ritual of tablescaping has become a form of simple escapism, a joyful task, and a soothing way in which to make the home and a simple meal look more inviting and memorable.  

Those that know me well, know that I’m not the cook in our house. My husband loves to cook and BBQ and not only am I getting to enjoy more of this now he’s working from home, but I’m also getting joy from combining simple tablescaping with it. For me, I love mixing up old and new tableware and picking flowers from the garden, all to complement the colours and texture of the food. We’re also very lucky to have friends who have an allotment and we’ve had numerous bags of fresh produce dropped off at our doorstep. Even just displaying the produce has become a nurturing ritual to me. The tasting of it was also pretty darn good!

I think we would all agree, that now, more than ever is the time to appreciate the small things in life. So, go on, take a few minutes out of your day and set the scene for that home baked banana cake, I guarantee you won’t be disappointed.