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Tableware

The right tableware will totally elevate your dining experience and turn the humblest dish of pasta into an occasion. Check out the full collection here

Veeta Serving Spoons Nkuku

Having been searching for serving spoons for an age I might actually have included these just for me! We have dessert spoons and big ladles and spoons for serving by the hob but find pretty serving spoons to go on the table has proved hard. This might be them. Made from stainless steel, the handles were forged using traditional techniques and they have a tactile finish.
Enesta Dipped Mug Nkuku

These dipped mugs are so pretty and having never had much blue in my house I could change for these. Fair trade brand Nkuku has sourced these in China where they are made by artisans, the skills of many of whom are being forgotten in the race for mass production. Nkuku works with their suppliers to protect and preserve skills like these.
Glass Treat Jar House of Flora

Well if not now when? Check the measurements to make sure it's what you were expecting - it's 19cm tall and 12cm wide so it's for small treats. But House of Flora will plant a tree for every one bought so it's a treat for the planet too.
Caeser 12 piece scallop edge dinner set MADE

Firstly, can I say this is their spelling mistake not mine and while it pains me not to correct it, you might not find the product should you decide to search for it later not via this site (the very idea!) so it remains as is. Now, scallops, or should that be #scallops are having a bit of a moment on instagram but if you like a trend and will love it for ever then there's no reason you shouldn't invest your £79 on this 12 piece set. It might actually last longer than the current cabbage plate fad which may disappear as fast as it came.
12 Pack Bamboo Straws H&M

Over 4bn plastic straws are thrown away in the UK every year and the race is on to find a replacement. Glass is pretty but can be funny on the teeth (here are some featured elsewhere in this collection) but if you don't want glass (and I once saw someone on Dragon's Den proposing raw pasta tubes so that may not be the worst option) how about bamboo. This pack of 12 comes with a cotton pouch for one if you want to take it out with you, as well as a cleaning brush.
Multi-prep 4 piece salad preparation set Joseph Joseph

I love a gadget and I love a clever gadget. Years ago I interviewed one of the Joseph twins about their design process (when I wrote for The Independent newspaper regularly) and he told me they look at existing products and try and improve them. And their success rate is high - from the folding chopping board that is now in MoMA to this; a bowl with attachments that can all live inside each other (freeing up storage space). This will slice, spiralise, grate and spin your salad. And you know what? I'm buying it.
Floral Print Tablecloth H&M

If you follow the blog you will know that I'm a fan of the unexpected and this is why I like this tablecloth. It's a traditional floral design but in black and white. You can bring your own colour with plates and flowers - imagine the former in pink with lots of greenery. Or you could stick to black and white but make it stripes and checks. If you don't want the full tablecloth look there are matching paper napkins available.
Rosa Linen Napkins Soho Home

I'm having a napkin moment. Maybe it's the long closure of restaurants (I am desperate to go out for lunch) maybe it's the idea of elevating the midday soup and toast but either way, I'm finding that laying the table and adding napkins brings a drop of joy to meals (the teenagers not so much). I have bought cheap and they were nasty. These are not cheap but my, they are lovely.
Twisted Beeswax Candles Etsy

These beeswax candles are handmade in Devon and come in a variety of colours costing £6 for two. Suddenly traditional cyclindrical candles look all sorts of boring and the colours will bring a splash of joy to your table. Makes a great present too - with or without a candlestick.
Three-pack of tea towels H&M

If you've got to do the drying up then at least the tea-towels can be pretty. This set of three in sunshine yellow and fashionable gingham checks are nice enough to double up as large napkins and will certainly line a bread basket (now that our kitchens are our restaurants.