Around the Summer Table
24 June, 2026
There's a specific kind of summer evening we're always chasing - long table, good bottle, the best company, nowhere to be. The food almost doesn't matter. What matters is that it feels like someone thought about it. This is the edit that does exactly that.
The hosting edit that'll make your guests feel the effort, even if the food is just a frozen pizza. All of it made to be used, not just admired.
THE POUR
Dew Blue Carafe — &klevering | £65
New in, and already earning its place on every table we set. That soft, hazy blue does something to a glass of water that frankly no glass of water deserves but absolutely gets. For summer, this is the move.
THE ICE BREAKER
A Deck of Cards - Le Puzz | £18
Just launched and certain to become a cult classic, this illustrative deck of cards is the perfect ice-breaker between courses or once the meal's long over. Decorated in playful illustrations by brilliant female artists, this deck is perfect for all games from snap, poker, a drunken 'ring of fire' and anything in between.
THE DISH EVERYONE BRINGS TO THE TABLE
Colorama Small Enamel Baking Dish - Bornn | £22
Guardian-approved, ETC-obsessed, endlessly gifted. Bornn's enamel baking dish goes straight from oven to table with zero friction - bold colour, perfect weight, ideal for roasted tomatoes, tarts, or honestly just looking excellent on a shelf. A proper crowd-pleaser in every sense.
THE SUMMER SERVE
Wine Cooler Messy — Byon | £70 (was £85)
Textured, sculptural, and on sale - the Byon Wine Cooler is the kind of piece that gets complimented before you've even opened the bottle. A proper statement for the table, and a very good reason to open something chilled.
THE GLASS ACT
Coupe Perle Amber Set of 2 — &klevering | £45
Amber coupes. That's it. That's the sell. Whether you're serving a spritz, a sorbet, or dessert wine at 10pm, these make everything feel like an occasion.
THE DETAIL THAT DOES THE HEAVY LIFTING
Sardine Cocktail Napkins — Piecework | £35
Nobody talks about napkins until they see these. Piecework's embroidered cocktail napkins are one of those objects that elevate an entire table. The design is playful, the quality is real, and they tell your guests that someone around here has taste. Also available in Tomato, Pasta, Cheese, Hors D'oeuvres, Brunch and Shell.
THE FOUNDATION
Mermelada Placemat — Tarta Gelatina | £16
Tarta Gelatina make the most joyful placemats we've found — this one in a warm, earthy palette that works beautifully on a linen tablecloth or a bare garden table. At £16 each, there's no excuse not to do the whole set.
AND SOMETHING FOR THE TABLE ITSELF
UP UP Chocolates — £6
Put a few of these out after dinner and watch people's eyes light up. UP UP make clean-ingredient chocolate bars in flavours that are actually interesting — Sea Salt Dark, Sweet Orange Milk, Wild Mint Dark. The kind of thing that makes a table feel thought about.