True blue summer table style

Sarah Wormwell

December 2, 2019

Table dressing: inky, watery blues work for hot sunny days.Anliette Chen

The all-white perfectly matched dinner set is very last century. "In the same way we no longer dress head-to-toe in one label, neither should our table styling be uniform," says brand experience director for luxury fashion, art and philanthropic organisations, Marcus Longinotti. "The modern tablescape should be styled with visual drama, to create interest and reflect the individuality of the host."

Creating a fun, summer table is a case study in colour contrast. Blue is opposite orange on the colour wheel, which makes warm hued foods "pop". Blue is also quintessentially Australian, with many artists and designers referencing our oceans and skies in their latest collections.

"A sea-inspired table of hand-painted plates, ignites joy and resonates with Australia's profound love for the coast," says of creative director of Alex and Trahanas, Heleena Trahanas. While Noosa-based ceramicist Kim Wallace applies two different blue glazes to create a depth of colour evoking a summer sky - from clear brilliance to moody thunderstorm.

Joy Smithers, of Batch Ceramics, who has been supplying high-end restaurants with her specialist pieces for almost three decades, says her hand-painted glazes create a subtle texture, unique to each piece.

"Modern Australian food is hugely diverse, so ceramics must work for all influences; matt glazes that show the brush mark add subtle interest, and make the food the star of the show," she says.