I love a dinner party, but if I’m honest, plans for a stylish spread quickly go out the window; especially when friends are on their way and you haven’t even started cooking. But not this festive season! This summer I’m going to create a feast for the stomach and the eyes… with Shaynna Blaze‘s help that is. Check out her top tips for styling a festive platter and the perfect tabletop.

How to style a festive platter

The more food, the better: A simple block of cheese and some dip and crackers just doesn’t cut it these days. Select a few different types of cheeses and layer with nuts, olives and fresh berries, and use dried fruits to fill all the gaps and cover any empty board space – a sumptuous smorgasBOARD!

Build from a perfect base: Choose a beautiful timber board or marble tray to serve, and pair with cheese knives and serving tools that follow the same aesthetic so it doesn’t overwhelm the food.

Use colour: Juicy strawberries,  green grapes and pomegranates not only taste good but visually make your platter an enticing feast

Balance: Start with the biggest items i.e. cheese, dips, bowls of olives etc. and build around this. Play around with different angles and different heights for your meat, cheese and crackers. It gives an extra dimension to the spread!

Variety is key: A platter should have a variety of textures, colours and tastes. Be mindful of this when selecting your food and don’t be afraid to pile it high with cheese, fruit, meats and pickled vegetables as a mouth-watering assortment of perfection.

Don’t forget the wine: Stemless wine glasses are an alternative to having lots of height on your table, use them on their own or mixed with stemmed glasses to give variation to your table.

How to style the perfect tabletop

1. Invest in a few core pieces like cutlery, wine glasses and hurricane lamps or vases to dress up your celebrations in the lead-up to Christmas.

2. Adding elegant cutlery to your dining table has the same impact as adding beautiful earrings to a little black dress.

3. When setting the table for dinner parties, keep your centrepiece low so sight lines aren’t obstructed and the conversation can flow.

4. To achieve a formal feel with your dining table setting, stick to a single colour palette for your dinnerware and placemats.

5. Create a casual look that’s perfect for breakfast, lunch or dinner by styling simple timber accessories with grey chinaware.

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