Kelly Hoppen, the multi-award-winning interior designer, has shared her professional insights on summer hosting and tablescaping, offering a wealth of ideas for creating stylish and welcoming dinner parties at home.
Creating the Perfect Ambience
For Hoppen, entertaining is about more than just the food. 'It's all about the music, the lighting, the drinks you have, the combination of friends, and making people feel really comfortable,' she explains. 'It should feel like you're at home, not stiff or formal. That's the beauty of entertaining at home – celebrating the people who are there.'
The 66-year-old designer, who splits her time between London and the Cotswolds with her long-term partner, takes great care in arranging her table layout. 'I love doing the table layout, so I know who's sitting with who, because I know about the conversations people are going to have,' she says. While food is important, Hoppen believes that 'you can serve up anything' if the atmosphere is right, ensuring everyone has a fun time.
Intimate Dining Spaces
Since moving a few years ago, Hoppen has downsized from a dining table that seated 30 to a smaller one in her kitchen that seats 12. 'That's perfect… nice, small and cosy,' she remarks.
Colour Schemes for Tablescaping
Known for her signature neutral palette of taupe, white, black, and grey, Hoppen favours two colour schemes for tablescaping. 'For me at home, it's always white and green. But it really depends on somebody's home… if it's all greys and monochromes, you could go for navy and white, which is really lovely in the spring and summer,' she suggests. Alternatively, she recommends all-white settings with touches of red, noting that 'food is a colour on the table; so you can always go more neutral and have food as a colour.'
Marks & Spencer Collaboration
To help others achieve a Hoppen-inspired look, she has designed a new home collection with Marks & Spencer, featuring design-led pieces with tableware at its heart. The range includes a soothing colour palette of white and sage green stoneware, along with glassware, nibble bowls, linen napkins, and serveware that bring 'quiet luxury' into the home. Highlights include footed wine glasses with white bases and striped white glass tumblers that 'evoke summer.' The collection also features a playful slogan platter that reads 'Bon Appétit.' 'It's happy. We need happiness. We all need those positive affirmations at the moment. And why not have it on a plate?' Hoppen says.
Breaking the Rules
When laying the foundations for a beautiful tablescape, Hoppen doesn't play by the rules. 'If I ever drink wine, which occasionally I will, I'll drink it in a tumbler with ice. I love that… I just like it,' she admits. She enjoys mixing old and new items, such as crystal glasses with her new collection. 'I like the mix of it, so there are no rules,' she asserts.
However, she does stick to tradition with seating plans. 'I always do a name card. I think it's easier, because when you've got 12 people coming to sit down for dinner and people go 'where do I want to sit?' – if they can see their name, it makes it easier,' she explains. For casual mid-week meals, she sometimes uses luggage tags with handwritten names on napkins, adding a stylish touch without formality.
Comfort and Style
Hoppen emphasises that comfort is key. 'When you say 'come over for a kitchen supper,' that doesn't mean it can't be stylish and gorgeous,' she says. She encourages guests to wear whatever they feel comfortable in, whether jeans or something dressier. 'The more comfortable people feel when they're out for dinner in somebody's home, the better the night is,' she notes.
Quirky Accessories and Blending Old with New
Despite her modern style, Hoppen loves incorporating quirky accessories. For pudding, she serves custard in a glass teapot, which makes an unexpected impression. 'Interesting ways to do things on the table that you wouldn't expect… that people will take away thinking 'God, that was cool,' she says. She is also a firm believer in blending old and new, mixing inherited silver pieces with new acquisitions. 'I think the more you can mix, the better. And it takes the pressure off people to know that that's okay,' she advises.
Floral Arrangements
Summer blooms are a big impact, but Hoppen insists on keeping them low. 'I love the idea of having food all the way down the centre of the table, because it feels very Italian and family. The problem is, I love flowers down the centre of the table, so I'm always juggling for space; but you've always got to keep everything low,' she explains. She suggests using any container available, even Pyrex mixing bowls or baked bean tins with labels removed, filled with herbs or floating flowers. 'Anything goes, as long as you can create it and make it look stylish,' she concludes.
The M&S X Kelly Hoppen S/S 26 Home Collection is available online and in-store now.
