What with the current craze for upside-down and black Christmas trees, there’s definitely a Gothic, whimsical streak running through this year’s Christmas trends. If you’ve got friends and family visiting for Christmas lunch this year, then a sure-fire way to impress is by creating a dramatic table setting. Forget Good Housekeeping’s last minute cleaning tips, and opt instead for a visual assault on the senses: beautifully crafted cutlery, carafes of wine, enormous pewter platters ready for a feast (Whippet Grey do some beautiful ones), a seasonal arrangement of ever-greens and holly and place names scribed in your finest calligraphy so that you can keep the feuding parties at either end of the table. Perfect for adding some modern Gothic splendour to your table is Louise Campbell’s “The More The Merrier” candlestick. Created for the new Scandinavian design collective Muuto, the design can be shaped to fit perfectly into your table setting and will give off the perfect, calming glow.
