Nevels Pellet Stoves: A Black and Gold Table Setting for a Special Dinner

Tuesday 29 August 2017

A Black and Gold Table Setting for a Special Dinner

A Black and Gold Table Setting for Summers End

As summer comes to an end and the nights start to draw in and get chillier, entertaining naturally moves inside. In our house that means the kitchen. But that doesn’t mean that I don’t make a fuss of the table, and I love nothing more than setting the scene for a romantic tête-à-tête or a special dinner. So when Wayfair asked me to style a black and gold table for one of their Autumn campaigns I was happy to rise to the challenge. Black is one of my favourite accent colours at the minute. I’ve used quite a lot of it in the bedroom, and you might remember that I’ve recently painted the legs of the dining table a matt black. So it seemed a campaign that was made for me. And gold is currently the on-trend metallic finish. Not to mention the perfect contrast to matt black. All round, it’s a match made in heaven.

A Black and Gold Table Setting for Summers End

I do tend to use a tablecloth for special dinners, but on this occasion I wanted to keep the the grain and warmth of our newly sanded tabletop visible. A black and gold scheme can sometimes appear a bit harsh and I wanted the wood to introduce a more natural and organic element into the final finish. The lacy table runner was used for the same reason. To create a softer, feminine, and more romantic ambiance. It’s actually plastic and meant for the outside but I think it’s pretty enough to use here.

A Black and Gold Table Setting for Summers End

For each place setting I’ve used Wayfair black and white dinner plate and Wayfair gold cutlery as a starting point. I’ve then added marble effect plates from Next and black napkins. Again from Wayfair. The black rimmed plates create a strong backdrop to the softer marbling on the top plates. Depending on what’s on the menu, there are also marble effect soup bowls. The black napkins have been folded simply with a gold peg to keep them in place. I must admit to researching napkin folding but I much prefer a more casual approach.

A Black and Gold Table Setting for Summers End

For decoration down the centre of the table I started with a couple of different height pillar candlesticks. I think it’s important to have some height on the table but you also want to see the person opposite. A high flower centrepiece may make conversation difficult, but slender candlesticks are just the job. They were once a light wood effect, but look much more dramatic with a coat of matt black paint, and because they are different heights, they provide an asymmetrical effect.

A Black and Gold Table Setting for Summers End

Then I added a few gold things. The wine glasses from Wayfair have a gold bottom to them, I’ve used glass and gold tea light holders from Next as vases, and I especially ordered the silver and gold pineapple salt and pepper posts from Oliver Bonas to add a touch of whimsy.

A Black and Gold Table Setting for Summers End

It was all looking pretty good at this point, but for me, flowers and greenery are the perfect finishing touches and really bring the table to life. White roses in the centre of the table and on each napkin really popped against the black and gold, and a trail of faux eucalyptus down the centre of the table added another organic touch along with a few faux potted succulents.

A Black and Gold Table Setting for Summers End

Some of the items in this post were gifted but all views, styling and photography are my own. I only work with companies I like and would recommend.