Inspiration | 10 Summer Table Styling Ideas

From weeknight meals with family to weekend dinner parties, handwoven tableware is a beautiful way to introduce texture to your table during the summer season. Whether you're dining alfresco or indoors, natural fibre placemats, coasters, table runners, baskets and trays are the perfect foundation to create a stylishly casual table setting while protecting your tabletop from scratches and spills. Read on for ten inspiring summer table styling ideas.

1. Draw inspiration from nature for your colour palette. This olive green linen tablecloth tones beautifully with timber, dusty green Banksia foliage and natural palm fibre placemats & coasters. Layer some organic handmade ceramic tableware and natural linen napkins to complete the look. Our palm fibre placemats and coasters are supplied in sets of 8 in lidded baskets. The baskets are great for carrying cutlery and condiments to the table when entertaining.

2. Reminiscent of an Italian summer, a bowl filled with lemons is a simple, yet evocative way to style your table. Switch it up and choose fruit or vegetables that are in season, or curate a collection of pieces foraged from nature for a timeless centrepiece. Neutral and textural, a statement vessel like the Zila woven basket can be used year-round as the foundation for your table styling, styled on a shelf or hung on a wall in multiples. 

3. Layering textures is the key to bringing a neutral palette to life. This rustic timber tabletop and woven natural chairs set the tone for handmade ceramics, linen napkins and our handwoven Malu jute placemats, creating a grounded, earthy setting. Supplied as a set of 6, the Malu Jute Placemats in Natural or Bone are a practical and textural addition to your table as they protect your tabletop from spills and scratches. Pair them with the matching Malu Table Runner in Natural or Bone to complete the look.

4. Coastal hues of white, natural and seafoam create a soothing tone for this tabletop. Round shapes, whitewashed timber and woven textures soften hard surfaces, creating effortless casual style whether you are dining indoors or outdoors. Timeless and functional, our blonde handwoven jute placemats and coasters are a beautiful way to introduce texture to this fresh table setting. 

5. Make entertaining a breeze and use shallow jute baskets to carry tableware, napkins, cutlery and condiments between your kitchen and dining area. Display them on a shelf or table between uses to add a textural element to your decor and for functional storage.

6. Bring the outdoors in. For a casual occasion, arrange simple sprigs of foliage or flowers from the garden in small decorative vases to add a flourish of greenery to your table. We recommend the soft green tones of Australian natives for this effect. For a more formal occasion, large foliage in taller vases will bring visual flair and an element of playfulness to your table setting.

7. Darker muted tones of greys, blacks and browns create a dramatic and sophisticated setting. This naturally-weathered timber tabletop, matte ceramic tableware, gunmetal cutlery and charcoal linen set the tone, while our natural jute placemats and coasters add beautiful woven texture and visual relief from the darker layers.     

8. Ideal for everyday use, a handwoven table runner will add a textural touch to the centre of your dining table while serving to protect your tabletop from scratches and spills. Think of it as your drop zone for when you bring things to the table while setting and styling. The Malu Table Runner forms part of a collection that can be paired with a set of six matching Malu placemats.

9. Trays make entertaining easy, especially when dining outdoors. Use them to carry glasses, tableware, drinks and food to reduce back-and-forth trips to the kitchen so you can spend more time with your guests. Our large palm fibre Pata Tray (50cm) is ideal for entertaining  however it also works beautifully to add texture to a shelf vignette or as a base to arrange decorative pieces on a coffee table or entryway console when not in use. The smaller Pata Drinks Tray (35cm) has higher edges making it perfect for carrying glasses and drinks when entertaining alfresco! 

10. Curate a contemporary setting using darker, masculine shades of black and grey mixed with warm tones and timber. Textural woven placemats - like our Malu Placemats in Charcoal - will create a layer of interest to modern or smooth surfaces. Pair with amber glass, smooth ceramics and dark toned cutlery for a modern dining scene that is warm and inviting for your guests.