If you read the internet at all, you've heard that January isn’t exactly the time for maximalist decor. The month comes with an onslaught of "less is more" messaging, asking you to streamline your closet, Kondo your kitchen, cut out carbs, sugar, booze, and caffeine.
Cut coffee if you must, but please, don't give your tabletop the minimalist treatment.
Right now, it's bleak and cold outside. Your dinner table lacks the vibrant colors of summer produce, those piles of summer berries and melon, near-bursting tomatoes layered with herbs.
So, add some color back in through decor. Sip your drab detox broth out of something other than a speckled cream ceramic bowl. Slice into your salad with gusto, armed with a rainbow knife. Or, if you're also ignoring all the New Year's diet talk, plate your cookies on a splatter-painted tray or a swirly-patterned melamine dish.
There's no need to replace your whole dish set. "Small pieces like dishware and dining textiles are easy to swap out seasonally or just refresh when you are in the mood for a change," says Robyn Pleggenkuhle, a senior designer at digital interior design brand Havenly. By adding one or two bright pieces to your collection every once in a while, you'll give yourself the option of adding to your own personal color scheme slowly over time.
I understand how bold just a touch of zingy color can feel. (I'm with you! I tend to wear neutrals almost exclusively.) So, I've divvied some eye-catching dishes, linens, and cutlery into three categories, going from nearly-neutrals to all-out, riotous color. That way you can move into the world of colorful tabletops gradually.
If You're Just Dipping Your Toe in Colorful Decor....
For those of you with a whole Pinterest board of ash-floored lofts with colors that can all fit under the category greige, here are a few versatile pieces to add just a bit of color.
Yes, this navy is nearly a neutral. But for anyone easing gradually into the color zone, this petite blue glass serving bowl, with its uniquely spherical shape, is a safe and satisfying start. Fill it with ice at your next cocktail party, or add it to the dinner table brimming with citrus wedges.
If You're Ready For Something a Bit Brighter
Pick just one eye-catching shade next time your table needs an update—or go for them all for a fearless color clash.
These glossy brass and enamel trays come in nearly a dozen shades, but I particularly like these deep red tones. Use them to serve cocktails or hors d'oeuvres. Or, arrange bud vases of flowers or votive candles on top. When not in use in the dining room, these shiny beauties double as a nightstand catch-all, a key holder, or even a breakfast in bed tray.
A pattern mishmash can be crazy in a good way now and then—just start slowly and have an overall vision or color scheme in mind.
What hides stains and brightens a table-scape? A patterned runner or tablecloth. This one, by months-old brand The Inside, is made-to-order in the USA, promoting fair wages and less wasted fabric. The direct-to-consumer model also means better prices: expect to pay up to 50 percent less than you would at a traditional design site.
Named for one of the designer's favorite authors, these wiggly marbled melamine plates look like precious heirlooms but are made from dishwasher- safe, virtually-unbreakable melamine. Other favorites in the collection include a Bronte design in rust and deep grey-blue, and a swirly Wilde design in shades of lavender.
