Painting a picture with colour
We all know the feeling, it’s March, winter looms on and that jumper / jeans combo, which seemed slightly novel in September, is starting to lose its appeal (if it was ever there in the first place). The crisp, golden leaves of autumn have been replaced with the muddy puddles of bleak winter, and it’s progressively harder to romanticise any form of your life.
So we look to light!
We’ve seen them pop up around London – the 70s, Capri style, electric interiors of Big Mamma’s Gloria and Circulare Populare – the all-day long Trattoria oozing the sunny coasts of Naples from the heart of Soho.
What we haven’t seen until now, however, is the new effect this “larger than life” persona is having on weddings. Bearing on the “kitsch” (a term which implies a slight over eccentricity), Spring 2023 sees the fusion of yellow, magenta, fuchsia, turquoise, bright green, purple and their collaboration together. This clash of colour seems a staunch pendulum swing away from the minimalistic 90s aesthetic – a nebulous line between chic and tacky, that perhaps only Nicky Haslam could judge.
Covid brought in a new appreciation of eating rustically and enjoying the comforts of our own home. We reverted to “the simple times” and felt a slight nostalgia for times gone by. It was also however a vast amount of time without the ability to travel.
For Spring 2023, we’re seeing the influence of abroad permeate traditional English settings, as we look to define the outside, at home. The Dutch have a word “gezelig” (to create a warm, fuzzy vibe whilst enjoying a meal) which springs to mind. We’re seeing the reintroduction of “mix and match”, of different shaded glasses, a multitude of textures. If we wouldn’t have thought of bringing it together before – now it works! – think lace, cotton, bamboo – all mixed together in a beautiful cocktail of spring.
Through our binoculars, we see a constant motif of East meets West; a merging of styles and influences; the Bosphorus or Turkish Hammam meets the light breeze of English summer. The ornate meets bold, lace meets cotton – a beautiful topsy-turvydom of fabric, and light, and colour.
Drawing attention to tablescaping, think floral tablecloths (Mark D Sikes range for Anthropologie springs to mind) with a colour palette of spring green, yellows, pale pinks, pale blues.
Of course, we couldn’t write this article without mentioning luxury British homeware designer Maison Margaux’s lookbook for Spring. Incorporating elements of the French riviera – we see a return to the Chinese blue and white porcelain aesthetic in Blue Petals – to more contrasting, rustic reds and pinks in Alana pomegranate. Mauve pink is stated to be one of the most sought after colours for Spring/Summer 2023 and we’re very excited to see how this unfolds!
Colour is everywhere, and geometric shapes embellish any space. For an added touch, play with dish shapes – think Green Cabbage Leaf Dish contrasted with Mini Vintage blush port set for a play on colour and texture. If Spring 2022 was the era of green, we look to the coupling and deliberate, beautiful clash of colour and texture for Spring 2023.
Lisa Corti brings her own Italian warmth to her table scaping, with strong influences of the al-fresco dining she used to enjoy in summers on the Italian coast. Her bazaar-like, world of colour mixes sophistication with a unique sense of charm.
Continuing with an aesthetic of pieces that will stand the test of time, Les Ottomans will always be a headline choice for any perfectly laid table. We love their Bamboo collection for Spring, with its focus on muted pinks and greens, pulls together a “hopeless romantic” – meets-70s-Italian-riviera aesthetic, which yearns for balmy spring evenings and the twittering of birds. As Shakespeare mused, “If music be the food of love, play on” – and yes, do play!
Advancing the geometric, CasaCarta brings together ruby reds and fuchsia pinks in its wondrous swirled butter dishes – an intoxication of colour, but somehow… it works? Post-Covid expressionism is back, and better in a whole new way. For this aesthetic, think of the beautiful La Double JJ in Milan; a place where homeware is as important as fashion, and tie in an element of that much missed travel that we yearned for during Covid.
Finally for a more subtle affair, become wrapped in the hazy daydream of Rebecca Udall’s Ruffle Gingham Linen Tablecloth, set amongst a sea of Nina Glass Candleholders and Scalloped Abaca Placemats. Flirting with frills and scalloped edges, Udall’s designs bring the familiar to the foreground, embellishing them with an elegant flair. Stay tuned.