Colour, Character and a More Collected Table
There is something wonderfully refreshing about a table that doesn’t look as though it has been put together all at once. A favourite serving bowl picked up years ago, handmade plates that are each slightly different, colourful glassware and pieces that carry their own memories.
It’s an approach that sits at the heart of Woven Rosa, a homeware brand known for colourful handmade tableware, characterful ceramics and a relaxed way of bringing people together around the table.
For this edition, we wanted to go beyond the story of the brand and talk about how we actually live with beautiful tableware. From where to begin when introducing colour to your home and whether matching dinner sets are becoming a thing of the past, to creating an effortless Mediterranean table and choosing handmade ceramics online, we asked Laura founder of Woven Rosa to share her approach.
And one idea comes through again and again: the most interesting homes aren't perfectly matched. They are collected over time.
For someone who wants to introduce more colour to their table, where would you recommend starting without completely replacing the dinnerware they already own?
Serveware is a great place to start. A new serving dish for the centre of the table, or a jug that works as a water jug one day and a vase the next. But really, I think your tableware should be a mix of old and new, different colours and styles. Your home isn't supposed to be a show home, and a collected table tells the story of different times in your life.
Do you think the traditional matching dinner set is becoming a thing of the past? What makes mix-and-match tableware work well together?
Matching tableware isn’t gone, but definitely no longer the default. Mix-and-match works best when pieces share one thing, like a tone, a theme or a shape, rather than everything. And don't be afraid of the odd one out, as it's often what makes a table feel alive.
What should someone invest in first when they’re beginning to build a collection of handmade tableware: dinner plates, pasta bowls, serving pieces or glassware?
Our pasta bowls are definitely our most used piece. They work as a plate and a bowl, so one piece does the job of two. Start with what you'll reach for every day, and you'll soon know what to add next.
How do you choose colours that feel joyful and distinctive but will still be beautiful to live with several years from now?
Colour is so personal, so the first question I ask myself is: do I love this because it's on trend, or because I genuinely love it? The pieces worth investing in are the ones that outlast any season and still make you smile years later.
For me, nature has the best colour combinations. I feel most creative when I'm on holiday, and I'm always taking photos: a cactus against a terracotta wall, the different blues of the sea, a market stall piled high with seasonal fruit. Those pairings have been around forever, which is exactly why they never feel dated.
There’s often a temptation to save beautiful tableware ‘for best’. What pieces do you think every home should be using and enjoying every day?
I'm definitely an advocate for using your best homewares every day. Life is too short! Your favourite bowl and a beautiful glass on a Tuesday night make an ordinary dinner feel a bit special.
What makes a table feel effortlessly Mediterranean rather than overly styled or themed?
Mediterranean style dining is all about ease and going back to basics, so simple yet tasty dishes, and the less fuss the better.
It's about how you eat, not the props: dishes shared in the middle, torn bread, a jug of water, food arriving when it's ready. Skip the obvious motifs and let good ingredients, and handmade pieces do the talking.
When you are setting a table for friends at home, what are the little details that make the biggest difference?
Handpicked flowers from the garden, in a jug or a small glass at each place, and name places so guests feel expected. Add candles, a small bowl of olives or almonds on the table as people arrive, and a water jug within reach so everyone - nothing worse than being parched!
I also love having a special arrival drink to get the mood going! Like a limoncello spritz always goes down well. And wine is always going to be flowing!
How do you combine colourful ceramics, glassware and table linens without the table becoming visually too busy?
Try choosing a colour palette that runs through the whole table. It can be seasonal, or simply whatever you're loving at the moment. I find I get the best inspiration for colour pairings from nature.
A good table also needs dimension and height. So be brave with colour and even a bit of clashing, and when in doubt, add height with candles, flowers or jugs. It gives the eye somewhere to travel and makes the table feel layered rather than crowded.
But I wouldn't overthink it. Have fun, and let the tableware do the work!
What should shoppers look for when buying handmade ceramics online, particularly when no two pieces are the same?
Expect variation and enjoy it, since that's the point. Part of the joy in buying handmade is that no two pieces are the same, and you can see the brush strokes and the slight variations in design. We always check our homewares both when we receive them back from the workshop, and then again before they are sent out so we’ve already made they they are beautiful pieces for your home.
Looking ahead, which tableware colours, shapes or ways of entertaining do you think we’ll be seeing much more of in homes?
I think people increasingly want a style that's their own, so one-off pieces will always be worth collecting. I love a home that tells a story: something picked up on holiday, something passed down through the family, a piece from a brand you've always loved. Those are the heirlooms of the future. I'd rather see a table full of pieces with a history than one that looks like a catalogue. And with handmade work, where no two pieces are quite the same, you end up with something that's truly yours.
In terms of colour, I’ll always love espresso brown - it’s timeless and can be paired with pretty much anything! Our espresso dinnerware set always gets so many compliments!
A Table That Tells Your Story
The pieces we choose today can become the heirlooms of tomorrow.
A table doesn't need to match perfectly to feel considered. In fact, it is often the unexpected combinations, an old plate beside a new handmade bowl, different colours brought together through a common tone, or a jug filled with flowers from the garden that make it feel most personal.
Woven Rosa's approach is a reminder to use the pieces we love rather than saving them for special occasions, to embrace the small variations that make handmade ceramics unique and to let our homes gradually tell the story of where we've been and what we've collected along the way.
Explore the absolutely beautiful collections by Woven Rosa at Mash + Mint and discover colourful tableware, handmade ceramics and pieces designed to become part of everyday life.
