Set the table with Emma Johansson.

Emma Johansson is the stylist, photographer and influencer behind many of LINUM’s images in recent years. Emma’s looks are characterized by both accessibility and softness, often with elements of everyday life. It is a welcome contrast to the glamour often associated with the perfectly arranged and not so seldom detached-from-reality home styling. The heart and the home are central to Emma’s images. In the following post, Emma shares some of her top tips for a successful table setting.

1. What should you bear in mind when setting an inviting table?

I love to set the table for dinner, and flowers and candles are always must-haves on the table. Not to mention having plenty of textiles. I almost always start with a large table cloth with contrasting colours for napkins or placemats. When it comes to porcelain, I love to mix antique and vintage plates for a lively effect. They can be had very inexpensively.

2. Setting a table is both a practical and an aesthetic undertaking. What is important in purely practical terms, and what makes the difference aesthetically?

Practical considerations are always secondary, as I have more of an aesthetic streak. My spouse always gets a bit annoyed if I put a big flower display in the middle of the table. So, for more formal dinners, I make sure there are smaller bouquets, or I hang flowers like a garland above the table. You can choose flowers that last a long time without water, such as carnations. The advantage of a tablecloth and placemats is that you simply remove the mats after dinner, and the table cloth will still (hopefully!) be clean, which means it can stay on the table for the next few days.

3. Are there any special rules with regard to laying the table, or is it a bit old-fashioned nowadays?

I think you should do what you feel is best. For example, you can incorporate the cutlery into the setting by wrapping the cutlery in the napkins. I’ve never laid a table correctly with cutlery or glasses, i.e. according to the rules of etiquette (laughs).

4. Anything else you want to discuss on the subject?

General comment: If you put a bit of effort into laying an attractive table, then the food doesn’t need to be anything special. The food is perceived as being twice as good when served on an attractive table!