GATHERINGS THE SIMPLE WAYHeidi Hallingstad & Diana Lovring

GATHERINGS THE SIMPLE WAYStyling and text by Heidi Hallingstad

Photo and graphic design byDiana Lovring

A break in everyday lifeA nice, quiet candle light dinner for two can be a welcoming break in a busy everyday life. It can be on an ordinary weekday or for a special occasion. The important thing is to enjoy the moment and each other.

Simple, but glamorousIt does not take much effort to give a table set-ting a little extra. Use nice plates, bring out the crystal, light a candle and add some greens - and you are all set.

This table setting is simple and done without a tablecloth. The raw table ads a bit of informal-ity and is a great contrast to the delicate porce-lain. Crystal glasses and some wine in a crystal carafe give the table some extra glamour.

Create romanceThere are just something about flowers and greens that makes the table so much more ro-mantic and welcoming. And don’t forget the candle light, a must have on a romantic evening.

We have used branches of eucalyptus but it could just as well have been beautiful roses or a nice bouquet from the garden.

GATHERINGS FOR TWO

Gather the people you loveNothing is better than gathering all the people you love in your life - to eat, talk and to share some jolly moments with.

Setting the table for a big party with many peo-ple can be both stressful and a lot of work. It shouldn’t cast a shadow over the joy of getting together, though. So keep it simple and make the table informal.

Mix it up!Use what you have and mix and match as much as you want. Different plates, glasses, tablecloths and napkins all make the table come more alive. Place dinner plates in piles on the table and let the guests set the table themselves - we are sure they will enjoy it!

In this example of a table setting, we have used different linen throws as tablecloths and diffe-rent tea towels as napkins. The plates are flee market finds and could just as well have been a pile of different looking plates.

Greenery and blossomsUse the nature for decorating the table. Have a look around outside and see what nature has to offer. It is easy and a lot cheaper than visit-ing the flower shop or buying decoration items.

Instead of the traditional flower centerpieces this table is decorated with plants in baskets from the terrace. Straws and wild flowers are beautiful and simple decorations placed in old milk bottles. Fresh vegetables are good for more than eating - why not use them as decora-tion on the table?

GATHERINGS BIG EVENTS

GATHERINGS DINNER PARTY

Special occasions On special occasions you might want to set an extra elegant table. A wedding, maybe, or a special birthday. Occasions where you want the surroundings to be a slight more sophisticated than usual.

A blank canvasA white tablecloth is a classical choice and makes a blank canvas for the rest of the table. In this setting we have used an old bed sheet as a tablecloth to keep it informal and to add a vintage feeling.

The table is filled with porcelain, crystal glasses, silver cutlery and a selection of brass candle-holders. Everything is a mix between new stuff and vintage finds. The plates are topped with white cloth napkins decorated with brass wire and a small branch of eucalyptus.

Flowers, flowers and more flowersSpecial occasions should be celebrated with lots and lots of flowers. We have placed big bou-quets of eucalyptus and peonies on the table, but it could just as well have been other flowers.

Making a mix between green branches and colored flowers is a good idea though. Place the flowers in big vases or jars along the middle of the table and just enjoy the view.

Meet up with friendsInstead of meeting up with your friends in your homes, agree on a meeting spot outside. It can be in the woods, on the kid’s favorite play-ground or maybe by the harbor.

Bring what you need to enjoy a nice outdoor meal and gather around a nice spot under the open sky.

Make it cozyBring a tablecloth, porcelain plates and nice glass-es, and you can easily make a beautiful setting.

In this setting we have used a wooden box as a small table and added pillows in the grass for the guest to sit on. An old embroidery tablecloth makes the box a bit nicer looking table. The ta-ble is set with a mix of new and second hand porcelain, ceramics, old glass and tin details.

Be adventurousUse the surroundings and go on small adven-tures. Pick flowers for the table and small trea-sures to take back home. Or just sit back and enjoy the view and listen to the birds singing!

GATHERINGS OUTDOORS

Enjoy the natureWhen the weather is good, pack a basket with throws, food and drinks and find a nice spot to settle down. Whether it is on the beach, in the woods or on the lawn doesn’t matter. The main thing is to bring the meal outside and make a little happening.

A couple of throws are enough and maybe a pil-low or two. Bring easy food and drinks in bottles.

Environmental friendlyWe suggest that you use more environmental friendly alternatives to the traditional plastic or disposable plates and glasses.

On this picnic we have brought plates and cups made of bamboo and disposable plates made of palm leaves. Use wooden bowls and cutting boards for laying out the food. Both practical and nice looking.

Have funSit back and enjoy the food, weather and the peo-ple you are with. Play some games or take a nap on the throws. Have fun and enjoy the moment!

GATHERINGS PICNIC

Heidi Hallingstad

Diana Lovring

Heidi is a freelance interior blogger, writer and stylist. She also earned a MSc in Marketing from Denmark.

Heidi is an expat Norwegian living in Denmark close to the German border. She lives with her Danish husband and their 3 children.

Diana is a freelance photographer and graphic designer with an eye for styl-ing. She has a degree in graphic design from Denmark and earned a BA(Hons) in photography from England.

Diana is living with her husband and son close to fjord and woodlands in Jutland, Denmark.

GATHERINGS THE SIMPLE WAYStyling and text by Heidi Hallingstad

Photo and graphic design byDiana Lovring

Denmark, June 2015

Text copyright by Heidi Hallingstad and photographic copyright by Diana Lovring 2015

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced stored in or introduced into a retrievel sys-tem, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without the prior written permission of the copyright holder.

THANK YOUBrejning Efterskole for letting us do our thing at your grounds and in your beautiful rooms.

Tine Juhl Thomsen, Thomsens.dk for lending us the gourgeous chairs.

GATHERINGS THE SIMPLE WAYHeidi Hallingstad & Diana Lovring