“It is about sharing culture and excellence,” Giambattista Valli says of his debut tabletop collection, over three years in the making. Such a timeline makes sense when you consider the Italian designer collaborated with artisans across Europe and North Africa, from the Viennese glassmaker Lobmeyr, to the Moroccan linen makers Atelier Houria Tazi, to the porcelain house Augarten Wien. There are water glasses painted with Valli-style roses, petal-shaped plates and objets in the shape of lemons and oysters. Recognising his range of individual influences, Valli’s line, which is offered through Moda Operandi, is divided into two distinct categories: The first, Plein-Air, leans into the delicate floral and feminine aesthetic his house is known for. (“It’s about Marie Antoinette, the Impressionists, and French gardens, yet there’s an Italian side to it, too,” he says.) The second, Cairo Jaipur, is a brighter and bold selection that embraces ombre celadon greens and jewel tone yellows inspired by his travels.
Valli is far from the only designer with tabletop goods on the mind: as summer months fast approach, a new fervour surrounding distinctive al fresco decor has emerged. California cool girl brand Dôen launched a line of dreamy bohemian tablecloths meant for a Los Angeles dinner party, while India Mahdavi’s kaleidoscopic tableware was inspired by the colors imprinted on your retina after closing your eyes in the bright sun. CeCe Barfield, who has worked with Markarian and Christie’s, believes that “well-set dining tables shouldn’t limit themselves to the indoors,” so her new garden collection works just as well outside: rattan chargers mix effortlessly with French porcelain and Belgian linens play host to colourful wax candles.
Below, the most recent notable home decor and design launches.
CeCe Barfield Garden Collection
“My Garden collection is inspired by elegant outdoor entertaining,” Barfield says. Floral motifs abound: plates and napkins are adorned with wildflowers, climbing vines, palms, and daisies. The vintage-feeling collection can be used for indoor or outdoor dining, making it the perfect investment for the spring and summer entertainer.
Gohar World
Artist sisters Laila and Nadia Gohar’s new tableware line, Gohar World, emphasizes the art of abstract, surrealist entertaining, offering objects like egg candelabras and trompe l’oeil plates. The duo worked with family-owned ateliers around the world to execute their vision, aiming to highlight heirloom techniques passed down through generations, like mouth-blown glass and hand-dipped candles.
Dôen Home
Bohemian florals reign supreme in Dôen’s new textile line, which embraces the rich marigold fields and poppy-filled meadows of California. Set your table and embrace the ’70s-Laurel Canyon aesthetic, or adorn your bed with soothing bluebell blooms.
This story originally appeared in British Vogue.
