Summer Mise en place

2 July 2025

A lunch or dinner outdoors has a completely different flavor and whether it is during the day or in the evening it is always worth stopping to create a scenic, welcoming and complete table for guests. The latest trends include sophisticated but also ironic collections, mixes of colors and decorative details and unexpected combinations. It is a dynamic table in which the elements, in addition to serving the main purpose, are often conversation starters to comment on their beauty and irony. After all, on the summer table you can indulge in jokes and fun that today are combined with the quality of prestigious design and high-quality manufacturing, as revealed by some of the latest collections. The dishes are the protagonists and the real novelty of recent years is portable lamps that alternate with classic candles to create enchanted scenarios.

Serax Les Objets Mouleversants

Les Objets Moulversants are conversation pieces par excellence: with an avowedly artistic inspiration, they were imagined by Wouters & Hendrix, a jewelry brand that with Serax designs its first collection for the table. The matrix is surrealist and offers a playful cue to give the table the final touch of style, just like jewelry does with the outfit.

Pols Potten Marine Striped

Polspotten dives into the Mediterranean with the Marine Striped collection: ceramic plates, bowls and glasses, decorated with a simple but effective striped design, in colors that are perfect for summer and beyond. Accessories to make the table more fun and informal, also suitable for decorating a shelf or a console.

Missoni Zig Zag Jarris

Setting the table evoking a classic of Italian fashion is possible thanks to the Zig Zag Jarris collection by Missoni. The decoration of the plates reproduces the famous and iconic polychromatic zigzag decorative motif, of great elegance. Lively but discreet, the service of plates is an excellent compromise between classic and contemporary.

Rosenthal Sonetto

Rosenthal’s latest collection is a tribute to the sonnet, the oldest Italian poetic form, characterized by a melodious rhythm that we find in the lines and finishes of plates and accessories. The combination of floral and organic shapes is new and courageous but succeeds in the not easy task of offering a mise à table never seen before. Which combines elegance and materiality deserving the German Design Award 2025 for its category.

Hering Berlin Ocean

Fish, shells, jellyfish: the creatures of the sea in an intense blue on an immaculate background are the decorative motif of the Ocean plates by Hering Berlin. Different designs to mix to create the perfect summer table. It is not only a divertissement but also a precious service in hand-painted porcelain.

Ginori 1735 Oriente Italiano

A classic revisited, or rather, revolutionized by the creative use of color. The Oriente Italiano collection preserves the classic shapes and decorative motifs of porcelain but makes them innovative by choosing unexpected colors such as periwinkle. A tribute to the history of the company that winks at the contemporary.

Iittala Solare

To complete the table, the Solare collection by Iittala is ideal, in hand-blown glass in Finland, designed to adapt to different styles. Of the highest craftsmanship, Solare has informal lines because it is intended for everyday use, to be made special through the use of objects designed and produced with great care.

Baobab Cocody and Pierre De Lune

Using a scented candle at the table is possible, as long as you choose very delicate and quality fragrances. A perfect example is Cocody and Pierre De Lune by Baobab, particularly suitable for the table thanks to the vase that contains them, a small work of art in glass.

Tom Dixon The Bell Portable

One of the most interesting innovations of recent years is portable lamps that can be moved around the house and, if necessary, complete a welcoming outdoor table. For a bold look, the rechargeable version of The Bell lamp by Tom Dixon in chrome steel is perfect, in which the scenery is reflected, creating a unique and changing decorative effect.

Fritz Hansen Clam

For those who prefer a more essential and Scandinavian style, an excellent option is the new Clam, a portable lamp by Fritz Hansen designed by the Danish studio Ahm & Lund. Available in white, gray, and blue, it is delicate but full of character, perfect for a summer table with a Nordic flavor.

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