The Messy Table Aesthetic Is The Laid-Back Styling Trend Everyone Is Embracing Right Now

The "Messy Table Aesthetic" is an extension of the "Messy Interior Aesthetic" which is a highly personal laid-back style of decorating that showcases individuality and personality in an eclectic and unrestrained way. It can lean a little more chaotic and free-spirited but that's where the charm is. It's all very much about you and what you love - filling your home with things that have been curated over time that have meaning without any rulebook or structure but it still makes sense, looks and feels amazing and is bursting with character and soul! 

Vintage will feature heavily; mismatched furniture, clashing prints, patterns and colours; opening shelving and quirky playful trinkets and touches are the hallmarks of this design style which to some might sound very chaotic but for others like myself feels like home. Lived in, loved and memories at every turn - nothing pristine or too perfect-looking. An organised chaos of sorts!

Having designed and styled countless tablescapes as a wedding stylist I of course can see and appreciate the beauty in a formal table setting but I always feel the urge to add softness to the table to prevent it feeling too stiff or structured. Unstructured floral arrangements, wild foliage and a flowy drape or napkin can help soften the formality of a symmetrically balanced table.

I am naturally drawn to a more informal table setting so this trend is right up my street. But I don't like to think of it as a trend as it is more a reflection of your personality which is very much at the heart of what Amber + Willow is all about. I adore a grazing board, big sharing platters heaving with delicious food, home-made pizzas on wooden boards, a good Montepulciano, mismatched plates, lots of bowls, mismatched napkins, flowers and foliage picked from the garden, drippy candles. People chair-hopping around the table. Everyone feels comfortable and it's always fun.

To nail this look you need to go with your instincts. If you love it and it feels joyous - go for it! A great jumping off point could be your flowers - whether you've picked them up at the supermarket or from your garden, let them be your colour palette guide because Nature can't be wrong. If there are colours clashing in Nature, there can be colours clashing on your table - or anywhere in your home! A good place to start is a really great tablecloth. This can be your showstopper piece or you can of course go for plain white or natural linen and then layer it up with colourful plates and vases. You don't need to have a set of ten dinner plates or matching napkins. In fact I find it even more beautiful and interesting when things don't always perfectly match. They can be tied together through a background colour or through the colour of a napkin bow so they feel cohesive.

This style is all about layering. Use some old tarnished brass candlesticks next to contemporary ones. Mix and match your plates and how you tie your napkin. Candles are essential for ambience. Tea lights, pillar candles, old wine bottles used as candle holders; a tin of tomatoes repurposed as a vase can hold some fresh basil and that can be your centrepiece. Just add a glass of water inside to make it watertight - anything goes as long as you love it and it adds to the playful, informal atmosphere. A hand painted vintage bowl you picked up on holiday could hold nibbles and add colour to your table. All of these things add talking points and whimsy and make everyone around the table feel at ease. I also love to dot in some fresh fruit for decoration and colour especially if I don't have fresh flowers to hand. It doesn't need to be a fancy lemon tower, it can simply be a few fresh lemons dotted around your candles in an effortless but intentional way. 

Discover our collection of unique tableware and start curating your dream table now!