Features: Dining

Moustache Corkscrew from Liberty

Moustache Corkscrew, £10.94, from Liberty

Add a touch of fun to your wine drinking with this Moustache Corkscrew from Liberty. £10.94

While this dreary weather may make picnics seems a long way off, they are one of my favourite summer pastimes – once the sun makes an appearance that is.

And while I know most wine bottles come with a screw cap, there are still some usually the traditional cork and there’s nothing more annoying then sitting down in a field to have lunch and realising you’ve forgotten the corkscrew.

Which is why I love this humorous Moustache Corkscrew from Liberty.

As well as adding a touch of quirkiness to your picnic, it’s compact enough to keep in your picnic hamper all year round meaning you’ll never be caught out again.

Quick Shop: Espresso Cups

Our pick of the best espresso cups.

Enjoy a perfect caffeine hit with our pick of the best espresso cups.

When you need a quick pick-me-up there are few things better than a small hot cup of strong coffee. We have a great selection of espresso cups allowing you to serve your shot in style.

From the simple but beautiful Pair of Menu Espresso Cups from Gifts with Style to the romantic Guzzini Love Espresso Cups from Red Candy we have designs to suit every taste and mood.

There are even espresso cups to make you smile while your coffee wakes you up, such as the Moustache Espresso cup from Lifestyle Bazaar or the Set of Scrabble Espresso Cups-C,A,F,E from Graham & Green.

(Clockwise from top) Set of Scrabble Espresso Cups-C,A,F,E from Graham & Green, £24.95, Pair of Menu Espresso Cups from Gifts with Style, £24.95, Moustache Espresso cup from Lifestyle Bazaar, £16.95, Entomo Espresso cup & saucer from Lifestyle Bazaar, £65, Guzzini Love Espresso Cups with Saucers from Red Candy, £29.70, LSA Zanzi Espresso Cup & Saucer from Occa Home, £9.50.

Baroque Acrylic Wine Glasses from Found Home Store

Baroque Acrylic Wine Glasses, £34 for four, from Found Home Store

Add some glamour to your summer dining table with these Baroque Acrylic Wine Glasses from Found Home Store. £34 for four

While you might not want to risk your best crystal when dining al fresco, I’m guessing you’re not going to settle with those naff plastic cups either.

These Baroque Acrylic Wine Glasses from Found Home Store offer a great solution and are sure to help create an impressive garden dining table.

Available in four colours (although my personal favourite is this Smoky Black) try mixing and matching to create an eclectic look.

Jeyo Sideboard from Graham & Green

Jeyo Sideboard, £895, from Graham & Green

Keep your clutter at bay in style with this Jeyo Sideboard from Graham & Green. £895

I think it’s fair to say that I am now also completely obsessed with sideboards, and as much as I love my original G Plan one, I’m always on the hunt for new ones.

This Jeyo Sideboard from Graham & Green is my latest sideboard crush. I love the splayed legs and mixture of wood and white gloss.

Perfect for a living room or dining room, it would also work equally well in a hallway as a super dooper console.

Canteen Utility Chairs from Bloomsbury

Canteen Utility Chairs, £199, from Bloomsbury

Add some colour to your dining room with these Canteen Utility Chairs from Bloomsbury. £199

The current trend for all things utility looks set to continue for a while but for some it’s just too stark.

That’s why these Canteen Utility Chairs from Bloomsbury are perfect for tapping into this trend while introducing some colour.

Inspired by post-war schools chairs, I love the simple design and flash of colour courtesy of the legs.

Whether you choose to go for a set in one colour or a mixture, these will look great around a white dining table.

Quick Shop: Decanters

Our pick of the most stylish Decanters.

Give your dinner party a touch of class with one of these stylish decanters.

Fine wine should be the main event of any stylish dinner party and what better way to show of the goods than with a classic decanter.

The 2.4 Litre Wine Carafe Decanter by LSA from Pelican Pear makes sure there’s enough of the best red to go around while the Skull & Crossbones glass decanter from Rockett St George will give your dinner party a quirky edge and be a real talking point too.

(Clockwise from top) Skull & Crossbones glass decanter from Rockett St George, £49, Versace Arabesque Red Wine Decanter – Amber from Occa Home, £535, LSA Ono Jug from Oliver Bonas £22.50, Carrs Wine Decanter from John Lewis, £150, 2.4 Litre Wine Carafe Decanter by LSA from Pelican Pear, £24, LSA Boris Decanter from Occa Home, £60.

City Landscape Cups from Dutch by Design

City Landscape Cups, £25, from Dutch by Design

Celebrate city life with these cute City Landscape Cups from Dutch by Design. £25

A trip last weekend to Amsterdam got me thinking that I hardly ever write about Dutch designers and as I was saying farewell to the home of clogs, windmills and tulips, vowed to rectify that immediately.

Dutch by Design is a hotbed of talent and quirky home accessories such as these delightful City Landscape Cups.

Featuring iconic landmarks such as the London Eye, Statue of Liberty and of course the obligatory windmill, these small cups are perfect for using for nibbles, your morning espresso or even pen pots.

Tawny Owl Dinner Plate from Liberty

Tawny Owl Dinner Plate, £30, from Liberty

Add some interest to your dining table or wall with this Tawny Owl Dinner Plate from Liberty. £30

Owls are still a huge interiors trend, from wallpaper and rug to ornaments and cushions, it seems nothing has escaped the wise bird treatment.

There’s almost too much to choose but I absolutely love this Tawny Owl Dinner Plate from Liberty.

Great for adding some bird chic to your dining table, I personally think they are too pretty to eat off.

Instead, I’ll be buying a few and displaying them on a wall where they’ll make an interesting alternative to wallpaper.

Quick shop: Cake Stands

Our pick of Cake Stands.

Bake something yummy and display it with one of these gorgeous cake stands.

Satisfy your tastebuds and your guests with one of these deliciously decorative cake stands.

If you want to showcase your baking skills, the simple Lsa Vienna Cake Stand and Dome from Occa Home will ensure your cupcakes won’t go un-noticed. Or maybe you fancy something pretty and sweet, such as the Regency Three Tier Cake Stand, from The Conteporary Home, perfect for traditional afternoon tea parties.

(Clockwise from top) Wire 3 Tier Cake Stand, £24.95, from fields of Blue, Lsa Vienna Cake Stand and Dome, £22.50, from Occa Home, Koziol Babell Three Tiered Cake Stand, £17.90, from Pelican Pear, Regency Three Tier Cake Stand, £29.99, from The Conteporary Home, Black and White Stripes Mini Cake Stand, £14, from Coco Male, Retro Spotted Cake Stand, £24, from Lover’s Lounge.

London Places Placemats from John Lewis

London Places Placemats, £15 for four, from John Lewis

Add some capital style to your dining table with these London Places Placemats from John Lewis. £15 for four

The eyes of the world will be upon London this summer and being a Londoner, I can’t help feeling a little bit proud.

Secretly, I’m hoping that TFL don’t mess it up and leave millions of tourists and angry commuters stranded, but the overwhelming feeling is definitely pride.

So, as well as hanging out my bunting and feeling slightly smug that I don’t have to travel halfway around the world to be here, I’ll be adding these super stylish London Places Placemats to my dining table.

Quick Shop: Mugs

Our pick of mugs.

Stick the kettle on and enjoy something warming in a practical yet stylish mug.

The cold weather puts a downer on everyone’s day, so why not make yours a little easier and sit back, relax and enjoy a hot drink in one of these fabulous mugs.

Create a stir in the office with the Gold Top Gun mug, from Graham & Green; it’s sure to make everyone know who’s the boss. Or maybe you fancy something sweet and quaint to sip tea from, such as the Lovely Jubbly mug, from Hunkydory Home, perfect for any type of brew.

(Clockwise from top) Gold Top Gun Mug, £20, from Graham & Green, Tyrrel Katz London Mug, £8.50, from John Lewis, Owl Enamel Mug, £7.25, from Liberty, Ferm Living Tree Bomb Mug, £20, from Occa Home, London 2012 Olympic Games Pictogram Mug, £6, from John Lewis, Lovely Jubbly Mug, £14, from Hunkydory Home.

Valder Dining Chairs from Made.com

Valder Dining Chairs, £119 for two, from Made.com

Brighten up your dining room with these Valder Dining Chairs from Made.com. £119 for two

If you’re feeling the pinch then chances are you’re not thinking of completely revamping your dining room.

However, these Valder Dining Chairs from Made.com are affordable enough to breathe a little brightness into your room.

I adore the simple, Scandi design and vibrant red colour which is perfect for adding a splash of colour to the starkest of rooms.

Plus their timeless style means they’ll work with both contemporary and classic dining tables.

Festival Porcelain Espresso Set from Mini Moderns

Festival Porcelain Espresso Set, £19.95, from Mini Moderns

Make after dinner coffee more stylish with this Festival Porcelain Espresso Set from Mini Moderns. £19.95

It would appear I have inherited my love of espresso from my Dad although secretly I think for me it’s more about the cute coffee cups than strongest shot of coffee you can get.

I have started to collect them over the years, dotted around the living room or kitchen – a classic Spode Blue Italian one currently holds my teaspoons.

It appears my collection is about to grow as I simply adore this Festival Porcelain Espresso Set from Mini Moderns.

Featuring MM’s gorgeous Festival print, designed to celebrate 60 years since the Festival of Britain, each cup has a different section of the print which makes for an eclectic collection.

Whether you choose to display them or wow guests with them after supper, one things for sure, they’re really rather lovely.

Retro 123 Crockery Set from Hunkydory Home

Retro 123 Crockery Set, £35, from Hunkydory Home

Make Christmas dining fun for little ones with this Retro 123 Crockery Set from Hunkydory Home. £35

A chat with my 3-year-old nephew revealed that for Christmas, he would like a glow in the dark pig, a rocket and some Lego.

Apart from the glow in the dark pig, which has both parents, his older brother and now Auntie Alex very confused – everything else seems pretty much straightforward.

However, a the little one loves his grub as much as everyone else in the family, I think this Retro 123 Crockery Set from Hunkydory Home would also be very well received.

Featuring chicks, numbers and trains, this brightly coloured set is the perfect thing for little ones to eat their turkey dinner and Christmas pud from.

Quick Shop – Dinner Plates

Our pick of the best dinner plates.

Host dinner parties in style with our pick of the best dinner plates.

With the festive period just around the corner, crackers and napkins for the big day are a must. However, the modest dinner plate shouldn’t be overlooked, so why not create a gorgeous dinner table with our pick of the most stylish dinner plates around.

If your culinary creations are a work of art, the Art of Entertaining Dinner Plate from Designed in England is perfect for showcasing your cookery skills.
Or if you fancy something simpler, the Dinner Plate by Emma Bridgewater from Liberty is perfect for keeping your table classic and fresh.

(Clockwise from top) Kraak dinner plate large, from OKA £29, Reef dinner plate, from OKA £12, Art of entertaining – dinner plate, from Designed in England £11.50, Dinner plate PiP Studio, from Liberty £11.50, Dinner plate Emma Bridgewater, from Liberty £19.95, Missoni home bianconero dinner plate, from Occa Home £40.

Quick Shop: Napkins

Our range of festive Napkins

Find your perfect napkins this Christmas with our stylish festive range.

As the festive season is upon us, now is a better time than ever to splash out in all Christmas festivities. One thing that’s always vital for Christmas is napkins and they’re a key item that will adorn every table.

So if you’re looking for one to decorate your table in lavish festive style, the gorgeous red John Lewis Snowflake Napkins are sure to add a touch of cheerfulness to any table.

John Lewis Snowflake Napkin, £4.00, from John Lewis, Francesca Napkin, £6.00, from John Lewis, Pepperberry 40cm Napkins X 20, £4.50, from John Lewis, Lombok Arigon Design Napkin In Natural, £5, from Lombok, Square Linen Napkins Set Of 6, £28, from OKA, Lexington Seaside Blue Star Napkin, £10, from Occa Home.

Christmas Serving Plate from Great Little Trading Company

Christmas Serving Plate, £26, from Great Little Trading Company

Get ready for festive dining with this Christmas Serving Plate from Great Little Trading Company. £26

With less than a month to go before Christmas, yes I know, scary, it’s time to start getting in the festive mood.

Even the most hardened bah humbugs will fail to fall in love with this Christmas Serving Plate from Great Little Trading Company.

Embellished with the words of my favourite Christmas carol Silent Night, you can have the centre of the plate personalised. Perfect for a friend who adores the festive period, this plate will look fab piled high with mince pies or slices of stollen.

Soho Wine Cooler from Sweetpea and Willow

Soho Wine Cooler, £160, from Sweetpea and Willow

Chill your drinks in style with this Soho Wine Cooler from Sweetpea and Willow. £160

With Christmas around the corner, the party season will be upon us before we know it.

Which means now’s the time to make sure you’ve got all you need to be the perfect hostess or host.

If you don’t fancy stashing your bottles of wine and fizz in the extra fridge aka outside the back door, then it’s time to invest in a wine cooler.

We love this Soho one from Sweetpea and Willow, which is super stylish and will make sure you’re not serving your guests lukewarm drinks.

Wooden Cutlery Tray With Lid from Fields of Blue

Wooden Cutlery Tray With Lid, £19.95, from Fields of Blue

Keep your cutlery neat and tidy with this Wooden Cutlery Tray With Lid from Fields of Blue. £19.95

As someone who has no drawers in their kitchen (yes, I know very odd) finding somewhere to keep your cutlery is a bit of a bind.

At the moment my cutlery is all over the place so I was delighted to come across this Wooden Cutlery Tray With Lid from Fields of Blue.

Elegantly decorated with images of vintage-style cutlery, this cutlery tray has four compartments to keep your knives, forks and spoons neat and tidy.

Best of all, it’s stylish enough to be left out on a dining table or kitchen worktop meaning you’ll never have to go hunting for a piece of cutlery again.

Exe Dining Table from Tom Faulkner

Exe Dining Table, from £3,999, from Tom Faulkner

Create a stylish dining space with this Exe Dining Table from Tom Faulkner. From £3,999

When I eventually find my dream home one thing it will need is a massive kitchen/diner with a beautiful big table.

This Exe Dining Table from Tom Faulkner has caught my eye and definitely ticks all the wish list boxes.

I love the trestle-style legs and the generous top comes in either Walnut or Oak.

And best of all, this table is only going to look better the older it gets.

Team it with ultra modern chairs in bright colours for an eclectic look.