Enhance the joy of eating alone
Fiona Leahy on how a pressed napkin can make all the difference to dining right now
Images courtesy of Fiona Leahy Thursday 23 April, 2020 Short read
LONDON — Restaurants may no longer be on the menu, but that doesn’t mean that meals at home can’t be made into a special moment. Dining solo daily, if you are isolating alone, can feel a bit of a non-event — enter Fiona Leahy, UK-based interior designer and event stylist, to offer inspiration for how to upgrade your tray set-up, whether it’s for morning, noon or night.
Morning
‘This tray was inspired by the silver, domed, double egg cup – one of my favourite Soho Home pieces, which brings a bit of old-fashioned glamour to breakfast. I made pale blue, marbled eggs to go inside and picked a bright orange tulip from my garden to put in a bud vase – instant sunshine. Then, I added the Rosa linen napkin and Country House teapot, cup, saucer and jug to complete my tray.’
Morning
‘This tray was inspired by the silver, domed, double egg cup – one of my favourite Soho Home pieces, which brings a bit of old-fashioned glamour to breakfast. I made pale blue, marbled eggs to go inside and picked a bright orange tulip from my garden to put in a bud vase – instant sunshine. Then, I added the Rosa linen napkin and Country House teapot, cup, saucer and jug to complete my tray.’
Noon
‘Inspired by the black and white china of the Burleigh collection, for this set-up I created a fresh lunch setting to go from desk to garden. I paired the pale blue plate with the Rosa linen napkin and the Country House wine glass. A stem of apple blossom from my garden in a vintage bud vase adds a light floral accent.’
‘Inspired by the black and white china of the Burleigh collection, for this set-up I created a fresh lunch setting to go from desk to garden. I paired the pale blue plate with the Rosa linen napkin and the Country House wine glass. A stem of apple blossom from my garden in a vintage bud vase adds a light floral accent.’
Night
‘For my new cocktail-hour ritual – something I so look forward to and have never done at home prior to this period – I created a Martini tray. I’ve laid out the Barwell cocktail shaker and matching Martini glasses, wasabi peanuts in my Soho Home Treats Tin and a blossom from my garden. A vintage, Italian, linen scalloped napkin with an applique of a lady holding her Martini provides the perfect finishing touch. Cheers!’
‘For my new cocktail-hour ritual – something I so look forward to and have never done at home prior to this period – I created a Martini tray. I’ve laid out the Barwell cocktail shaker and matching Martini glasses, wasabi peanuts in my Soho Home Treats Tin and a blossom from my garden. A vintage, Italian, linen scalloped napkin with an applique of a lady holding her Martini provides the perfect finishing touch. Cheers!’