HYDERABAD: A table setting could be a seasonal statement. It could be a reflection of the time of day, who is going to partake the gifts of abundance and how formal or informal the occasion is.
Hospitality entrepreneur Meghna Vakada shares how she decks up her table on the weekend and makes it a special occasion for her family with a few simple tricks. She says, “A lot can happen over a meal! We catch up with each other at the end of the day over dinner and with extended family over a weekend lunch. We invite friends over and many a time, it is the dining table where we sit and chat while enjoying a drink , a few snacks and move on to the main meal.”
Adds Meghna, “Here’s a simple and most cost-effective way to give a little make over toyour dining table at home. Reuse your pickle and jam jars and put candles or potpourri and shells or anything you may like.” She thinks flowers are timeless classics for any decoration. Says she, “Create mini flower arrangements with inexpensive blooms from your local vendor or garden. If the flowers are small and the arrangements low, they don’t come in the way of conversation with a person across the table.”
Meghna also recommends reusing old wooden boxes or even tin cans to store cutlery. She says, “I find this extremely useful as you don’t have to reach for your cabinet every time you are setting up the dining table. At the same time they give a very rustic spin to your decor.”
At her Barley & Grapes cafe, she likes to stick small, hand written, cheerful notes on jars filled with colourful grains and keeps them on the table and uses the same trick at home. She shares, “After all what is a world without a little smile on the faces of your loved ones!” And a few small touches go a long way in achieving that end.