Easter table setting with Isa Marini – Table styling

Easter is just around the corner: it's time to think about the perfect table setting!

We asked Isabella Marini - Look per la tavola for some style tips on how to set the Easter table with taste and a touch of creativity, but that's not all... Let's read what she told us!

The art of table setting is an ancient and wonderful art. How did your passion begin?

The art of table setting is one of my passions and, I would say, one of my skills. I trained as an architect and have been working as an art director for many years, so researching and creating 'beauty' has always been part of my life and my professional career.

What inspires you to create your table settings?

Once I have chosen a theme or color palette, I let myself be guided by my creativity and sense of taste, consistently seeking to create harmony and atmosphere. Other times, it is a detail on which I build my table settings, something I notice and choose that acts as a compass needle .

What are the elements that can never be missing from your table?

Let's say that, rather than elements, since those have to be there and are practically all strictly necessary, even when practicing table setting decor, I generally avoid including non-functional objects. Decorative details are part of the necessities, they create the atmosphere; so, I would say that good taste and moderation are what must never be missing.

What are the secrets of the "perfect" mise en place? Can you reveal some of them to us?

I believe that the balance of volumes given by the different components of a mise en place is key, as is color. The most appropriate design of each object is not enough if the overall picture is not aesthetically pleasing—I emphasize aesthetically and not scenographically, as many people perhaps mistakenly think.

Can seasonality also be followed in table setting?

In some ways, it's a diktat. There's no point in setting the table with bamboo cutlery for a tropical style when it's 5 degrees outside... Unless it's a theme designed to escape reality!

What are your favorite colors and what are your recommendations for 2022?

I don't have any particular favorite colors, but I like to look for unusual tones to create contrast, to harmonize what at first glance seems like a clash. This year's trendy table has colors to suit all tastes: bright and primary colors, pastels, muted greens, shades of purple, evergreen white paired with gold, Caribbean sea blues, neutrals, and earth tones with rougher, more textured lines. Even the darkest black now has its place on the table—and deservedly so!—super glam!

Can we be daring with combinations? Of color, texture, between antique and modern...

I believe that mix & match is the future of the table and not just a temporary trend. Reusing, recycling, not throwing away, but giving new life to the objects and accessories we own by mixing them with new purchases or with the past is creatively very fun and also useful at this time of increasing awareness.

Easter is approaching and it's time to think about the mise en place. Can you suggest a beautiful table setting for the spring holidays?

For the Easter table, I chose a black and white look with touches of color that are unusual for this holiday. I created it by mixing and matching the Country Chic Sabbia and Plus tableware sets, pairing them with Sintesi Vintage Black cutlery: super trendy!

You have created many tables with our collections. Which is your favorite?

Among your beautiful collections, I actually have more than one favorite: the one I really love is Onix White, with its golden graphics, but I also really love the Cottage line. In its different variations, it allows me to mix and match to create different tables every day. I also love the Country Chic line in white, with its subtle grooves that make it decorative yet light: elegant tableware like fans on the table.