Our office chats range from where to eat out, to cookbooks and the latest gadgets, but around this time of year, setting the dining table gets some decent airtime too. Autumn and winter in Perth may be mild by global standards, but the cooler months still encourage an impulse to slow down, gather around the table, and make home feel like a compelling place to be.
Perth-based stylist Laurie Perry believes the magic of a great dinner party starts long before the food arrives.
“I think the atmosphere is just as important as the food. You want to feel welcome the moment you arrive – not in a formal way, but in a warm, friendly ‘we’re happy you’re here’ way. The tablescape is a sign of the generosity to come at any dinner party. That doesn’t have to mean an elaborate or expensive set-up – rather, personalised touches done in fresh ways can really bring your dinner scene to life. After all, it really is the feeling of a generous host that people remember.
Instead of a vase of flowers, arranging whole fruit, vegetables and herbs can be a much more engaging and visually impactful centrepiece. For instance, when I’ve had friends over for osso buco and polenta during winter, the table was strewn with a few open bags of Italian polenta, large sprigs of rosemary (foraged from a neighbour!), whole heads of purple garlic and large bunches of heirloom tomatoes on the stem.
Another example is personalised place settings – but rather than simply written on a name card, take an orange, lime or lemon and use a small pin to stick a fresh leaf of citrus (again foraged from the garden!) into the top, placing the guests’ names amongst the stem.
Another great way to inject life into a dinner is to bring a slice of restaurant energy into the home. For example, repurpose a drinks trolley or cart and turn it into a bread and whipped butter station. Simply whip room-temperature butter in a KitchenAid (with the paddle attachment, not the whisk), adding some smoked flaky salt as you go, and pile it into a high mound on a single plate. Serve on the cart alongside whole baguettes that people can cut or tear themselves, and a perfect row of butter knives for each guest to take. Playing with symmetry is really fun with set-ups like this” said Perry.
We’ve gathered a treasure trove of tips so you can have some fun dressing yours this season.
Start with Linen
The tablecloth sets the mood before a single dish arrives. In the cooler months, swap light cottons for washed linen in earthy, saturated tones. You should aim for warmth and a colour which photographs well if you are inclined to document your spreads.
“As soon as the weather shifts, I open the linen cupboard and get out my deep green tablecloth,” says WA Good Food Guide Editor in Chief Georgia Moore. “It signals six months of a warmer feel to my dining area and gives the whole room a different vibe.”
Sydney-founded Cultiver produces some of the best linen tablecloths available, best shopped online. Made from 100 per cent OEKO-TEX certified European flax and pre-washed for softness, they improve with every wash. Standout colourways are Forest, a deep saturated green; Cinnamon, a warm burnished terracotta; Smoke Grey, which is understated and versatile; and Charcoal for something more dramatic. The Pinstripe and Pencil Stripe options add energy without competing with your tableware.
Long Lunch Linen does a Sage Green cloth handcrafted from 100 per cent pure French flax that looks stunning paired with yellow or pink florals.
For those who prefer to make their own, Calico and Ivy in Swanbourne stocks beautiful fabric and everything needed to sew a tablecloth from scratch. For DIY buffs, there is something genuinely satisfying about sitting down to a table dressed in something you made yourself.
For napkins, the seasonal print range from L&M Home is worth exploring. Their Mediterranean range is particularly good, with stripe options that bring just the right amount of pattern without overwhelming the table.
Flowers and Foliage
The Stirling Farmers Market on Sundays is one of Perth’s better-kept flower secrets; four generous bunches for around thirty-five dollars is what we left with last weekend.
For a wintery arrangement, think ranunculus in burgundy or blush, proteas and leucadendrons (both native to Western Australia), deep green eucalyptus, and dried pampas for texture. A single stem of king protea in the right vessel does more work than a cluttered vase.
Northwood Street in West Leederville is a floral destination worth dropping a pin on. Note that many suppliers there require an ABN, so come prepared. Moving from place to place on a crisp morning, Mary St Bakery coffee in hand, is a genuinely fun way to spend a few hours.
For those who want to develop real skill, some of the team at the WA Good Food Guide has worked through Become Your Own Floral Artist on the Masterclass app, taught by award-winning florist Maurice Harris. His course guides you through translating your own creative instincts into an original arrangement style, finishing with five genuinely striking pieces. For anyone who has always wanted to move beyond buying bunches and start composing them, it is an excellent place to begin.
The Right Vase
The vessel matters as much as the bloom. In winter, opt for heavier, more grounded shapes: thick-walled ceramic vases, dark stoneware, or aged terracotta. Mud Australia’s ceramic range is a quiet staple in well-dressed Perth homes, available at David Jones in the city.
For something more individual, Sunday Studio Perth and independent potters at the Perth Up Market regularly stock short-run pieces that look genuinely one of a kind. The next market is scheduled for June 2026. For found objects that bring real character to a table, Vintage Emporium in Maylands is worth a visit: unexpected vessels, odd candlesticks, and the kind of small sculptural objects that make a table feel lived-at rather than merely styled.
At Arrival Hall, look for the Audo Copenhagen Echasse Bowl. Theresa Rand’s sculptural piece suspends a glass form on slender, stilt-like legs giving a playful edge to a dining table or console.
Plates Worth Eating From
Hamoni on Beaufort Street in Northbridge sources handmade ceramics from craftspeople across Japan through their own Yokohama procurement team. The Alte Collection dinner plate in black or red brings genuine drama to a winter setting. The Maison Dinner Plate by Hibino in warm light brown is the understated choice: a piece that will feel right on your table for years. Every piece is handmade and, by definition, unique. Open Thursday to Sunday at 243 Beaufort Street.
Also worth seeking out is Eucalyptus Homewares, the original maker of all the plateware at Wildflower restaurant when it opened a decade ago.
Cutlery That Earns Its Place
Matte black cutlery delivers a moody, restaurant-grade effect; the Salisbury & Co Baltic Cutlery Set from Kitchen Warehouse is affordable and packs a punch. For more character, Citta Design stocks the Tavolo Cutlery set inspired by the classic 1970s wooden-handled design, with a natural maple wood handle. While you’re on their site, check out their signature enamel salt and pepper shakers which look like little espresso cups.
Seasonal Fruit
A bowl of well-chosen fruit is one of the most underrated table styling tools, and winter is the right season for it in Perth. Blood oranges, quinces, persimmons, and lemons all pile beautifully. Use a wide, shallow bowl so the fruit spreads rather than stacks. The goal is abundance.
A Stack of Good Books
One of the most overlooked table accessories is a small stack of cookbooks. Leave two or three at one end of the table before guests arrive and someone will always pick one up while the kettle boils or the wine is being poured. There is something generous about passing along the joy of a newly discovered dish. Boundless Books and Diabolik both have a great range.
Light the Room
No winter table setting survives bad lighting. For considered lighting in Perth, The Montauk Lighting Co at 10 Northwood Street, West Leederville is the destination, open weekdays by appointment with a display also at Home Base in Subiaco. Their Tradition Mist AP21 Portable Lamp graced the front cover of WA Good Food Guide magazine this year. Inspired by sunlight filtering through morning haze, it is crafted from mouth-blown glass on a natural stone base, cordless, and runs for up to ten hours on a single charge. Arrival Hall also has a great range.
Also worth considering is the Jean Lamp in Olive from Empire Homewares, a sculptural accent with a contemporary feel. And if candlelight is more your thing, the Empire Homewares Marble Candle Holder in Red Levanto has a beautiful silhouette in striking marble with natural veining, suited to taper candles.
For the Kids (and the Kid in You)
Not every table addition needs to be serious. A little joy goes a long way. The classic Hoptimist from Arrival Hall is bright, round, and cheerful, the kind of object that spreads good humour wherever it lands. Available in eleven colours, from lavender to chrome.
For Someone with Looser Pockets
If the budget is feeling generous, two pieces are worth knowing about.
The La DoubleJ large floral-print linen tablecloth is made in Italy from pure linen and designed in collaboration with surrealist artist Beto Val. Look closely and you will find hybrid creatures woven into an intricate floral print.
For the centrepiece to end all centrepieces, the Reflections Copenhagen Charming Chandelier crystal candle holder is inspired by avant-garde glassware from the Art Deco era. Meticulously hand-cut colourful crystal holds your candlesticks at varying heights, catching and scattering light across the table. Outrageously priced, completely wonderful.
The Essentials
The ingredients of a good winter table are not complicated: florals, found objects, a tablecloth that pools just slightly at the floor, and crockery you genuinely love. It does not need to be expensive, it just needs to work with your palette and bring you pleasure. A table setting can be reinvented every weekend if you please. The trick is to love spending time around it.