Entertaining, Anytime
The food writer talks entertaining, effortlessly, with all-new table textiles created in collaboration with Coco & Wolf
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Entertaining, Anytime
The food writer talks entertaining, effortlessly, with all-new table textiles created in collaboration with Coco & Wolf
Shop Coco & WolfThe art of entertaining doesn’t come easy to everyone, but sometimes all it takes is a little preparation – and the right accessories to hand. With a vision to bring back some glamour to occasional textiles, food writer and seasoned hosting expert, Skye McAlpine, has teamed up with Coco & Wolf, working bold Liberty fabrics into a collection of table and kitchen textiles that capture the essence of dining in good company. Formal affair or casual gathering, she shows us how to put on an at-home event effortlessly, any time of year.
It’s been an absolute dream to collaborate with Coco & Wolf. We designed each piece with the intention of making simple moments feel more fun and fabulous; table linens that feel festive and a little bit extravagant, small low-effort touches that would transform even the plainest meal into something completely joyful and celebratory.
At the Table
With just a few small touches you can transform the room and the atmosphere and create something that feels incredibly memorable.
What I love so much about laying the table is that with just a few small touches you can transform the room and the atmosphere and create something that feels incredibly memorable and special. Little things: colourful napkins laid on each place setting, lots of candles – candlelight has a magical way of making everything and everyone look more glamorous – and dishes of seasonal fruit piled high down the table.
Drinks First
I really love the cocktail napkins we designed with Coco & Wolf - they’re just a little touch of something from another era.
There is something innately glamorous and festive about drinks before dinner. I always keep things as simple as possible to minimise extra work and stress at a busy time of the year - but I still want it to feel special. That’s why I really love the cocktail napkins we designed with Coco & Wolf - they’re just a little touch of something from another era. Just laying a pile of them down on the coffee table alongside a bowl of nuts and some juicy olives and a bottle of chilled prosecco somehow says ‘partytime’. I also love a good playlist for drinks as well.
Prep Ahead
The secret to effortless entertaining is to get as much done as far ahead of time as possible.
The secret to effortless entertaining is to get as much done as far ahead of time as possible, so that all you need to do once your guests arrive is assemble the last few bits together and take whatever is roasting in the oven, or simmering on the hob, off the heat. For the collection, I wanted something to make me feel really good about myself in the kitchen. The Coco & Wolf apron skirt is based on a vintage 1950s apron that I have loved and worn for years. We added a frivolous ruffle and enough tie length so you can cinch your waist with an outrageously big bow and feel glamorous, especially when cooking.
Print Power
We wanted something floral and chintzy that still felt timeless. I don’t like to buy things just for special occasions.
We wanted something floral and chintzy that still felt timeless. I also love that the prints – with the strong red – feel quite festive, but because of the floral pattern they will work just as well for lunch al fresco in the garden mid-summer. I don’t like to buy things just for special occasions, I like to fill my home with things that I love and that I can use all the time.