When you’re hosting friends for dinner or enjoying a slow morning with coffee, using tableware you love helps to make these times feel special. It’s natural to want to surround yourself with things you love, whether you’re flatting, owning your place, or living at home with family. Luckily, the new Pastel Dining range from The Warehouse makes it easy – and affordable.

The Pastel Dining collection is available in fresh, on-trend pastel hues in patterns and solid colours, perfect for mixing and matching. Interior designer and stylist Gretchen Lowe loves the Pastel Dining range and had a lot of fun selecting pieces to style this brand-new, three-bedroom, two-bathroom home on Richardson Rd in Mt Roskill.

“It got me so excited – there are so many cool things,” Gretchen says. She opted for a look using the Living & Co Georgie range. The dishwasher and microwave-safe collection comes in sets of four with plain and check designs, including plates, mugs and dip bowls.

Image / Supplied.

Start your property search

Find your dream home today.
Search

“These placemats were the starting point,” Gretchen says. “They are absolutely beautiful and really set the tone. Then I’ve layered mismatched bowls and plates in coordinating colours. The Warehouse has made it really easy because all the colours look great together. You just need to go in and choose what you like, knowing that they’re designed to all go together in an eclectic way.”

The interiors expert says choosing cool tableware helps to elevate the mood of your dining space.

“It creates a lively atmosphere that feels less formal than white, but it’s still stylish. It’s great for entertaining and introduces your personality and creativity and allows you to be playful hosting friends or enjoying a cosy meal at home. And it's affordable,” Gretchen adds.

Start with a base colour you love. “It might be pink or lilac or a calming sage. Build around it and layer your tones, perhaps adding in check patterns and florals. You can add stripes, you can add colours, but the key to it is keeping one element consistent to tie it altogether.”

“So on this Wanaka Dining Suite tabletop I have kept the check throughout. The key is to just experiment.”

Image / Supplied.

New-season glassware is equally fun. “There’s the option of choosing simple, elegant designs that work for both casual meals and formal occasions, such as Sundowner glasses. What I’ve done here is look for glassware that complements the tableware without overpowering it – Living & Co Martini Cocktail glasses. They’re so pretty and tie in with the mismatched look.”

If you’ve got friends over or having a special dinner, you might want to add extra elements to make your table setting sing. Fresh flowers are always special, but for a cost-effective alternative, decorate your table with a bunch of Living & Co Artificial Poppies in a vase. “The poppies are really beautiful,” Gretchen says.

And what about everyday dining? Gretchen advises whipping out a few of your check pieces for breakfast. “It’s so easy to just pop them in the dishwasher. Don’t be afraid to use pretty placemats. I also love candles – The Warehouse has an amazing range. Elevate your everyday by bringing a candle to the table at dinner time. They signal to me that it’s wind-down time.”

Get inspired by visiting thewarehouse.co.nz or check out the range at The Warehouse near you.