The secret to hosting is looking like you cared deeply, while actually doing the absolute bare minimum. I love having people round, but the idea of spending an entire Saturday sprinting around East London for last minute items and polishing silverware makes me want to weep into a £15 bottle of wine.
If you’re anything like me, you want the warm, beautiful atmosphere, the flattering lighting, the clinking of nice glasses without the painful process. These ‘hacks’ (god, I hate that word), are just brilliant, quality items that do all the heavy lifting for you.
🍷 Alessi Alessandro M. or Anna G. Corkscrew
There is nothing less chic than battling with a terrible winged corkscrew in front of guests. That’s is why the Alessi designs by Alessandro Mendini are a non-negotiable buy. They’re a lil pricey, yes, but they look like a joyful piece of Italian art standing on your counter, and they make opening wine an actual pleasure.
The screw mechanism is so slick and easy that actually makes you look competent. I have the red Alessandro M.
🍽️ High-Street Dinnerware with Zero Commitment
I adore ceramics (I recently wrote about The Only Ceramics That Matter Right Now), but I’m also painfully fickle, and I refuse to spend £80 on a plate I might hate by next season. My personal answer is H&M Home. You might think ‘fast fashion ceramics,’ but they consistently drop lines of excellent, weighty, well-designed stoneware and a lot look ten times the price.
They are seasonal, which is great because it allows you to refresh your look without guilt. Since I live basically 30 seconds from a store, I can pop in and grab a new batch of tiny, textured bowls when they hit the sale rack. It’s the secret to keeping your table looking current and generous without needing a mortgage.
🍸 Riedel Martini Glasses (or any of their ‘O’ stemless range)
If you are only going to invest in one set of proper glasses, make it the martini ones. They don’t need to be cut crystal, they just need to feel right in the hand. Riedel is the benchmark for a reason. Their stemware is light, thin-rimmed, and instantly makes any drink feel like a moment.
A well-presented drink is the single best way to make a guest feel instantly cared for. It signals, ‘I thought about this.’
I recently chipped one of mine and I wanted to cry/throw it at the wall in dramatic sadness. I did neither, but it’s the thought that counts (allegedly).
🥓 A Proper Charcuterie Board
I’m not doing a cheese board. Everyone does a cheese board - and tbh I don’t like cheese (I know, it’s weird). Instead, go for a high-quality selection of thinly sliced, cured meats (I swear by Coppa and some excellent Prosciutto di Parma). Lay it out on a large wooden board with some cornichons and excellent crusty bread. Done. Easy. Max vibes.
(Not adding a picture cause you know what a charcuterie board is - use a wooden chopping board, or one of the new H&M plates you buy based on the above 😇)
✨ Conversation Starters
Okay, these aren’t strictly hosting essentials, but hear me out: the entire point of hosting is creating an environment where people feel comfortable enough to relax and talk. I have around ten of the chunky, brightly glazed little Studio Arhoj Ghosts dotted around my flat - on bookshelves, next to lamps, inside plantpots, in the guest bathroom.
They act as little sculptural Easter Eggs. People always spot them, they always ask about them, and it instantly provides a non-awkward topic of conversation that isn’t ‘How was your journey here?’ It’s an easy, charming way to inject your personality into a space, encouraging discovery and interaction.
Right, I’m off to find a new Ghost to hide behind the espresso machine - wish me luck.