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With the festive season nearly upon us, and holiday events already in our diaries, seasonal preparations are underway at Cabana HQ. Editor-in-Chief, Martina Mondadori, shares her updated hosting essentials and styling tips to inspire your festive entertaining.
Holiday entertaining is one of my most cherished parts of the festive season; I love gathering around the table with family and friends. The key to a successful occasion, whether large or small, formal or informal, is creating a warm and welcoming atmosphere so your guests feel instantly comfortable, relaxed and at home.
When it comes to setting the table, I like to layer it, adding different decorative elements but never making things too predictable. So, my napkins rarely match the tablecloth nor the placemat, for example. Another important ingredient for me is anything vintage, which adds patina and charm to the whole scheme.
Add some good Tuscan red wine, and a mix of guests of all ages and backgrounds, and the flow of conversation is guaranteed. As we look forward to the festive season ahead, here are five elements that, for me, guarantee great entertaining – with a few new Cabana favorites on my own holiday table.
A Striking Tablecloth & Placemats
A striking tablecloth provides a gorgeous backdrop to your table setting. I think of it like the floor in a room: it sets the whole mood. This year I’m using our Persia tablecloth; the rich pattern instantly makes a table feel warm and generous.
When working with a busy print like Persia, I pair it with placemats in a single, grounding color so there’s a strong contrast and the eye has somewhere to rest. I love a slightly textured placemat – embroidery, quilting, or a subtle weave – so it still has personality, but doesn’t compete with the tablecloth.
Statement Dinnerware
I love the idea of starting a tradition with Ginori 1735 x Cabana Anatolia—timeless pieces that add elegance, beauty and a sense of ritual year after year. These perfectly pick out one of the key tones in the Persia cloth and echo its Ottoman-inspired motifs. I always think of the plates as jewellery for the table: they should feel special enough to be noticed, but not so precious that guests are afraid to use them.
Sculptural Accents & Mixed Glassware
Don’t be afraid to mix different styles and materials. This season, I’ve added bronze pieces by Osanna Visconti – small sculptural objects and candleholders that run along the center of the table. Their weight and patina balance all the color and print, and the way they catch the candlelight is incredibly atmospheric. I mix these with my vintage glassware – a combination of 19th-century finds and more modern pieces – so every place setting feels a little different. The same approach applies to cutlery; I often pair contemporary flatware with inherited pieces to avoid anything looking too “set”.
Bring Nature Indoors
Osanna Visconti's sculptural bronze works – from bud vases to nature-inspired candlesticks – add an organic note and celebrate craftsmanship. They are that extra special touch to a celebratory tablescape.
Candlelit Ambiance
Candlelight transforms a space, creating warmth, intimacy and a sense of occasion. A favorite on my table is our Gilded Gourd Candle Holder—a distinctive accent that glows beautifully among patterned linens and bronze pieces.
Thoughtful Touches
Make every guest feel considered with hand-painted floral watercolor place cards. They add a personal, whimsical detail and become small keepsakes after the evening.
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This issue will transport you across countries and continents where craft and culture converge. Evocative travel portfolios reveal Japan's elegant restraint, Peru's sacred churches ablaze with color, and striking architecture in a fading Addis Ababa. Inspiring minds from the late Giorgio Armani to Nikolai von Bismarck spark curiosity, while exclusive homes—from the dazzling Burghley House in England and an Anglo-Italian dream in Milan, to a Dionysian retreat in Patmos and a historic Pennsylvania farmhouse—become portals that recall, evoke and transport.
