Mediterranean lifestyles embrace simple pleasures, celebrating the everyday with laidback dining and casual fare. Sunnier days inspire our inner chef and spark our imagination for creating relaxed tablescapes.

Laidback tablescape via Alex and Trahanas

 

Mediterranean settings

Focusing on good times not just good looks, Mediterranean table settings are simple and unpretentious. Here are our favourite ways to inject joie de vivre into your next meal. ​ 

Blue dining setting via Lucy Montgomery
White dining setting via Nataliee Johnson
Yellow dining setting via Jardan

Clash vibrant colours

Primary colours shout with zest for life; combine reds, blues and yellows for an instant holiday feel. Abandon colour rules and layer your table with bright vases and colourful glassware in contrasting hues for an endless summer. 

Cheese plate via Lauren Bamford
Outdoor dining setting via My Paradissi
Rustic tablescape via Pinterest  

Use soft tones

Alternatively, stick with mellow tones inspired by coastal scenes. White dinnerware and pressed glassware offer a neutral and timeless elegance, allowing the food to shine. Create your perfect cheese board or antipasto platter with rustic timber boards and classic cheese knives. 

 

Striped tablecloth setting via Jardan
Patterned plate via Jumbled Online
Layered place setting via Southern California Bride

 

Embrace punchy patterns

Whether you prefer classic stripes or Baltic motifs, blending different patterns lends optimism to your table. Layering mismatched crockery adds visual interest, while a patterned tablecloth sets the foundation for instant fun. 

Lemons with olive foliage via Laurie Bessems
Mixed citrus in vase via Clo Studios
Cut citrus via Pinterest

 

Decorate with citrus

Mediterranean dining is devoted to beautiful produce; recreate this passion for nature by decorating your table with food. Our stylists say that citrus is having a moment, so bring out the fruit bowl and enjoy the delights of nature. 

Amber dining setting via Lauren Bamford
Overhead dining via Alex and Trahanas
Relaxed dining setting via Benito Martin

 

Keep it casual

While we love formal place settings, casual dining is perfectly suited to warmer months. Protect your table and throw away crumbs with ease by using a tablecloth or repurpose a flat sheet. Avoid overly layering the table by putting away the placemats and loosely styling candlesticks and jugs down the centre for ambience.

Check out stylist Allira's Mediterranean table styling ​moodboard to shop all the key pieces to create your own alfresco dining experience.

Mediterranean flavours

Barbecued peri peri chicken via SBS Food

 

Portugal

Beloved for its spicy and flavourful offerings, Portugal beckons those with exotic and simpler tastes alike. Cooking peri peri chicken has never been easier, just throw on the barbecue and allow the flavours to shine. 

Donna Hay's ricotta gnocchi via Temple & Webster

 

Italy

Pleasing both picky eaters and gourmet foodies, Italian food satisfies even the toughest critic. Beautiful produce and easy preparation make Donna Hay's ricotta gnocchi recipe perfect for simple midweek meals or dinner parties. Serve in beautiful pasta bowls for presentation perfection. 

Chicken paella via Jamie Oliver

 

Spain

Embrace the tradition of an afternoon siesta by tucking into a moreish chicken paella. For best results caramelising the paella base, invest in an oven-to-table frying pan. 

Curtis Stone's souvlaki spiced pork via Taste

 

Greece

Greece's culinary prowess comes from its balanced approach. Fresh produce is celebrated through simple flavours developed from diverse cultural influences. Dishes such as souvlaki spiced pork are best cooked in roasting pans and served on large sharing platters. 

Turkish roast quinces with creme fraiche and halva via Delicious

 

Turkey

Turkey's cuisine embraces tasty vegetarian dishes, but we can't go past sweet treats that combine fruits and nuts. Middle Eastern influences make this roast quince recipe our kind of dessert. Just remember napery to clean up sticky fingers! 

Moroccan harira with saffron yoghurt via Gourmet Traveller

 

Morocco

Moroccan feasts celebrate slow cooking and exotic spices, which is why dishes such as harira with saffron yoghurt make for perfect weekend recipes - more time for relaxing! Dutch ovens allow for super easy cooking, simply set and forget.

Crispy falafel via Cookie and Kate

 

Egypt

Egyptian food revolves around healthy meals favouring vegetables, legumes and fruit; meaning you can feel good about indulging. Crispy falafel is perfect for summer days and with the right appliances, preparation is a breeze. 

Tile image via Alex and Trahanas