Curated perfection

Creating bespoke tablescapes is not just a business for Maison Margaux, it’s a passion. Louisa reveals more about the weddings/ event rentals side of the business… “Driven by the demand of luxury brands and the bridal market to exceed expectations and create ever more surprising and enchanting ‘wow’ moments, Maison Margaux was born. The desire for more beautiful, luxury and exciting tableware has only increased in this past year and our rentals business has flourished. Not only in the UK but the US and Europe where we had the pleasure of creating several bespoke tablescape themes for multiday weddings and parties over the summer. We have already seen an increase in overseas activity for this year and larger scale celebrations in our upcoming bookings for 2023.

At-home hosting has also become extremely popular with a notable growth in our smaller dinner party bookings. The desire to entertain and create memorable moments with friends and family now very much includes the table and the need to present a different look and feel each time. Renting makes this possible with our beautifully curated elements, individually styled to each occasion. We encourage clients to buy the classics and rent the runway allowing for maximum flexibility as well as a keen eye on sustainability and re-use as well as limiting the amount of ‘extras’ that require maximum storage.” brands and have recently completed the first of our collaborations with Royal Warrant holders Halcyon Days. Our Maison Margaux own-brand has grown from strength to strength this year and now encompasses crockery, table linens and accessories all created by our in house design team.”

With an eye across the entire tabletop spectrum, it is no surprise to learn the Masion Margaux team has their finger very much on the pulse – think bamboo cutlery from Capdeco and Sabre – and long gone are the days of plain cutlery. “A pop of colour using interesting cutlery can transform a table setting very quickly into a fun and elegant affair,” Louisa confesses. Likewise, she agrees coloured glassware is here to stay: “Absolutely! Coloured glassware adds so much interest to a table. A simple tablescape can be elevated through the use of a single colour to complement a theme for a wedding, or a cluster of several coloured glasses to take a celebration table to the next level.”

This dedication to keeping their finger on the homewares pulse – both through buying for retail and curating events for clients – means the Maison Margaux team keeps a close eye on what is around the corner but really, more than that, they establish their own boundaries, set their own trends. “Constantly sourcing new pieces from around the world and creating our own designs with our network of artisans allows us to keep our collections evolving. Our customers look to us for exclusive and bespoke designs, allowing us to set our own trends,” Louisa says.

One interesting point raised is the while small bites and bowl culture might be prevalent on the retail scene, its popularity has not transcended to rental events. Here, the sit-down meal is still king.

“Although we do get asked from time to time, the majority of our rentals are very much sit-down affairs with beautifully designed tablescapes. We have however seen an increase in ‘family style’ dining and requests for sharing platters, especially hand-painted designs and we are growing our collection accordingly.”

As many tabletop brands have already tapped into by offering key line extensions in textiles; linens sell well, something Maison Margaux confirms.

“Our linens continue to perform very well across the board for both sales and rentals. Beautiful, versatile designs that lend themselves to a variety of tablescapes depending on what crockery and flatware they are paired with. Our hand-painted, exclusive plates are also performing very well in sales and rental categories.”

And as with any provider, new products and brands are always on the Maison Margaux radar.

“Always! Every member of the team is always feeding back about new products they have seen or a new supplier we should talk to. This is also how we have such an eclectic and interesting mix of products as inspiration comes from everywhere!”

In direct contrast to the usual jargon – our columnist Michele Trzuskowski is throwing off the shackles of January and eating her dessert first! Read on to find out why…

T is for Table is a luxury independent boutique, with a focus on tabletop, in West Palm Beach, Florida. Open more than 20 years, it offers an experiential and inspirational space dedicated to helping customers tell stories, create traditions and celebrate life. The boutique offers everything from fine pottery, china, glass, serveware and table accessories, to home décor, jewellery and body products, and delivers a custom service with its custom engraving, home visits and gift registries.

www.tisfortable.com