Hosting Iftar? Here’s How to Decorate Your Table Like a Pro

With Ramadan ending within a fortnight, we’ve entered the period where iftar gatherings for friends and family are quickly becoming more frequent and crowded. Here’s how you can style your dining table in a quick beat and impress your family and friends, and yourselves with a night to remember. From linens and china to coasters and centrepieces, these local brands offer all the necessary items to prepare your iftar like a professional stylist.

Treat your table like a canvas and set its tone with table cloth – Malaika Linens

Everyone is a fan of well-appointed tables, at least according to Pinterest. The defining element is treating your table like a canvas and nothing sets the tone like table cloth. They’re often understated as our eyes usually get seduced by edible visuals – especially while fasting, but they set the tone and establish the mood by dictating how the rest of the colour scheme will follow. Malaika linens has been a hub for heritage inspired linens that cover the entire spectrum of table coverings. Their ‘Menya’ tablecloth was hand embroidered on amber linen.

Be a fan of botanical centrepieces & floral art – Flower Power

Natural elements bring life to the table, whether they are at a true dead centre, or arranged to span the length of the table. So, be a fan of botanical centrepieces and floral art but keep in mind that their height is crucial. You want to add beautiful visuals without hindering conversations. A vase of flowers from Flower Power will provide the floral delicacy and rejuvenating colours your table needs.

Can’t go wrong with sun-kissed terracotta tableware – Urth

As echoes of kahk begin to ramble in public discourse, we are reminded that Eid Al-Fitr beckons. This means that whoever you’ve got coming over has probably been to three thousand iftars by now (it would be worrying if they haven’t) which means that there are some essentials you need to be serving and platters need to back you. Nothing provides better texturing to culinary experiences than baked plates, you really can’t go wrong with sun-kissed terracotta tableware. Like the ‘Yellow droplets’ set from Urth that has your orzo soups and macaroni bechamel covered.

Use luminaires to blend old moods with the new – Jera

Minimalism has been on the high, but it doesn’t hurt to have a bit of fun when picking out your props. And, no props are more crucial to your dining vibe than candles and candleholders. These glazed white lanterns from Jera, do just that, adding traces of heritage design – a favourable styling approach during the holy month – without necessarily being too ornate. Blending old moods with the new.

Invest in presentable pots, they’re worth it – Ellie Home

Rather than flipping your food after it's cooked from one pot to another, avoid the troubles and get presentable pots, they’re worth it. We mean, it’s Ramadan, guests really have no excuse to finish everything that was prepared so there’s little worry about having to empty food into different containers. This light grey collection from Ellie Home will make your Mediterranean dishes look better.

Make room for tiny delights – Talata

Sure, main dishes are always served after drowning in soup during iftar but as much as you’ll pressure your guests in trying the goulash you worked so hard to get right, it’s the bite sized edibles that will be visited a lot. Like olives, atayef, and dates. Therefore, always plan and make room for the tiniest delights, this crescent by Talata makes its case, placed in a round try of their design.

Get crafty cute with your coasters – Aura

It’s the nuanced elements that knock the ball out of – well, the table. Aurea’s rustic floral coasters - which are made out of resin - indulge in serene aesthetics that will call for a moment to pause as you place your half-full hibiscus glass back on it. Maybe, if you want, you can get it customised to have dried hibiscus and dried fruits inlaid in it to match your Ramadan beverages.

Avoid etiquette critiques and tuck in your cutlery – Tica’s

If you’re devoted to preserving dining etiquette, well, consider changing your stance and if one of your guests is, then change your frie- nevermind, we’ve got you covered. Lay out a place mat if you’re using one (you should) and centre the plate within it. Forks go to the left and the knife is on the right with spoons following further in that direction. Set glasses on the top right corner above the knife and finally, place the napkin on top of the plate, or beneath the fork. Or, avoid all of this and get placemats that come with matching cutlery sleeves like this hanging lanterns collection from Tica’s.

Enjoy the final touches and stuff your napkins through marble rings because why not? – Elite Marble

Aside from their function; saving our faces from traces of devoured lasagna, napkins provide an opportunity for individual styling and convey how your tablescape feels like, making them one of the final touches to complete your styling. While some opt for detailed creative folds, placing them through napkin rings can be equally as intriguing and twice as effortless. Fold them on the diagonal, twist and then stuff them through these marble rings from Elite Marble, which are available on Amazon, Jumia and Homzmart.

There you go, of course there are table runners and more candle varieties to explore, but these are some essentials that will ensure your iftar environment is timeless, delightful and memorable. These local brands have all the necessities covered, ensuring that Ramadan lives on through its decorations from your upcoming iftar to those in years to come. Blessings to all.