An effortless aperitif table

A great aperitif always feels a little improvised. You bring out what you have, you settle in, and suddenly it’s ten o’clock. The secret is a table that looks like it took hours to prepare, when it took ten minutes.

1. Set the scene in one gesture

One placemat per guest, and the table is transformed. For an aperitif, we love the rectangular Gourmet Illustrations: cheeses, grapes and olives drawn in ink set the tone.

2. Three boards, no more

One board of cheeses, one of charcuterie, one of crunchy vegetables. Add bread, a few olives and seasonal fruit. Serve straight onto the medium plates: they hold up, even with a vinaigrette.

3. Napkins within reach

Place a stack of three-ply napkins in the middle of the table. Mix two patterns from the same palette — Elegant Stripes and Delicate Foliage, for example — for a more relaxed feel.

4. At the end, clear up in one gesture

Placemats, napkins and plates are cleared away together, with no complicated sorting: just follow the composting instructions printed on the band. And the conversation goes on.

“Because the best moments should end around the table, not at the sink.”