Let the region’s unofficial season of hosting commence. Wholesome home-cooked meals, hearty gatherings and celebrations centring spirituality and gratitude call for tables that are as well-dressed as their hosts. From ceramics designers to artists known for bedazzling their tables with crystal-studded vessels, here are our vetted experts’ top tablescaping tips for Ramadan:
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"The biggest table-setting mistake that people make is perfectly matching everything,” says Shourouk Rhaiem, who mixes the items on her table with the same eclectic approach she has with her art. If she's investing in anything, she puts her money in the glassware. “For me, the glasses are equivalent to being the jewellery of the table, because they have the shine – it’s very important to have beautiful glasses,” she emphasises.
She mixes these with less-costly tableware. “If everything is expensive and designer-made, in the end it’s very bourgeois and won’t have much personality. Personality always has to showcase something from the past,” Rhaiem explains. A tablecloth inherited from your grandmother, or serving tray from your mother, for instance, can make a Ramadan spread unique and personalised. “A beautiful table is something you do with your soul to show your heritage, personality and how you can play with a plate,” she says.
Lebanese fashion and lifestyle influencer Nathalie Fanj has just launched Studio Fanj, an eco-conscious homeware brand that combines style with sustainability. For Ramadan, Fanj envisions minimalist tabelscapes that blend organic textures with tiemeless elegance to ebrace the warmth of the season. “Ramadan is our favourite time where family and friends gather around the table, and a table setup with good aesthetics will definitely add joy and comfort to the atmosphere,” she says.
For colours, Fanj advises using warm neutrals and earthy tones. “Add depth with earthy browns, muted gold, or olive green for a natural yet festive feel and incorporate black or deep charcoal accents for contrast, keeping it sleek and modern,” she says. For centrepieces, she will be gravitating towards low candle holders and dried pampas arrangements in ceramic or stone vases. According to Fanj, dates —the real centrepiece of any Ramadan spread— should be artfully displayed in sculptural plates.
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“Ramadan is about eating with the eyes too—so let your tablescape be a feast for all the senses,” says founder of Zarina Tableware, Hassan Nasser. “Use elegant yet practical serving dishes, placing small brass bowls of tamer and nuts between every two guests for effortless sharing. We love to be unique, so mix and match dinner, soup, and salad plates in different colours for a vibrant, eye-catching touch. Now is the time to bring out your finest porcelain, adding elegance to every meal.” He adds that drinks should be always served in beautiful bottles, that crescent moons and palm motifs on serving pieces make thoughtful and festive touches for the holy month.
Tablescaper extraordinaire, Lea Sfeir, who launched her own “tablescape in a box” that sells online and at Galleries Lafayette, advises hosts to bring out their most special and sentimental items for table decor this month. “Mix match your items but make sure the colour palette and volumes are harmonious,” she advises. “Arrange decorations and items like candleholders at different levels — it gives height and beauty to your table.”
Colourful placemats and high glasses are another way to add character and elegance to the spread, and Sfeir recommends making the experience even more personal by placing small spiritual or emotional message in front of each plate. Most importantly, she emphasises that hosts avoid using plastic in any way to present dates or water on the table. “Put your dates in a few pretty bowls or jars, all over the table, so everyone can access them easily, and place the waters in jars on both sides of the table,” she says.
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“We’re all about funky, colourful, and quirky vibes, and that totally applies to a Ramadan tablescape," says Amal Khourshid, managing partner of personalised gifting platform, Inna Carton. The website stocks kitschy placemats, embellished glassware, vibrant plates, eclectic trinket trays and more. “We love mixing bold tones, fun ceramics, and lots of embroidery to keep things playful but still warm and inviting,” shares Khourshid. She recommends adding thoughtful touches such as embroidered napkins, handwritten notes or cute keepsakes for guests to elevate the dining experience: “Ramadan is all about gathering and good vibes, and your table should feel just as fun and full of personality as the people around it."
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