Love it or loathe it, Valentine’s Day (or Galentine’s Day if you’re celebrating with friends), is a great excuse to get out your best tableware and create the perfect Valentine’s tablescape. Luckily, pink and red (or rose and strawberry) are right on trend for 2024, so the shops are full of inspiration.

From classic, with all the bows, bells and whistles, to modern with understated homewares you can use year-round, or quirky with a touch of leopard print, check out these ideas to celebrate February 14th in style.

Make it modern

Forget roses and bows and all of the pink and fluffy Valentine’s Day trimmings, and go for a modern tablescape for your love. Oliver Bonas do a fine line in quirky yet cool homewares to give your Valentine’s tablescape a much-needed contemporary update. Try the Lumu tablecloth (pictured), ombre glass candle holders and the Raya peach glass champagne saucers for a chic tipple.

Nkuku is another great shout for a contemporary tablescape and they’ve got some strong, statement glassware. The deep emerald Mila decanter is made from recycled glass and hand-blown in moulds. Or plump for Nkuku’s coupe-style Borosilicate glass champagne glasses with beaded stems and teal bases and rims.

Keep it natural

Sometimes all you need is to keep it really simple but use the highest quality possible. Piglet in Bed’s linens are ideal for a laid-back look with a luxury feel. They bill their products as “enhancing a life well-lived”, and the linen tablecloths are perfect for a rustic, romantic tablescape.

Try the dove grey stonewashed tablecloth made from 100% French flax, layered with Piglet’s linen napkins. The only addition you’ll need is fresh wildflowers strewn in ceramic cups and tied to the napkins. And if you want to eschew the tablescape altogether and have breakfast in bed, Piglet in Bed do some of the finest bedlinen on the market.

Layer your linens

Molly Mahon’s tablecloths are joy-filled. Great for a Valentine’s spread and ones that can be used again and again, year round. The family-run company is based in Sussex in the Ashdown Forest, where each of their fabulous hand-drawn designs becomes a wooden block that is then block-printed onto the fabric.

Everything is done by hand and will bring that tactile texture to your tablescape. The frill-bowed tablecloth (pictured) is made from heavy organic cotton and has matching bow-printed napkins.

If bows are not your thing, then the cherry-print tablecloth in vibrant red and green (with a pink and white chequerboard rim) with a fun, flirty vibe that will bring your table to life.

Set a classic Valentine’s tablescape

Launched four years ago, Truffle Tablescapes is a one-stop shop for creating the most luxe Valentine’s tablescape. Their shoppable Valentine’s Edit includes everything from deep red or pink velvet hearts to string along the mantelpiece, white cotton napkins scalloped in dusty pink velvet, carnation pink lacquered candles with a glossy finish and their hand-block printed tablecloths.

Elevate the table with some cut crystal champagne glasses to really impress your date.

Add a touch of leopard print

Who says Valentine’s has to be sickly sweet pastels? If you’re not into pink, no problem. TK Maxx do some great bold, quirky pieces that won’t break the bank. Think brass monkeys, leopard print and brightly coloured tablecloths.

For alternative quirky homewares, Rockett St George is full of fun additions to your Valentine’s table, like the black and gold love coasters or the heart-shaped disco ball for post-dinner dancing.

Lay an understated breakfast table

Colours of Arley is a brilliant new homeware brand founded by Louisa Tratalos. It’s a company born out of Louisa’s quest to find the perfect stripe. All of the materials are manufactured in a company in Cheshire and come in an impressive 180 shades and three stripe widths (skinny, midi or grand).

You can shop the stripes online via their website or Laura Jackson’s homewares company Glassette, or in person at Colours of Arley’s Hackney Road store.

The tablecloths come in a recycled linen-look with pleasing colourways like sherbet and maroon, crab and coconut, the seaside-style bug and coconut (blue and cream) and the subtle tofu and oyster. All of which make a glorious Valentine’s breakfast tablescape you’ll want to sit at all morning.

Light it right

Setting the tone with lighting is key for a romantic Valentine’s tablescape and there’s nothing that gets the mood going more than a soft, flickering candle (or 10). Lights4fun has got a full range of decorative lighting that looks the real deal but is actually fake, so you can throw as many as you like at your tablescape without the risk of burning the house down.

Try the TruGlow Ivory LED votive candles, which have hand poured wax and a “just lit” appearance flame, that flickers like it’s real. They come with a remote control so can create ambiance with the touch of a button and spend more time focussing on dinner and your date. Perfect.

Say it with embroidery

Go one up on saying it with a card and have your words embroidered onto fabric for a truly thought-out Valentine’s gift. Try Avalon Home’s collection of 100% cotton “The company is better than the food” or “You’re my favourite” napkins.

Or head to the Embroidered Napkin Company for the velvet “I love you” bows. They also make their own Valentine’s crackers. The cute design is a red cotton cracker with Love Heart sweets-style embroidery spelling LOVE, tied with pink velvet ribbons. Fill the cracker with a tiny gift or even an engagement ring to pop the question.