Once again, I cannot stress how vital it is to have a good sort out and throw out anything ‘past its sell-by date’, including any chipped china, glasses or appliances you never use.I think we mostly fall into two camps when accessorising our kitchens: cosy clutter with things out on surfaces or, at other end of the spectrum, everything put away out of sight in cupboards.  Either way, unifying the look of your storage so that things can be easily located is very satisfying.  Kilner jars are an inexpensive way to achieve this and with ingredients decanted into them, you avoid the rather depressing, almost empty bags of sugar, flour and pasta that hang about at the back of cupboards.  DeVOL Kitchens have a range of hanging bars, shelves and ironmongery, all easy additions which will update the look and feel of the space.

If you are looking for new dinner plates and glasses either go for something classic and elegant or search out mismatched china on eBay. When updating what the Americans call flatware and we call cutlery, good plain vintage silver-plate knives, forks and spoons can be bought in junk shops (or online) for much less that you can buy them new. Similarly, vintage linen tablecloths and napkins add instant elegance and glamour when laying the table. It doesn’t matter if you mix and match sets if you don’t have enough of one thing; as long as you keep to similar styles and colours, it will only add personality to your table. 

Lighting is all important: consider swapping out some recessed downlights for small pendants on a separate circuit so that you can adjust the lighting down in the evening. Of course, candlelight remains the most universally flattering light of all so have lots of candles in holders of varying heights down the centre of the table.  Whilst I love flowers, I prefer to leave room on the table for plates of food to be passed around. Just a few small vases with something pretty means that your guests aren’t craning over wildly extravagant arrangements – save these for the hall table or a side table set up as a bar for when people arrive.