Short answer: Set the table in layers. Put mouth-blown hurricanes and tapers down the center for candlelight, add glassware and porcelain that catch the flame, and finish with a serving tray, a vase of evergreen and one statement piece. We pulled 21 pieces from blomus and Roberto Cavalli Home that do exactly that.
Quick picks: what goes where?
| Piece | Best for | Key detail |
|---|---|---|
| blomus VEN Ripple Hurricane | Table centerpiece | Mouth-blown ridged glass, Smoke or Coffee |
| blomus DOODLE Arch Candle Holder | Tapers in a pair or row | Designed by Daniel Jarefeldt |
| blomus FAWN Opal Lantern | Flame-free corners | Rechargeable, dimmable LED |
| blomus ALPHA Aerating Decanter | Wine service | Built-in aerator, made in Poland |
| Roberto Cavalli Home Water Goblets | A set of two for the host | 9 in tall, gold monogram |
| Roberto Cavalli Home Silk Gold Pot | The coffee course | Porcelain, hand wash recommended |
How do I set a holiday table that feels special?
Think like a lighting designer first. Dinner is a candlelit scene, so decide where the light sits before you choose plates. Down the center, mix heights: a pair of tapers, two or three hurricanes, a low bowl of tealights. Our rule of thumb for a table that seats six to eight is a handful of flames in three different heights, then stop. Too many and it feels like a church; too few and the room is still lit by the ceiling.
Then add a layer that catches the light. Glass and glazed porcelain do the work here: a ridged hurricane throws a tiny fireworks show on the tablecloth, and gold-edged goblets glint at every guest's elbow.
Why blomus for candlelight?
blomus is a German design house, and what we love about the line is how many different designers sit under one roof. Daniel Jarefeldt drew the DOODLE holder from two intersecting arches. Kazushige Miyake designed the mouth-blown KOYOI glass with its cut and polished rim. Nina Thoming drew the LOHA jug vase with a nod to Moroccan metalwork, and Adam Miller, a Los Angeles designer, took the camping lantern as his reference for FAWN. The result is a table that looks collected rather than bought in a box.
Why add Roberto Cavalli Home?
Because one bold piece makes a table memorable. The Cavalli porcelain and glassware carry the house's monogram and animal prints, from the gold of Silk Gold to the stripes of Tiger. Set a plain table, add a pair of goblets or a tea set and it reads as styled. The listings advise hand washing and no microwave, so treat them as your special-occasion pieces.
Candles, glass and the shop-the-table list
Candlelight: hurricanes, tapers and flame-free glow
blomus NOX Candle Snuffer
A long-handled bell snuffer in coated zinc that puts flames out cleanly. The handle reaches into hurricanes and deep candle jars, so the ending of the evening is as graceful as the start.
blomus SAGA Glow Hurricane
Mouth-blown colored glass with soft veins of color that glow when lit, in three sizes. Group two or three heights down the middle of the table.
blomus VEN Ripple Hurricane
Mouth-blown ridged glass in a deep Smoke or Coffee tint, in medium or large. It turns a tealight or pillar into a small light show, and every piece is unique.
blomus DOODLE Arch Candle Holder
Designed by Daniel Jarefeldt from two intersecting arches. A modular taper holder you can set in a pair, a row or a mix of heights.
blomus VALOA Candle Trio
A gift set of three small scented soy-wax candles in colored glass, each 3 in across and 3 in high. Lovely at each end of a buffet or as a host gift.
blomus VALOA Glass Candle
A palm-free soy-wax candle in colored glass, offered in several sizes and five scents. The note to remember: light it away from the dinner plates, so the food still smells like food.
blomus FAWN Opal Lantern
Designed by Adam Miller, a Los Angeles designer. A rechargeable, dimmable LED mini lantern with a soft misty glow, a flame-free option for corners, the kids table.
Glass and the pour
blomus ALPHA Aerating Decanter
A wine decanter with a built-in aerator and filter, made in Poland. Pour the bottle in and it breathes on the way down.
blomus KOYOI Brandy Glass
Designed by Kazushige Miyake. Mouth-blown glass with a cut and polished rim and the blomus logo cast into the base. Dishwasher safe, though hand washing keeps the rim at its best.
Roberto Cavalli Home Old Fashioned Glasses, Set of 2, New Monogram Gold
A set of two glasses decorated with the Cavalli monogram in gold. We recommend hand washing; not microwave safe.
Roberto Cavalli Home Water Goblets, Set of 2, New Monogram Gold
Two goblets, 9 in tall, with the monogram in gold. A single glass that tells your guests the table was planned.
Serve and sip
blomus WILO Serving Tray
A wooden serving tray with cut-out handles and a subtle non-slip surface, in natural or black, small or large. It carries the drinks, and it also corrals the candles.
Roberto Cavalli Home Tea or Coffee Pot, Silk Gold
Porcelain in the Silk Gold pattern, with the monogram. The print reads crisply on porcelain; hand wash recommended, not microwave safe.
Roberto Cavalli Home Creamer, Silk Gold
The creamer in Silk Gold porcelain, made to sit with the pot and sugar pot for the coffee course.
Roberto Cavalli Home Sugar Pot, Silk Gold
The matching sugar pot, with a lid, in Silk Gold porcelain. Hand wash recommended.
Roberto Cavalli Home Coffee Cups and Saucers, Set of 2, Africa Zimbabwe and Djerba
Two coffee cups and saucers in the Africa Zimbabwe and Djerba prints, in a presentation box, so the gift is already wrapped in its own case.
Roberto Cavalli Home Tea Cups and Saucers, Set of 2, Tiger
Two Tiger-print tea cups and saucers in porcelain. Hand wash recommended; not microwave safe.
Centerpieces and scent
blomus LOHA Jug Vase
Designed by Nina Thoming. A tall, jug-shaped powder-coated steel vase with a ring handle, made for dried flowers and branches, a nod to Moroccan metalwork. No fresh flowers required.
Roberto Cavalli Home High Vase, Tiger
A tall porcelain vase in the Tiger print. Put a few branches of evergreen in it and the center of the table is done.
Roberto Cavalli Home Scented Candle, Monogram White
A scented candle in a decorated porcelain vessel that outlives the fragrance. Never leave a burning candle unattended.
Roberto Cavalli Home Scented Candle, Moray
The Moray candle in a patterned porcelain vessel, a gift or a mantel piece. Let the top melt to the edges on the first light.
Why it's worth the investment
A holiday table is a yearly ritual, so the pieces that anchor it should last past the season. Mouth-blown glass is made by hand, and the listings note that every blomus hurricane is unique. Porcelain from Roberto Cavalli Home carries the print crisply and comes in gift-ready sets. Pieces like these return every November, and they also work all year: the hurricanes on a bookshelf, the decanter at Sunday dinner, the tray on the coffee table. Buy fewer, better things, and the table gets better each time you set it.
Frequently asked questions
How many candles do I need for a holiday table?
As a designer rule of thumb, aim for a mix of heights down the center rather than a fixed number: two or three hurricanes plus a pair of tapers is plenty for a table for six to eight. Always keep flames away from garlands and never leave a burning candle unattended.
Should the candles on a dining table be scented?
Our rule of thumb is to keep scent away from the food. Use unscented tapers or tealights in hurricanes on the table, and put scented candles such as the blomus VALOA or the Roberto Cavalli candles on a buffet, a mantel or in the entry.
How do I care for Roberto Cavalli Home porcelain and glassware?
The listings recommend washing by hand in warm, soapy water with a soft sponge, with no abrasive pads, and they say the decorated pieces are not microwave safe.
Are blomus hurricanes and glasses dishwasher safe?
It depends on the piece. The KOYOI brandy glass is dishwasher safe, though hand washing keeps the polished rim at its best. Check each listing for care notes.
What is a flame-free option for the kids table or a small apartment?
The blomus FAWN opal lantern is a rechargeable, dimmable LED mini lantern with a soft misty glow.
What can I give a host who has everything?
A set of candles or a boxed pair of cups is an easy yes. The blomus VALOA candle trio and the Roberto Cavalli Home coffee cups and saucers in a presentation box are gift-ready.
Next steps
Browse the full blomus collection or Roberto Cavalli Home. Planning the rest of the room? Read our guides to a cozy winter living room, the best lights for a holiday entryway and holiday glow with Visual Comfort. Not sure where to start? Ask our design team and we will help you plan the table.