Mary Hollis Huddleston shares her secrets for a
Laura Ashley-inspired table

With sunny days and outdoor entertaining ahead on our minds, we recently turned to Mary Hollis Huddleston, a Southern hospitality and entertaining expert, to share her Laura Ashley memories and design a timeless tablescape in her signature tradition with a twist style. Find out how she curates a one-of-a-kind tablescape by reading her story and inspiration below.

Laura Ashley is celebrating over 70 years of business, and if you’re a “grandmillennial” like myself, you are beyond thrilled to celebrate this beloved brand’s big birthday as well. My sister and I both grew up wearing matching Laura Ashley floral-print dresses, and both our rooms donned floral bedspreads from the brand. Their romantic textile prints are part of my childhood memories, and so when I was presented with the opportunity to style tables with their new tabletop collections, I jumped at the offer.

For my first table design, I selected luncheon plates from their Belvedere Collection, which feature a floral pattern in muted blue and grey colors. Of all the dinnerware options that Laura Ashley offers online (and can be found here), these were hands-down my favorite pieces. They remind me of chinoiserie wallpaper, which feels so elegant and timeless, and I paired them with dinner plates from their Artisan Collection. Half of the dinner plates come with a subtle floral print so that you can mix and match them with the solid options. I specifically like how each plate looks handmade, so they can be dressed up or down depending on the rest of your table decor. As for glassware, I cannot get over the mouth-blown vintage-inspired wine glasses and champagne flutes. Laura Ashley offers a variety of beverage glass options in this same style, which can be found here. They feel so special, as each piece is mouth-blown, but the beauty is that they are also all dishwasher-safe. Easy to style AND easy to clean.

As you can see here, the table is anchored with the most beautifully embroidered tablecloth. Unfortunately, it is not available ready-made online, but you can purchase the “Dee” fabric in Pale Eucalyptus here. I absolutely love this textile, as it feels fresh and modern. In fact, I like it so much that I had four pillows made from the linen to use on my dining banquette. I know my family will enjoy the linens and pillows for years to come, and I know they will stand the test of time, just like so many of the other Laura Ashley textiles. Same goes for the placemats that I had made from this fun blue-on-blue block-print pattern, called “Gower” in Eucalyptus (found here ). This textile is not embroidered, so it feels a bit more casual, which is why I loved using it for placemats and napkins. The different patterns layer so well together, but I’m also excited that they can be mixed and matched with other textiles and entertaining pieces I already own. I really wanted to pay homage to the brand by using as much from it’s past and present collection as possible on the table, which is why we had special table linens made from their fabrics. It’s a 70th anniversary celebration, after all!

As for the rest of the decor, I called upon my friends at FLWR Shop to provide the stunning “blush and bashful” arrangements you see here. I wanted a pop of color for the table but not something that was too bold, as the dinnerware and table linens are soft and romantic. We continued the use of soft pink colors with these floral cupcakes from Blooming Kupcakes that are little works of art themselves. I love when food doubles as decor on the table, and each floral cupcake was a bit different, so each guest feels extra special.

When dining outdoors, I try and bring in a few natural elements, which is why my table lamps from the Varnish Collection made an appearance along with my vintage hanging basket that I filled with fresh hydrangeas. The mix of organic, natural pieces with more formal entertaining items like the glassware and silver flatware, create an upscale but approachable space.

I just love how timeless the new Laura Ashley tabletop collection feels. The pieces are inspired by vintage designs, but they still feel fresh and easy to style on tables today. You can find so many beautiful entertaining, home and kitchen goods from Laura Ashley online here, and I’m excited to share a second table that I had the pleasure of styling up next!

We can’t thank Mary enough for sharing her inspiration behind creating this beautiful Spring Blue Laura Ashley tablescape. Be sure to follow her on Instagram at @maryhollishuddleston for more entertaining and tablescape ideas.

Tell us what you love about entertaining at home below, or tag us @lauraashleyusa or #lauraashleyusa.