The Tablescape Series: Coastal Blue

A Table by the Sea, in the City

Our July dinner—Coastal Blue—marked the first in this new monthly series, and I’ll be honest: I was nervous. When you’ve spent months dreaming something up, imagining how it might feel, look, sound—it’s a little surreal when it finally comes to life. But the night unfolded more beautifully than I could have hoped. The table was set in soft, coastal blues—washed linen, thematic ceramics, flickering candles, and small details that nodded to the sea. For a few hours, even in the middle of the city, it felt like we were somewhere oceanside.

One thing this night reminded me of—maybe more than anything—is why I fell in love with design in the first place. I sound like a bit of a broken record, but I feel I should say it again that for me, design is never just about making things look good. It was about creating spaces where people create memories. Where they feel something. This dinner reminded me how a thoughtfully set table can soften people, spark conversation, and bring strangers into community. It’s easy to forget that in the day-to-day, but this was a beautiful reminder.

And then there was Patrick McMurray aka Shucker Paddy—truly the heart of the evening. He didn’t just teach guests how to shuck oysters (though he did that brilliantly). He brought the room into the story of the oyster—its history, its rhythm, its place in the world. Through humour, insight, and a deep respect for the craft, he connected people not just to the food in front of them, but to where it came from. 

There were moments of shared learning, quiet pride, and lots of laughter as guests opened their first oysters (some more confidently than others). It was spontaneous and joyful—the kind of energy you can’t really plan for, only hope to hold onto. The kind where you let go of control and see what unfolds.

Each guest left with a custom shucking kit—an oyster knife, salt, hot sauce, a shucking cloth, a customized tin with instructions, and a take-home Coastal Blue playlist to remember the night. Because every table has a sound, and this one was slow, sea-swept, and summer-soaked.

The food reflected the season: grilled prawns, charred corn, cucumber salad, heirloom tomatoes, warm buttermilk biscuits, and a rustic blueberry galette to close the evening. It was unfussy, heartfelt, and shared the way summer food should be.

And yes—if you noticed the shift in light in the photos—it did rain. We moved the dinner indoors at the last minute, but somehow it made everything feel even more intimate. The candles glowed a little warmer, the conversation stretched a little longer. It felt right.

I’m still carrying the feeling of that night with me. The power that comes from creating beautiful, welcoming spaces where people can gather, learn something new, and leave feeling a little more connected than when they arrived.

 I had the help of the amazingly talented Francesca of Studio Demma to help bring this vision to life and I am beyond thrilled how it all turned out.

Next up is August’s dinner: Marigold Yellow. It’s inspired by the golden light of late summer—wildflowers, honey, ripening fields. This dinner will be exclusive to my email subscribers, and offered at a special discounted rate as a thank-you for supporting this project from the very beginning.

If you’d like to join us at the next table, sign up for the mailing list here. Invitations go out on the 1st of each month, and seats are limited—first come, first serve.

Hope to see you soon.