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Snakes, snacks and scents – here are 15 ideas to elevate your Chinese New Year setting

Be it a defining centrepiece or playful plates, the right wares for your Chinese New Year table set up will have your relatives ooh-ing and aah-ing from this year to the next.

Snakes, snacks and scents – here are 15 ideas to elevate your Chinese New Year setting

(Photos: Courtesy of respective brands; art: Chernling/CNA)

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Chinese New Year is a time of festive feasting, and a chance for hosts to display their creative prowess. It is the Year of the Snake but no need to go all out kitschy crowding your table with snake print paraphernalia; Chinese New Year is also about harvest and growth, springtime and blooms.

Setting a themed table that is elegant, functional and yet memorable is an art; the right tableware and decorative objects can define the mood – and conversation. Have fun with colours, textures and forms as you give justice to the hard work cooking up a storm and baking your Chinese New Year treats.

HERMES: KAORUMI COLLECTION

Kaorumi dessert plates. (Photo: Hermes)

Springtime is well represented by the Hermes Objets Spring/ Summer 2025 Kaorumi collection. Ryo Takemasa has drawn a selection of fruits with a compass and ruler in cut form, as if waiting to be tasted. Set on gold-trimmed white porcelain, the collection features 12 dessert plates and three cake dishes – perfect for a festive spread.

Placing oranges on their namesake plate will no doubt be a silent invitation to partake in the enjoyment of peeling the beloved Chinese New Year fruit before devouring it, one carpel at a time. Alternatively, the geometric beauty of the pineapple platter will surely steal attention from a spread of pineapple tarts placed upon it. Available from Hermes.

KARTELL: TRULLO CONTAINERS

Trullo containers. (Photo: Kartell)

Untwisting the iconic red covers from the ubiquitous transparent containers of Chinese New Year snacks may be part of the fun, but so is lifting the delicate, conical lid of Kartell’s Trullo containers. They come in four colour combinations that look as good individually or altogether.

Designed by Fabio Novembre, the lid’s shape was inspired by the traditional architecture of the houses in Alberobello in Puglia, Italy, which is Novembre’s hometown. The Italian architect is kind of like a rock star in the creative world, with dynamic and adventurous works spanning buildings, fashion boutiques, furniture, lighting and objects for many international brands. Available from Space Furniture.

SERAX: LA MERE VENETIAN RED COLLECTION

La Mere Venetian Red collection. (Photo: Serax)

Designed for Serax, this set of handmade stoneware by designer Marie Michielssen stands out for its beautiful deep Venetian red glaze that enhances any festive set up. The raised serving bowl in particular is well suited as a centrepiece for it unusual form. It can also be used as a vase.

The collection is a tribute to Michielssen’s mother and grandmother, and to mothers in general – women who typically foster connection through placing food on the table. The use of earth and imperfect handmade profiles are also tributes to Mother Earth. Available from Artifactt and serax.com

FORNASETTI: SERPENTE TRAY

The Serpente trays. (Photo: Fornasetti)

In the 1930s, artist Piero Fornasetti opened an art printworks in Milan. A meeting with renowned architect Gio Ponti in the late 1940s led to the creation of his eponymous company. The luxury brand is known for its objects and furniture for the home that evoke a sense of whimsy and storytelling through figurative, elegant expressions.

The Serpente tray features a contemporary and artistic depiction of this year’s Zodiac creature. Silkscreened and painted onto wood, it can be combined with a foldable stand to transform into a coffee table – perfect for when conversations and drinks travel from the dining table to the lounge. Available from fornasetti.com.

TOM DIXON: BUMP COLLECTION

The Bump collection. (Photo: Tom Dixon)

Bump is a family of minimalist, borosilicate vessels for hosting and drinking. English designer Tom Dixon equates the activities of tea brewing, mixology and floral arrangements to the ‘alchemic processes’ in a science laboratory, inspiring the collection’s apparatus-like forms.

Borosilicate glass is unusually strong and resistant to shock. It also offers optical clarity and the ability to withstand high temperatures, explaining its use in chemistry laboratory equipment, telescopes and space shuttles. The refreshing, bamboo shade is Dixon’s tribute to healthy, growth, calm, vitality and nature, which all contribute to a positive living. Available from Tom Dixon website.

GEORG JENSEN: COBRA CUTLERY

The Cobra collection. (Photo: Geog Jensen)

The sinuous shape of the items in Geog Jensen’s Cobra collection references the snake species. But unlike the venomous character that should be avoided, Constantin Wortmann’s objects for the Danish brand are delightful and comfortable to encounter and embrace.

The collection has everything needed for a full table setup. There are cutlery, candleholders, bowls, platters, a café, napkin holder, trays and a salt-and-pepper grinder set. They feature attractive curves but their minimal designs in stainless steel bring the right dose of elegance and charm to mealtimes. Available at georgjensen.com

YOSHIDA: UME, RINKA AND YUKIWA PLATES

Rinka plates. (Photo: Yoshida)

After working at Ashiya Pottery in Uji, Kyoto for 13 years, Masakazu Yoshida became a pottery professional in 2019 and started his own brand, Yoshida. Japanese culture and nature inspire many of his pieces.

For example, the Ume series (meaning ‘plum blossom’ in Japanese), has a crisp five-petal shape while the plates in the Yukisa series uses the traditional snowflake pattern in Japanese culture that symbolises luck and blessing in life. Rinka, with more elaborate petals, is another traditional Japanese motif symbolising the noble chrysanthemum flower. Available from Artifactt.

DIESEL LIVING WITH SELETTI: CLASSIC ON ACID COLLECTION

The Classic on Acid collection. (Photo: Seletti)

This tableware series is described on Seletti’s website as having “a classic look with a crazy twist for party lovers and eclectics. Beautiful on the wall, marvellous for an unexpected distorted table set up.” It is an apt description for the irreverent take on classic Delftware inspired by 14th-century Chinese porcelain.

But it is not an unexpected theme, coming from Diesel Living – the home and decor arm of alternative fashion brand Diesel. Guests will have fun trying to make out the original images on the Imari Dragon or Pagoda plates. Seletti is available from Journey East and Maison Marcel in Singapore, and seletti.it.

SELETTI: SNAKE GLASS VASE

The Snake Glass vase. (Photo: Seletti)

Arrange your flowers into this glass receptacle of snakes, designed by Toiletpaper for Seletti. Snakes swirling up and down, twisting this way and that, and in multiple hues, presents an enigmatic picture for the tabletop. The gold trim adds a dash of glamour to the transparent vase that comes in a round or rectilinear form.

The collaboration between home decor brand Seletti and progressive magazine founded by Maurizio Cattelan and Pierpaolo Ferrari is part of a series that brings humour and lightness mealtimes through absurd, punchy and sometimes shocking imagery. Seletti is available from Journey East and Maison Marcel in Singapore, and seletti.it.

WAN LIYA: NEW LONGSHAN POTTERY

The New Longshan Pottery. (Photo: Wan Liya)

Based in Qingdao, China, and Los Angeles, Wan Liya is an established artist who reinterprets styles and ideas from traditional Chinese ceramic art and craft into contemporary forms. The New Longshan pottery series was inspired by Qingdao, one of the cradles of Longshan culture.

“When I visited Zhucheng Museum in 2017, I was deeply attracted by the black eggshell pottery of Longshan culture,” Wan mentioned on what sparked the experiment. The Longshan potters also invented the new potter’s wheel technology, enabling the creation of vessels with eggshell-thin walls. Available from The Artling.

FFERRONE DESIGN: MARGOT CHAMPAGNE COUPE

The Margot champagne coupes. (Photo: Fferrone Design)

The Margot champagne coupe from Fferrone Design is a beautiful piece of glassware for Chinese New Year toasts. The coupe features intricate details and a feminine, floral aesthetic. Each piece is hand-formed without the use of moulds by master glassblowers.

American designer Felicia Ferrone helms Fferrone Design. Her signature aesthetic of tactility and functionality stems from having spent several years working as an architect in the studios of noted architects and designers such as Antonio Citterior, Vittorio Gregotti, Piero Lissoni and Silvana Sermisoni. Available from Space Furniture.

BACCARAT: ZODIAQUE SNAKE 2025

The Zodiaque Snake 2025. (Photo: Baccarat)

Baccarat celebrates the Year of the Snake with an original decorative fine crystal sculpture by Allison Hawkes. This version has a stately demeanour, appearing to observe its surroundings with a keen eye. It is made in France by Baccarat’s artisans.

An American artist, Hawkes is known for her ability to give life to beautiful animal forms out of materials like crystal and silver. She has designed many such sculptures for the 259-year-old French crystal purveyor that became a favourite from royalty all over the world after King Louis XVII gave the company its first royal commission in 1823. Available from Baccarat.

C’ERA: CACHI WOK SCENTED CANDLE

Cachi Wok scented candle. (Photo: C’era)

Fill the dining room with the sweet and mild fragrance of ripe persimmon, together with notes of ginger, eucalyptus and white flower wth C’era’s Cachi Wok scented candle whose container is as beautiful as its scent is captivating.

Created in collaboration with Italian designer Paolo Santangelo and made by artisans in Abruzzo, southern Italy, the handcrafted ceramic container was designed to be kept and re-used after the candle has been used up – as a cup, desk accessory, or to store small items such as jewellery, coins or keys. Available from cerafragrance.com.

POLTRONA FRAU: ZHUANG TRAY

The Zhuang tray. (Photo: Poltrona Frau)

The Zhuang tray from Italian furniture manufacturer Poltrona Frau is a multi-tasking object for festive gatherings. The series comprises two circular and oval stackable boxes, covered with a lid. Each of these, in turn, contains a stack of four trays that can be used individually or held together by a brushed aluminium base. There are also two large individual trays.

All of these are made from solid Canaletto walnut, and finished with a Cuonio Saddle Extra leather belt in three colours – Carbone, Cammello or Tortora. Its designer, Shanghai-based Neri&Hu Design and Research Office, is one of today’s most prolific and progressive multidisciplinary design studios merging cultural and contemporary aesthetics in its global portfolio. Available from Proof Living.

REFLECTIONS COPENHAGEN: WILSON ICE BUCKET

The Wilson ice bucket. (Photo: Reflections Copenhagen)

The fan-shaped handle of Reflections Copenhagen’s Wilson ice bucket is a subtle nod to Chinese traditions but there is nothing subtle about its entire design in colourful crystal. The vintage appearance has a theatrical Art Deco appeal, making it a talking point when the drinks are brought out.

The Wilson ice bucket is reflective of the forward attitude of the crystal decor company that aims to push boundaries within the field of decoration luxury objects. Its founder, Andrea Larsson, is a self-taught Danish designer with a background in interior design and fashion. Crystal is her muse for harnessing light reflections for strong and beautiful colour play. Available on reflections-copenhagen.com.

Source: CNA/bt
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