Friends coming over for dinner used to mean snags on the barbie and a store-bought cake for dessert. And while nobody complained, we’re happy that, these days, dinner parties are thoughtful, beautiful and still heaps of fun. Still, it means that the stakes have been raised (as well as the actual steaks, which now have to be organic, grass-fed and cooked medium rare with a herbed butter on the side), and that ‘setting the table’ no longer means putting out the cutlery.

We love having friends over for dinner, and there are a few brands we turn to for tableware inspo. First cab off the dinner party plating rank is Mint Home. This boutique brand articulates on-trend tableware with the practiced eye of founder Angela Hrysomallis’s 20 years in the home wares game. For the share plate of your dreams, look no further.

Country Road homewares are simple and neutral, making their goods totally Insta-worthy. Round out your meal with a shared slice of fromage on this board.

From the porcelain style files, Mud Australia‘s duck-egg blue share platter is pricey, but absolutely worth it… for the double-taps.