Mrs Tablescape founder and creative director Carolyn Dorrian grew up setting the table every night when her family came together for dinner – no matter how casual or quick the meal was. It’s a ritual that’s now been passed down to her own family, and even inspired her to start her own dedicated tableware brand.
‘My son lays the table each day with different colours and themes depending on his mood on my simple Carrera marble table,’ Carolyn says.
Carolyn had dreamed about starting Mrs Tablescape for years, but it was a post-lockdown longing for events and gathering around the table again that encouraged her to finally launch the business in 2021.
‘For Mrs Tablescape, I wanted people to share stories and memories with each other at the table more,’ she says. ‘I don’t think entertainment or having a beautiful dinner should be only for special occasions – my aim is to re-introduce the joy of eating together.’
She started making her own ceramics (a hobby she’s had since childhood), designing table linen, and working with local artists to create original printed tablecloths and napkins. Her range unites vintage and contemporary, with scalloped and one-of-a-kind plates featuring dainty hand-painted details, quirky candles, and select pieces imported from overseas.
When it came time to create a flagship store in Sydney, it was important that the retail experience was just as unique and whimsical as her business’ niche offerings.
She worked with her mum, who is a ‘self-taught builder and interior designer’, to create the dreamy space, featuring pastel peach walls and plinths she tiled herself using quarry stone. Her ‘obsession with waves and shapes’ carries through to the showroom’s design, seen in a particularly enchanting ‘wave cupboard’ that showcases different products like art on a gallery wall!
‘Often I would plan and draw what I wanted, and then mum would engineer and cut the wood to perfection. The wave cupboard is our signature, and she engineered and completed all the joinery. I designed everything in the shop, with her skills and guidance,’ Carolyn says.
‘The Double Bay shop will not just be a shop but an exhibition – showcasing each month an upcoming or well-known artist with matching tableware that I will paint or stitch.’
In other words, it’s an art-filled, tablescaping wonderland!
Visit Mrs Tablescape at their Double Bay showroom to browse limited-edition exclusives, or see the full range online here.
Mrs Tablescape
Shop 5, Roma Arcade
413-417 New South Head Road
Double Bay NSW
