Get This Discount for Setting Your Table
Broken Palate x Last July for last-minute holiday savings
Have you ever admired a beautiful table setting on Instagram to on television (we’re looking at you, Martha Stewart) while you eat from a Tupperware bowl, using a paper towel as a placemat?
Erin Crandall Phillips wants you to know that having a well-thought-out table doesn’t have to be complicated — and it needn’t be reserved for holidays and special occasions.
The founder of Last July, a company that helps you dress your table, says the simple act of setting your table actually helps you set the mood to be more mindful at meals. “Whether you're sitting down with your partner, kids, or a roommate, it changes the tone of the meal.”
Instead of eating in front of the TV out of takeout containers, dining at the table can transform a meal into something special, she notes.
Phillips says that, like most of us, the pandemic helped change the way her family ate. With most activities canceled and the world slowed down, dinnertime took on a new meaning. “During the pandemic, we got into mealtime. That’s what inspired my love for setting the table.”
Phillips then decided to turn that passion into a business. She founded Last July, an online shop for tableware. “It’s a curated shop of products and a culmination of all brands, including some private label items. We have linens, napkins, tabletop items — anything to set your table,” she says.
The company was called Last July, after Phillips had a gathering for her 40th birthday. “I had a huge dinner party in late July and it was the first time many of my friends reconnected after the pandemic. It was a special day, and I wanted to remember it.”
For those of us who need a little boost to up our table game, Phillips offers four different curated sets: Sunset, Golden Hour, Daybreak, and Indigo. Each set comes with cloth napkins, napkin rings, runners or placemats, and various centerpieces. “When we launched, I tried to put everything into curated box sets of everything you need when you want to set the table,” Phillips explains.
Last July also sells dishes, napkins, vases, flatware, and more so you can mix and match for your own mood. My family likes to make the table our own. Often my kids set the table and it becomes like putting together an outfit: we’ll do the blue placemats with pink napkins. There are no right or wrong ways to set the table.”
Last July’s items are also designed to be used daily. “I’ve tried out all my cotton napkins. I don’t want to have to dry clean linens and I don’t want anything to be tricky.” Another upside to cotton napkins: They’re much better for the environment than paper since they’re reusable. “Once you use cotton napkins, it feels funny to turn to the paper towel roll.”
With New Year’s coming up, Phillips has a few tips to set your table to ring in 2023. “I like to use black linens and maybe a pop of gold. Gold napkin rings and votive candles would be a great combination,” she says. Or, try the opposite. “An all-white table setting can be very elegant,” she adds.
Whether you’re ringing in the new year with a dinner party or you’re ordering pizza for a few friends, Phillips says setting the table can really make the meal. “It takes two minutes to set a table.”
Broken Palate has partnered with Last July to help you set your table. Simply visit Last July here and use code BROKENPALATE for 10 percent off your first order (the code can only be used once per household).