Step inside Julia Khan Anselmo's world, where instinct, generosity and seasonal beauty define the art of the table.

We meet Julia Khan Anselmo in the tranquil courtyard of Kuglegården, home to Ferm Living's Boutique & Showroom in Copenhagen, during a summer dinner as part of 3 Days of Design. Here, she sets the table and reflects on how a shared meal in a thoughtful setting can become a quiet refuge from the outside world.

Founder of Amsterdam-based Feisty Feast, Julia Khan Anselmo believes the best tables are guided by instinct. In her hands, the table becomes an open composition, setting the tone for a relaxed and generous atmosphere. "It isn't something I overthink," she says. "It's a fairly intuitive process and revolves around what I'm making and how it will be served." Rather than striving for perfection, she embraces improvisation, using the pieces she already owns and reimagining everyday objects with new purpose. "The food should do most of the work!" A stainless-steel pot can become a vase for flowers and familiar serving pieces find unexpected uses. Her advice for anyone hoping to host with more confidence and character? "Create something that pleases you, use your instincts and don't overthink it," she says while arranging freshly cut flowers in a Fountain Bowl.

Like getting dressed, setting the table is guided by the season, the mood and the guests around it. There are only a few constants she returns to time and again. Cloth napkins, for example, are always part of the setting, while the rest is allowed to evolve intuitively. "I like leaving room for freedom, spontaneity and playfulness so that the table feels very much alive."



While colour plays an important role, the ingredients themselves always remain the focal point. Seasonal produce becomes part of the composition, bringing texture, colour and a quiet sense of abundance to the table. "I love to use contrast to really spotlight a particular ingredient," she says, arranging bright green asparagus across the Bon Wooden Tray. In this way, vibrant vegetables and ripe fruit become sculptural elements within the tablescape.

Her appreciation for natural forms is shaped by years spent living in Amsterdam and frequent visits to the Rijksmuseum, where the still-life paintings of the Dutch Masters continue to inspire her. "I love presenting food as objects on the table to be admired. I also don't like altering fruit and vegetables too much from their natural forms because I am in love with their beauty."

Cooking, hosting and setting the table are, for Julia, a form of self-portrait. They reflect curiosity, generosity and a genuine desire to know the people gathered around it.

A beautifully set table is, ultimately, less about styling than it is about making people feel cared for. "It communicates the care, time and intention you've taken for your guests. It's time expressed in details." Long before the first dish reaches the table, the atmosphere has already begun to take shape. A carefully chosen playlist, freshly cut flowers, ironed linen and candlelight quietly communicate something deeper than aesthetics. Small gestures that make guests
feel welcomed.

Gathering for a shared meal thus offers a pause from everyday life, “a momentary escape from the reality of the world to another place, the table.” As Ripple Glasses catch the evening light and conversations unfold, the table becomes a temporary world of its own, where the simple act of sharing a meal fosters lasting connections. “Food is like air or water, we need it to live. It’s one of life’s greatest pleasures, and when shared, it creates a special unspoken bond, and that table is the canvas for this to come to life.”

Get inspired by Julia’s approach to the table and discover timeless pieces designed for effortless, meaningful gatherings here.