Home Tour: Designing Tables to the Max 

Renata Massardi is a self-described maximalist. She found her passion for designing table settings during lockdown. While stuck at home in Shanghai, she decided to start an Instagram account where she could unleash her creativity. Gone were the restraints, the toned-down table settings she had made when hosting business partners at her house, to avoid intimidating or overwhelming anyone. On Instagram (@renas.table), she could be free. More was more- candles, flowers, themes, lighting. She had found her calling.

“I didn’t think people could have such a huge passion in life. I really found my passion!” Renata said.

Soon her Instagram following grew and eager followers asked to rent her gorgeous tableware sets. This launched her business of selling and rentingtable design kits to customers for big events like holidays and special occasions, as well as becoming a decorative dining consultant for local restaurants. Renata now also teaches classes on napkin folding, dining etiquette, and table setting.

Her recent table setting design is rustic-inspired with purple chrysanthemum peonies and wooden napkin rings. No matter the theme, whether Fourth of July or Indian or Thai, her two essentials for any good table setting are always having flowers and candles, and always having nice wine glasses.

Renata finds most of her design goodies from stores like Zara Home, a favorite of hers. Her latest obsession is touch lamps. She has found cute mushroom-shaped lamps that light up when tapped and is slowly amassing a collection that is neatly stored away throughout her house. Every time she travels and visits a new locale, she smartly plans ahead by bringing extra suitcases to fill with decorative gems to take home to decorate her dining table. The rest of her beautiful home in the Jinqiao neighborhood of Pudong is filled with tokens from exotic lands and memories of family travels, like the light green Korean celadon vases from the time when her Brazilian family of husband and two sons lived in South Korea before moving to Shanghai.

She embraces and celebrates the power of a beautifully dressed table and jumps at the opportunity to invite guests over, which happens at least once a month.

“Don’t be afraid of making it beautiful,” Renata said. “If you can’t cook well, you can show love with beauty. That’s how I show love to family and guests.” 

Renata’s favorite stores:

Zara Home

Taobao

Harbor House

Pudong Flower Market