I am not, nor was I was ever, the ruthless sort of spring cleaner—the stripping, the purging, the annual inventory of drawers. That being said, I do like a good sweep in service of the months ahead, every quarter or so. In a mostly furnished post-fire rental, cleaning/editing is less about denuding than about enhancing—working with what is here, and then asking what makes it feel like ours for next season. A chair pulled closer to the window because the afternoon light is too beautiful to miss. A sculptural introduced where there wasn’t one before. An to ritualize lived-in joys. The sort of changes that do not announce themselves immediately, but alter how a room receives you. That is how I found myself lingering over ’s hand-illustrated paper plates and gorgeous linens. They possess that rare quality of making a table look elegant without suggesting effort was expended to get there. Everything is designed to layer easily, to mix without overthinking, to invite a little spontaneity—the kind of thing that could persuade me that dinner for 12 is last-minute manageable! The appeal is that these are objects that remove friction rather than add occasion. They make gathering feel possible on ordinary days, which is often when I most want it. (They’re so pretty, however, I’d be reluctant to throw them away post-party!) Seems like my version of spring cleaning this year is preparing the house to be lived in with the windows open, the doors rarely shut, and the table always one small excuse away from being set. An (last pic) taking command in one corner could not hurt either!