Autumn is here — the best time to invite friends for dinner, gather around the table, and turn a simple meal into an experience. The changing season calls for warmth and intimacy, for evenings where conversation flows as easily as wine. Few people understand how to create such moments better than Omer Gilony, the set designer and food stylist known for transforming tables into works of art that blend storytelling, craftsmanship, and atmosphere.
Omer stages her tables like theatre productions — layered, expressive, and full of character. Every element, from the choice of fabric to the scent in the air, serves a purpose. When we meet in Lisbon, the city she now calls home, she speaks softly yet passionately about her process, her inspirations, and the emotion she wants her work to evoke.
“For summer and autumn tables, I prefer working with linen-type textiles or very light cottons,” she explains. “The colour palette is inspired by nature — brighter tones, but not exclusively. I often use indigo and Majorelle blue, which reflect the sea and the fresh evenings by the coast, and warmer shades of orange and yellow that evoke citrus and sunlight.” Her tables are never simply decorative; they are sensorial compositions. Seasonal fruits and flowers take centre stage, adding rhythm and vibrancy, transforming the table into what she calls “a living composition.”
Lighting, she says, is just as important as the materials. “When I set a table during the day, I always ensure there’s natural daylight, but never direct sunlight. If I’m indoors, the light should come from the side — like in a still-life painting.” For evening gatherings, candlelight, amber tones, and subtle spotlights create what she calls the perfect balance between clarity and atmosphere. “I want guests to feel comfortable, cozy, sexy — I want them to stay longer. Light creates emotion, and emotion is everything.”
Her sensitivity to atmosphere extends beyond the table. Recently, she collaborated with Lucie Glassware, designing a collection that celebrates the beauty of everyday objects. “I’ve always loved decorative yet functional pieces,” she says. “Design has become so minimal, so focused on function that it’s lost some of its playfulness. I wanted to bring that sense of curiosity back.” Together with her friend Lucie, she created a series inspired by medieval craftsmanship, mythical creatures, and romantic storytelling. The pieces — playful in proportion, rich in colour — blend artistry with purpose. “Glass is the perfect medium,” she says. “It’s both practical and poetic. When you hold it, light becomes part of the design.”
When asked about her creative process, Omer describes it as a combination of structure and intuition. “Each project begins with deep creative research,” she explains. “I build mood boards, define concepts, and sketch initial ideas. Then I select the materials — flowers, fruits, textiles — that bring the concept to life. I always consider the season, the venue, and the people. A table should tell a story and make guests feel something genuine.” Her approach is detailed yet fluid, allowing space for improvisation. “It’s about achieving harmony without perfection — beauty in imperfection.”
Lisbon itself plays an essential role in her inspiration. “The city has had a huge impact on my taste and visual identity,” she reflects. “Lisbon feels like an old heritage place — slightly worn, slightly romantic — and that’s what I love about it.” She finds poetry in the details of daily life: grandmothers smiling from their windows, old cafés and grocery stores that have stayed the same for decades, restaurant waiters who treat their service like a craft. “There’s something raw and authentic here,” she says. “Even as the city modernises, the essence remains — and that authenticity constantly inspires me.”
Soon, Omer will open a new studio in Lisbon — a creative space for both work and collaboration. “It’s been a dream of mine to have a space where I can host and create,” she says. The studio will serve as her office, workshop, and small event venue, hosting floral and styling sessions, open days, and intimate dinners with guest chefs. “It’s about creating community — a place where design, craftsmanship, and hospitality come together.”
For Omer, atmosphere is never purely visual. “Scent and music are as important as lighting,” she explains. “Music sets rhythm, scent sets mood — together they make people feel something.” Her work, she adds, is rooted in nostalgia. “I want to trigger emotion — to remind people of a moment, a memory, or a feeling they’ve forgotten. That’s when design becomes meaningful.”
In Omer Gilony’s world, a table is never simply arranged — it’s composed. Every glass, flower, and flicker of light plays a role in a sensory performance that unfolds slowly and gracefully. Her work reminds us that true beauty lies not in perfection but in emotion — in the warmth of connection, the harmony of details, and the quiet stories a table can tell.
