Ruben Hughes brings Copenhagen and New York together for an evening shaped by design, art and good company.
A little piece of Denmark
Living in Copenhagen for the past ten years has shaped the way I think about objects and the spaces we live in. When we got married last year, we asked family and friends who lived further away not to travel to for the wedding. Instead, we invited them to join us a year later to celebrate our first anniversary. Now, a year on, we were finally bringing everyone together.
For the celebration, I wanted to bring a little of Denmark back to New York — through Stelton serving pieces, vintage Danish furniture sourced from Lichen NYC and a certain simplicity around the table.
What I appreciate about Danish design is that it is made to be lived with. Beautiful objects are not meant to feel precious or distant, but to become part of everyday life. Around a table, that feels particularly relevant: pieces are used, passed between guests and gradually become part of the evening. For a few hours in New York, the table brought together two places I call home.
- Ruben Hughes
An evening shaped by art
I approached the celebration much like I would an editorial. We created visual boards for the photography, the table, the space, the food and the wine, thinking about how each element could contribute to the same atmosphere.
We drew inspiration from gallery dinners at V1 and Sunday-S in Copenhagen and private exhibition openings in New York. I have always loved the way these occasions bring art, design, food and conversation together without feeling overly formal. We wanted to capture some of that energy — somewhere between an anniversary dinner and an intimate gallery opening.
The studio already had everything I associate with New York: high ceilings, exposed pipes and raw brick walls. Instead of competing with the space, we worked with it, bringing in a refined table setting and slightly dramatic flowers. Once the guests arrived, the final layer fell into place. Because ultimately, it is the people, food and conversation that make a room come alive.
Around the table
For me, setting a table begins with the occasion rather than the objects. From there, it’s about finding the right balance between materials, function and feeling.
I like mixing textures — glass, wood, steel and linen — and letting softer materials bring warmth to harder surfaces. At the same time, the menu naturally shapes what belongs on the table and how each piece is used.
But the part I enjoy most is creating the atmosphere. Candles, flowers, music, food and wine all help set the tone and can transport your guests somewhere else for an evening. It doesn’t need to feel perfect or overly styled. In the end, it’s often the smallest details that turn a table into something people remember.
