Table Two Studio’s Luxe Paper Plates Will Change How You Entertain
Meet the co-founders of Charlotte-based Table Two Studio, a stylish tableware brand redefining entertaining. Image: Table Two Studio
Some friendships are built over coffee; Gabrielle (Gabby) Amato and Carolyn Hakansson built theirs over fashion, dinner parties, and beautifully set tables. The two met as interns in New York City more than a decade ago, bonding over a shared love of design and entertaining. But it wasn’t until motherhood, demanding careers, and the chaos of everyday life collided that the idea for Table Two Studio came to life.
Today, the Charlotte-based duo helps make hosting less stressful (and a whole lot prettier!) with tablescape accessories and luxury paper plates.
For Gabrielle and Carolyn, Table Two Studio wasn’t born from a lifelong plan to launch a dining decor brand. It came from trying to survive busy seasons of life while still holding onto the rituals they loved.
“Gabby had recently had a baby and was trying to find ways to elevate her everyday hosting that felt quick and easy, but still thoughtful and design-forward,” Carolyn says. “This hit home for me too, as someone who was living in a small NYC apartment and design-obsessed but lacked storage for multiple sets of tableware to play around with for different occasions.”
At the time, one founder was five months postpartum while the other had just stepped into a demanding new role at work. They found themselves drained and searching for products that made entertaining feel easier without sacrificing style.
“Being in the midst of a season full of big life changes is actually what inspired us to create our brand,” Gabrielle says. “We were exhausted and overwhelmed, but being in the ‘trenches’ in the busiest stages in our lives is what made us realize there was a white space in this market, and we were motivated to fill it.”
That white space centered around one thing: hosting without pressure.
“Hosting and entertaining is sometimes so stressful, and the cleanup is time-consuming,” Gabrielle says. “I have memories of my mom at the sink until after midnight, handwashing her china after our family and guests left holidays and celebrations. As a new(ish) mom, I can’t always commit to (or even want to be) doing that!”
They weren’t looking to replace fine china altogether. In fact, both women still love collecting traditional pieces. But they realized there was a major gap between overly casual disposable products and formal entertaining essentials.
“We felt like the market was really missing an option that offered the beauty and thoughtfulness that porcelain dishware brings to the table, but without the crazy hassle of cleaning up,” Gabrielle explains. “If we can save our customers a little time, and bring a bit of relief to hosting and entertaining, we’re accomplishing our goal!”
That realization became the foundation for Table Two Studio, a line of luxury paper plates and table accessories designed to feel elevated and intentional.
Long before they were building a business together, Gabrielle and Carolyn were simply two interns navigating New York City side by side. Their friendship quickly formed around a shared obsession with aesthetics, fashion, entertaining, and creativity. But what made the dynamic especially interesting was the contrast between their personal styles — Carolyn’s a bit edgy, and Gabrielle’s a bit more girly and refined.
Those differences ultimately became one of the brand’s greatest assets. Gabrielle brought a background in brand marketing and e-commerce, while Carolyn came from graphic design and art direction. Together, they naturally divided responsibilities in a way that played to both of their strengths.
“Gabby is really good at communicating a high-level vision for each collection we create, and I’m able to translate that into a concrete design that we then continue to build off of,” Carolyn says. “There’s always a good tension between marketing and design teams that lends itself to constantly pushing ideas forward, editing, and never feeling stagnant.”
Spend even a few minutes looking through Table Two Studio’s collections, and you’ll notice that their plates don’t feel overly themed or precious. They simply feel stylish.
“We always wanted Table Two to feel like a fashion-forward lifestyle brand,” Gabrielle says. “Clothing designers come out with new collections that feel cohesive and tell a story; we want to achieve the same for every collection.”
Each collection begins with a huge moodboard of textures, patterns, fabrics, color palettes, and other inspiration. From there, the ideas are refined. “We usually have a long working session where we design, and then re-design each plate together live,” Gabrielle explains.
It’s effective. Some of the best moments happen when the entire collection finally clicks into place. “It’s really the best feeling when we start to see a cohesive scheme come together, which usually inspires us to create even more designs that we keep in the archive to pull from in the future!” Gabrielle adds.
Their approach is especially visible in the Casa Collection, one of Carolyn’s current favorites. “Our Casa Collection really lends itself to mixing and matching and having fun with layering,” she tells us. “We have four colorways in two different sizes, and seeing how people play around with these on their tablescapes is really fun.”
Gabrielle is especially excited about the newly launched Summer Collection. “The Beachcomber Plate is one of my favorite designs we’ve done,” she says. “It’s so fun and a little kitschy, and I love the Sandbar duo to layer on top.”
For Carolyn, some of the best parties are the least complicated ones. “I think fresh flowers, chilled ice buckets, and more food than needed are always chic,” she says. “As someone who hosts more ‘aperitivo hours’ versus full sit-down dinner parties, as long as friends are fed, drinks are cold, and there are a couple of thoughtful details like plates and napkins that nod to your own personal style, it will feel like a success.”
Gabrielle gravitates toward small details that instantly shift the ambiance. “I can’t stop reaching for my cordless lamps,” she says. “They bring color and mood lighting into your tablescape, and require no effort. Layer our plates on some rattan chargers with a linen napkin, and you’re good to go!”
Both women believe the magic of hosting has less to do with perfection and more to do with intention.
“When you go to someone’s home and you know they took the time to put out fresh flowers, bake that one dessert they know you love, or coordinate a tablescape with their favorite pieces, the thoughtfulness and effort will always feel special,” Gabrielle says.
And for anyone intimidated by entertaining altogether, their advice is to view hosting as less of a performance and more of an invitation to connect.
As Table Two Studio continues to grow, the duo is especially excited about collaborations, events, and creative partnerships. But behind the beautiful tablescapes is a friendship built on humor, personality, and a healthy appreciation for each other’s quirks. Gabrielle laughs that Carolyn has recently taken up flying airplanes, “which very much stresses me out!”, while Carolyn is quick to point out Gabrielle’s love of cats. “She’s obsessed with cats … she has four!”
Their balance of instinct, creativity, and hard work has shaped the business from the very beginning. For Gabrielle, it comes down to trusting her intuition. “Making decisions based on our intuition and first instinct has been proving to be the best course of action since we started,” she says. Carolyn’s philosophy is a little more direct: “Hard work and effort will always reward you. It’s so true!”
And perhaps nothing captures the spirit of Table Two Studio better than imagining the brand as an actual dinner party.
If Table Two Studio were a dinner party, who’s invited and what’s on the table? Carolyn’s guest list includes “Anthony Bourdain, Martha Stewart, and Post Malone,” with “a variety of Basque Pintxos (similar to tapas) served on our Cabana Appetizer Plates in Olive Stripe, with wine flowing all night!”
Gabrielle’s version feels a little more personal. “The guest list would be the five girls on our team (myself, Carolyn, Mackenzie, Kate, and Katharine) and our moms,” she says. “We’re having a gorgeous spread of antipasto, appetizers, and wine, served on our mix-and-match Casa Matcha, Cielo, and Creamsicle plates.”
Even as the company expands, the heart of Table Two Studio remains surprisingly simple: helping people gather beautifully without adding more stress to their already full lives. And that’s why the brand resonates. Beneath the striped plates, layered tablescapes, and thoughtfully designed collections is something relatable: two friends trying to make everyday life feel a little easier, more beautiful, and worth celebrating.
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Jenna von Oy Bratcher
Jenna von Oy Bratcher is StyleBlueprint's Associate Editor and Lead Nashville Writer. The East Coast native moved to Nashville almost two decades years ago, by way of Los Angeles. She is a lover of dogs, strong coffee, traveling, and exploring the local restaurant scene bite by bite.