At The Table: Jesse Lexton - Roebuck
Talk us through a typical day in your life.
Where does it start, and where does it usually end?
A typical day in my life usually starts with a coffee (Iced long black with a dash of oat, no matter the weather) some cereal and YouTube. I like to open all the windows and watch my favourite vlogs before starting my day (generally people renovating crumbling chateaus!). I am a bit of a day dreamer and doing this gives me lots of inspiration.
If it is a weekday I will head into the office, where I work in Communications for a government agency. I like to end my day with a long walk along the river and then dinner and TV with my husband and our beloved 14-year-old cat, Ferdinand.
When you’re bringing people together at home,
what do you think about first?
For me, it’s always the table. The menu comes second! I try and think about who is coming for dinner, and why. Is it a birthday, or are we celebrating something? Then I choose the flowers to suit, tableware comes next and then the cutlery and linens (in that order). I am a ‘kitchen florist’ so the flowers are really important to me. One day I would like to quit my day job and have a floristry shop- but for now I can live out my floristry dream at my dinner parties.
Where do your ideas tend to come from?
Is it places, people, routine, or something else entirely?
It’s either the people who are coming over, or things I have seen recently, or on my travels. I have always been obsessed with beauty, and making everyday things special. I draw a lot of inspiration from things I see on Instagram, in books, magazines or YouTube. It’s important to see what the people who inspire you are doing. I will also quite often build a table around one piece. It might be a great bowl we got in Italy or a little plate from a flea in Paris! That can also inform the tablescape.
What makes a house feel like home to you?
First and foremost, my husband Alastair and our cat Ferdinand.
We are not minimalists and our home is full of things we have collected on our travels together over the past 15 years. Being able to look at all these things dotted around the apartment brings so many happy memories back and makes our home feel like a wonderful time capsule of our life together.
When you’re hosting, what are the non-negotiables?
The things you always have ready, no matter how informal the night.
Flowers- even if I only have time to go to Coles- I will always put effort into having flowers and styling them beautifully. Another non-negotiable is a pair of cheese knives that one of my best friends Amanda gave me for a birthday over 10 years ago. They are little bone handled silver knives and no matter the style of the dinner party- those knives must be used on the cheese plate that starts the evening.
Favourite local places to eat or drink.
Beccofinos, it’s a local institution here in Brisbane. The menu never changes, it’s unpretentious and always delicious. SK Steak & Oyster is another go to for a night out of great food and drinks.
The rooms you’re drawn back to, and why
We were lucky enough to stay in the Paris apartment of French architect/ Interior Designer Victoria Duval in 2023. It was completely inspiring on every level to me. I came straight home and had curtains made in the same Dedar silk that hung in her living room. I think about that apartment at least 3 times a week- and plan on staying again this September!
At the Table Favourites
Must-have pieces from the collection, and how you imagine using them.
For friends, for quiet nights, or just for yourself.
For me, it’s the dinner plates. They do double duty for me- obviously as plates for my guests, but I also use them as serving plates for the sides. I find the repetition of using them alongside the place settings and mixing in with the Monumental platter really chic. Repetition is a great tool when setting a table.
