Celebrating Important Events: Exceptional Tablescape Ideas to Wow Your Guests
The dining table décor is crucial to every dinner party you host and every special meal you have with the family. Making certain that it lives up to the event, no matter how big or small it is, will leave everyone impressed. But if you’ve never paid that much attention to how your dining table is set up and don’t know where to start, worry not! Here are the to help you create an elegant and memorable tablescape.
Dining Table Décor Ideas
Create a Focal Point with Handcrafted Bowls
If you’re looking for ideas to take your dining table décor to the next level, a nice way to start is to create an eye-catching centrepiece with decorative artisanal bowls that are both functional and aesthetically pleasing. These unique, hand-made bowls are commonly made of wood and ceramic. The best thing about both types is that you’ll have a practical artwork item for many years to come.
When decorating with wooden bowls, materials that contrast the colour of the wood or include a lot of texture will maximise the effect. For instance, if you have a light wood bowl such as maple, lining it with a napkin with jewel tones such as red, green, blue, and purple will work well. On the other hand, soft hues will shine up against a dark bowl, such as walnut. Ribbons or silky rat tail string in hues that complement your colour scheme can also be used to decorate the bowl and connect it to the room or party table.
Another great way to create a focal point with wood bowls is to mix them up with seasonal decorations. Celebrate spring by placing a potted narcissus in the centre of the bowl, surrounded by miniature flower pots filled with jelly beans or marble eggs. Evoke summer by an arrangement of seed pods, crystals, river rocks, fossils, or a mound of lemons. Decorate for autumn with colourful leaves, gourds, pears, apples, cinnamon sticks, shelled almonds, or a pumpkin encircled by small dead branches. For a winter display in a wooden bowl, use holly berries, evergreen branches, pine cones, or a poinsettia plant surrounded with cotton puffs.
However, if you’re more into artisanal bowls made of ceramic then pick large shallow decorative bowls that go well with a myriad of different themes and create a simple centrepiece. And, when your special dinner is over, you can fill these bowls with your favourite seasonal fruits and have a stunning tablescape on daily basis!
On the other hand, a textured hand-made ceramic bowl can make the perfect catchall for candies or a tiny sprig plucked from your backyard. For an organised look pair it with a tray.
Add Many Flower Arrangements Instead of One
When faced with a long dining table that needs to be filled, consider adding not one but several flower arrangements. You can begin by putting three medium-sized floral displays or you can chop up your flowers and make even smaller, more numerous batches.
For making a statement, instead of a single floral arrangement in the centre, try placing a series of bud vases down the length of the table, with a somewhat bigger vase in the centre. Wildflowers and garden leaves can make this look more effective. This concept is especially useful for an outdoor tablescape, as it creates a delicate impression of the garden running through the table.
Besides vases, you can also use artisanal bowls or unique jugs for displaying your floral arrangements. These aren’t just used to hold flowers or keep fruit; they become the focal point of a dining table and are frequently the only part of the tablescape arrangement.
When incorporating these statement pieces, think of varied heights, mixed materials, and intricate workmanship – elegantly outfits and enhances a dining room scheme. It comes as no surprise that these designs are now regarded as solo works of art as well as investment objects to be admired!
With or Without Tablecloth?
When it comes to how to dress a dining table, the key question on everyone’s mind is ‘to tablecloth or not to tablecloth? You aren’t required to make this decision anymore, as long as you keep things interesting and try to alternate between tablecloths and bare tables for different occasions. Once laid with linens, crockery, and glassware, both surfaces can work well in distinct ways.
You can use the details on your tablecloth to create a contrast with the walls in your dining room. For instance, you can use a tablecloth with red details against green walls and vice versa. This creates an intentional foundation, although the whole table decoration can perfectly work without it!
Go Long with the Table Runner
Play with the dimensions of your area by adding a table runner. A runner helps connect one end of a long banqueting table to the other. On the other hand, it will also assist with stretch squarer tables and provide a sense of grandeur. Consider alternatives to standard fabric runners for both table styles.
Moreover, interesting runners are always entertaining. A long length of gauze down the centre will add an ethereal touch, or you can buy fabric by the yard and coordinate it with something else in the room. You can also use a long bougainvillaea garland or a runner of sand or shells. After all, it doesn’t have to be fabric all the time.
Mix It Up with Fruits and Veggies
For many people, entertaining is all about the food – so don’t limit yourself to dinner plates. Instead of floral arrangements, you may consider using veggies and fruits as table decor to provide your visitors with their five a day.
You can get as creative as you want, and use artichokes, fruits, and veggies which are all surprising and daring. You can also use lemons and basil bundles for an Italian table. Herbs are a fragrant and interesting alternative to traditional blooms. The secret is to think beyond the box – it’s a treat to do unexpected things at a time when more is more.