I recently had the lovely opportunity to write an article for a local magazine. The article was my tips to creating your perfect holiday table. Today I’m going to share them here! Here are my 4 easiest tips to make your table wow!
The holidays are coming up, which means hosting dinner parties. With all your loved ones surrounding the dining table, it’ll be the star of the event. You’ll want to make sure it sets the right tone and creating a beautiful tablescape is the perfect way to accomplish that!
The first thing I do when creating my tablescape is decide on my centerpiece. It’ll be your anchor and once you do that you’ll have your theme, level of formality and color palette. You can use anything for a centerpiece, from a huge floral arrangement to a beautiful glass bowl full of Christmas ornaments. If you have a rectangle table I love letting my centerpiece spread down the center with garlands and votive candles nestled throughout. Tip: If you’re short on time use pre-made floral bouquets from a local store. They’ve done all the work of piecing the most appealing flowers together!
While we’re on the topic of centerpieces let talk height! A common mistake is a centerpiece at eye level. You want to visit with your loved ones, not peer around a centerpiece, no matter how beautiful! Make sure that you’re easily able to see over them. However, don’t be afraid to add varying levels of height. It will add interest to your table. The centerpiece is one of the easiest ways to do that. Try flanking your floral arrangement with thick candle stands, which will add another level of height. Sprinkle faux leaves, pine branches or anything else that goes with your theme to fill in the empty space between them. Tip: Use electric candles so the wax doesn’t ruin the décor below.
Next is layering. Layering is so great to add different textures to your table and I think it adds sophistication. Try layering a tablecloth, a runner, perhaps a garland and then your centerpiece, which you can also layer! If you have a square or circular table try stacking a small wreath with a hurricane vase in the center. If you layer your centerpiece, keep the rest of the layering to a minimum in the center of the table. You definitely don’t want your table to look cluttered. You can also layer your place settings. Start with a charger, then your dinner plate, napkin, salad plate and top it with a salad bowl, place card or even a favor for your guests to take home! Tip: Use 12×12 scrapbook paper as placemats/chargers to tie in further with your theme and keep it budget friendly.
Which brings me to my last tip: place cards. I love place cards because they let you customize. This is where your imagination can run wild! You can use painted leaves, pinecones, or mini pumpkins. There are also many free printables online or Pinterest – search for “paper place card template”. Tip: Have your favors (like a customized cookie) do double-duty by also using them as place cards.
Just remember, it’s the ones surrounding the table that make it truly beautiful. Happy Holidays!
