Think bright. Think fresh. Think new. Spring is just around the corner and I can almost hear the birds singing.
Firstly, what is a tablescape I hear you ask? The official definition is ‘an artistic arrangement of articles on a table’, but that definitely doesn’t sound as exciting as your tablescape will look after you’ve finished following the tips in this article!
Whether your home is styled with an elegant, minimal, rustic or playful/colourful feel, this article will give you the tips you need to really impress the whole family with your fabulous dining table décor this Spring.
- The Centrepiece
Every table needs one. Just like the focal point of a room, it’s provides you with the basis of how you position everything else around it in the space. It’s usually the largest, tallest or longest piece on the table and the scale of everything else is determined from this. How do you begin to choose a centrepiece? For me, it’s usually depicted by the style of my client’s home and the material or texture I can sense they’re drawn to. For example, rustic, country homes are not afraid to make a statement and think outside the box. I might find a large display of hydrangeas next to a large wooden, vintage bowl, stood on a distressed console table. Therefore I would probably use a combination of these items and textures as inspiration for my centrepiece.
Look around your home and think of what texture you’re most drawn to and then go and find that perfect type of floral arrangement, candle display or filled apothecary jars.
- The Linens
A table cloth, or layered table linens can definitely add drama to a dining table but by no means do you have to use them and I say, if you have a fabulous glass or wooden dining table that you’re proud of, then show it off. If you are thinking of using a table cloth then just make sure it’s not the same colour as your placemats or chargers so they don’t get lost in the background. Generally, the same rule applies when choosing your napkin colour too, unless you have a really big and bold napkin ring that will help to make it stand out. Table runners can also be a great way to soften a table with fabric without overwhelming the whole look.
The linens can add the largest impact of colour to your table, so try to stick to the same colour scheme as you have in the rest of your home and if you do decide to venture a little outside-the-box, then make sure you’re saying with a Spring-like colour, i.e. pastels. Remember spring is bright and fresh!
Quick tip: If you have red in your home, a duck-egg blue or blue-grey can be a really nice accent with it.
- The Fillers and Finishing Touches
If you’re creating a minimal look, you probably won’t use fillers, or if you do it may just be 1 to 2 small items at the most. The finishing touches are the finer details. They can be anything from name card holders (if you’re using them), to napkin rings, to a small sprig of lavender tucked inside the napkin ring. The fillers can be small table scatter (I’ll explain later) or small themed ornaments. In this case for example, they might be ornamental birds, rabbits, etc. Table scatter is basically lots of the same small item scattered on the table. For Easter, you may choose to use clusters of mini eggs scattered throughout but in other cases, for example with Fall décor, you may use lots of coloured leaves scattered on the table. For some people, they may make the table look too fussy but for those who choose to use them, they can really make an impact on the final look of the table.
Remember: to keep your fillers and finishing touches in proportion to the size of your centrepiece. The centrepiece should make the biggest statement.
- The Check-list
When placing all your items on the table ensure they follow this order of sequence:
- Table cloth/s or table runner
- Centrepiece/s
- Placemats and/or chargers
- Dinner plate first, salad plate and/or side plate second and lastly, the bowl
- Glasses or tea/coffee cups
- Flatware (Can also be tucked inside the napkin depending on how you’re folding them. No napkin ring would be needed in this case)
- Napkins with napkin ring
- Finishing details (name card holder, ornamentals, table scatter, etc)
Start gathering your decor pieces now and be super planned and proud of your Easter dining table!
