the art of tablescaping

How To Elevate Your Athome Dining Experience

Modern Boho

Create a woodland feast incorporating botanical elements from the neighborhood. There’s a chance varieties of English laurel, holly, magnolia and cedar are growing in the yard. Select

Concept

three to four contrasting types of greenery to create a runner down the table. Greenery from the local grocery store works just as well as foraged pieces. Add berries, small flowers or pine cones as focal points in the runner. Extend the life of the runner using damp floral bricks or let it dry out for a rustic feel. Pair it with neutral tableware, gold flatware, and napkins in fall tones like mustard.

DOCKERY

Refreshed Traditional

Family china and crystal evokes holiday dinner at grandmother’s. Embrace the tradition by incorporating holiday-themed plates and adding chargers to make the look more formal. Use a bright napkin, a simple fold and plaid ribbon bow for an added touch. Scrunch a table cloth or a piece of fabric down the table to create a runner. The key to shaking up a traditional table is to use the same colors and tones in all of your pieces. Contrasting modern flatware, perhaps like a dual-metal set, will modernize the setting. Order or create one large floral arrangement with roses, hydrangeas, Bells of Ireland, holly and bouvardia in reds, dusty pinks and cream to tie the setting together.

Scale Back It

Pick one neutral color, one main color and one accent color for your table. Use each color twice for a seamless and balanced look. Scale back your tableware to just plates, and use matching flatware. A decorative napkin will add visual interest against a heavyweight textured tablecloth. Skip a traditional centerpiece, and head to a nursery for small potted plants such as mini lemon cypress trees or succulents. Colored stemware makes the deliberately minimalist setting more whimsical.

Cheery Contemporary

A staple for most, everyday white tableware is a great base for a spirited setting perfect for anytime of the year. Place the dinner plate and the salad plate on the table. Pair it with simple glasses to keep the look clean. An unconventional vase allows you to play with height. Do an angle pocket fold with white napkins, and tuck in a single floral stem and greenery sprigs for each setting. Split open a pomegranate, and place on top of some greenery for an additional element. Alternatively, use yellow flowers, lemons and limes for a citrus version.