Creating Artistic Table Settings

A Guide to Beautiful Tablescapes

You want to show your guests how much you care about them. You make your house sparkle and cook a fabulous meal. But what about your table setting? Is it a work of art, or merely a practical arrangement of plates and flatware?

Here are some guidelines on how to turn setting the table into creating a tablescape.

Don't Overcrowd the Table

Imagine having a beautiful tablescape, only to find that when you bring out the food, your guests need to push things out of the way for you so you can put the serving dishes down. Plan spaces in your tablescape to allow for your serving ware.

Centerpieces are the ornamentation in a tablescape, but they can be overwhelming or disrupt your guests' sightlines. Keep your centerpieces low and narrow. There are alternatives to centerpieces, which will be discussed later.

Color Coordinating

Decide on a color pallet for your table setting. A good rule of thumb is to use seasonal colors. In the summer months, cool blues and greens with yellow and pink accents create welcoming tablescapes. In the winter, earth tones and jewel tones will warm your guests.

A simple but elegant formula for a tablescape is to layer three colors. Your first layer is the tablecloth. Use a solid, dark color such as blue or green. Place a runner along the center of the table in a contrasting color such as gold or red. Use white china for your dinnerware and serving ware. This trio of color is your structure. Embellish the setting by using all three colors for ornamentation. For example, a centerpiece with groupings of blue, gold and white flowers serves as the unifying element in the tablescape.

Patterns

For a more textural table setting, start with a patterned tablecloth. Being sure to coordinate the colors with the tablecloth, use two different sets of dinnerware, alternating them in the place settings. Skip the runner and instead, place several candlesticks or candleholders of different heights and styles along the center. The candles, though, should all reach the same height and be the same color. The pattern lies in the candleholders, not the candles.

Centerpieces, Ornamentation, and Mood