Fancy Dinner Tablescape Ideas
Changing decor styles is a great way to spruce up your home for a formal dinner. While you don't need a holiday or party to put a nice table together, it's a nice touch to acknowledge special occasions and it doesn't have to cost a lot of money. You can combine items you've got in the pantry, flowers or autumn leaves from the yard or other festive touches for a beautiful tablescape. Does this Spark an idea?
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Holiday
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Begin with a tablerunner in festive colors--orange for Halloween, blue for Hanukkah or red for Christmas, for example. Get candles that showcase your design and place fall leaves, flowers or holly berries around the base of the candles. If you've got a special family heirloom or ornament, that might make a great centerpiece. Something classic and simple, or even a whimsical glass ornament or paperweight. Be sure not to put something in the table center that would block your guests' view of one another. If you don't have anything at home, you can buy ornaments cheaply or you can decorate with flowers for holidays like Valentine's Day or Mother's Day.
To incorporate the rest of the room, use table mats that blend with your centerpiece and consider incorporating the chairs by tying a ribbon around the seat backs or draping a gauzy fabric or some fake spiderwebs for a Halloween feast.
Birthday
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If you're planning a formal birthday dinner, consider the guest of honor's favorite colors. Balloons are festive and can be elegant, especially the jewel-toned ones. Consider a collection of antique sports equipment for an athlete, kitchen gadgets for a foodie or cowboy boots and sheriff's badges for a rodeo lover.
The birthday tablescape should primarily be fun and festive. -
Children
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If you're throwing a gala dinner for young children--to honor a high school graduation or a bar mitzvah, perhaps--ask them what they'd like to see. If they don't offer suggestions, get creative. If the child is a fan of card games, sports or comic figures, make these elements a part of your design. Create a table runner out of a checked fabric and spread Scrabble tiles across it, or repurpose some green felt with poker chips, cards and die for a casino-themed party. Ask the child to write place cards.
Budget Ideas
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If you're trying to stretch a budget, don't worry about matching table settings or place mats. You can supplement your collection by shopping at discount stores or you can buy some festive oilcloth and hem it for place mats or a tablecloth. Oilcloth is easy to care for and fashionably whimsical. Decorate with wildflowers you've picked, stones you've gathered, a collection of old milk bottles or seashells. Focus on bright, warm colors that will make your guests feel welcome. Decorate with floating tea lights in a bowl of roses. Throw a Southwestern-themed dinner and purchase inexpensive miniature cacti that guests can then take home as a remembrance.
Traditional
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Maybe you're feeling nostalgic for old times or maybe you're honoring a loved one's retirement or anniversary. If you're looking for a traditional tablescape, consider a lace table cloth, napkins in a bright contrasting color like red or royal blue, and gold and silver accent pieces.
Use silver or gold napkin rings and china plates. If you've got black-and-white family photographs, lay some down a tablerunner or prepare a couple of collages for a centerpiece.
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