Do you want your dinner table to look more inviting for the upcoming holidays? From choosing a theme to using artisanal home decor, we have rounded up five simple tips for a more tantalizing table.
Dining Dreams
Photo by Elsie Home + Design
The holidays are upon us again. Thanksgiving, Hanukkah, Christmas, and Kwanzaa are among the events happening around this time. The last leg of the year can be busy with all these celebrations. There could be guests coming over, gifts to wrap, and feasts to prepare. These holidays are a celebration of light, life, and love. What better way to honor it than to spend time with family and friends around the dining table?
They say that we eat with our eyes. The color, plating, and even size and shape of dinnerware can influence people’s dining experience. Factors surrounding the diner such as mood, lighting, and scents also affect how one enjoys a meal. With this in mind, prepping for a holiday feast can be overwhelming.
To help you come up with the perfect holiday meal setting, we have pared down the process. Here’s five simple tablescaping steps that you can take to ensure that you have a lively and festive atmosphere around the holiday table:
1. Plan Ahead
Photo by True Love Coordinating & Design
It’s always best if you can do your homework. Planning ahead will save you time, energy, and resources. Leaving things to the last minute can be stressful. It can also lead to overspending as you won’t have time to scour the best prices for what you need.
Some start planning as early as the summer months. Those who are pressed for time can probably start a quarter before the holidays. This way, even if you only have pocket moments, you can slowly but surely put together the holiday lunch or dinner of your dreams.
Start by writing down your ideas of what you want. Do an inventory of what items you already have. List down people you want to invite or gifts you plan to give. It’s putting together what you have and what you want so you can come up with a cohesive plan.
2. Pick a Palette
Photo by Country Girl Home
Colors are power influencers. The psychology of color suggests that colors affect how people perceive things. It can also influence thoughts and behavior. Reds, aside from being associated with love, are said to stimulate appetite. On the other hand, if you want to suppress your appetite (on a holiday diet, maybe?), then you can bedeck your dining table in blue.
Start with one or two palettes. Keeping it simple will make it easier for you to add pops of color as you go along. If you’re unsure where to start, check out Pantone’s color trend report for autumn and winter for starters. You can also look up what colors would best go together from the color wheel.
3. Choose a Concept
Photo by Layered Lounge
Are you going for a minimalist chic table? Or are you going full-on design diva complete with a whole Christmas village as your table’s centerpiece? When you don’t know where to start, you can look to current fashion trends for inspiration.
Also, keep in mind your guests. For example, if they are earth-lover types, then incorporate pieces made from natural materials. Bring out your wooden acacia dinnerware. Dress your table in handwoven natural placemats. Accentuate your holiday tablescape with glassware atop mother-of-pearl coasters. Adding thoughtful details makes the feast more meaningful.
Whichever concept you have in mind would work as long as you keep it cohesive. Consider balance, symmetry, and harmony when putting together colors, patterns, shapes, sizes, and textures.
4. Reuse and Repurpose
You may have accumulated holiday knickknacks over the years. Perhaps your parents have handed down heirloom silver. See if they fit your concept and decide whether you want to use them. Check if you have things that you can reuse. If you no longer have use for your current stash, then let them go. You can organize a garage sale or donate them.
Another idea is to repurpose items. Upcycling can be an eco- (and wallet-) friendly way to decorate your dining hall (or whole house). For example, you can repurpose floor baskets into log holders. Or perhaps you can turn your trinket trays into pass-around dishes for hors d’oeuvres or candies.
5. Switch to Sustainable
Photo by DigsDigs
The call for a more sustainable lifestyle is getting clearer and louder. Respond to this by switching to sustainable tableware and other home items. Quality selections for ethically sourced and responsibly made items for the home are now easily accessible.
Make your holiday tablescaping more nature-friendly as you choose items made from wood, natural fibers, or sea shells. Not only are they a feast to the eyes, but these sustainable items also help reduce our carbon footprint.
Elevated Entertaining Experience
Photo by West Wing
Tablescaping is all the rage right now. It answers the need for a feel-good ambiance along with sumptuous food and delightful company. Remember to keep your holiday table functional. Tablescaping is a conscious decision to make your dining experience lovely while ensuring hearty conversations. Avoid placing decor that can obstruct the line of sight among diners.
Dressing up your holiday table adds to the warmth and joy of the holidays. Taking time to tablescape would certainly buoy your holiday spirits. Plan ahead, enjoy the process, and have a truly wonderful holiday season.