Quick! What's your secret to a pretty (well dressed) table?

[crunchymum]

I always look at all those pins on pinterest of the gorgeous tables/tables settings and think "how do I DO that?" :scratch My sister has a talent for it. At Christmas and Thanksgiving, the table is a feast for the eyes. :giggle but I feel like I don't even know where to start. I wind up sticking a couple candles or a vase of flowers in the middle of the table and it always looks meh.


So how do I "build" a well dressed table? I'm thinking about it right now because I have brunch at my house tomorrow and I want it to be pretty but I'm stumped. I was going to run to the store and get some flowers or something, but it's gotten too late. So I guess my question is twofold: 1) what can I do for tomorrow :giggle and 2) what things do I need/tips are there for having some nice things on hand for a pretty holiday/party table?


:popcorn

[Singingmom]

Having a runner can anchor your centerpiece. You can use a long scarf or wide ribbons. Then place your candles/flowers/pumpkins on that. You have a flair for design...trust yourself and have fun with it. :)

[racheepoo]

Use 2 tablecloths, with the top one being a sheer and turned the opposite way. Put a big cylinder in the middle with colored glass pebbles and a floating candle, or little posies and bud vases at each place. Cloth napkins and napkin holders (pier 1 is awesome for these).

Some of my favorite holiday things are hollowing out small gourds and setting them around with tealights inside, little mini christmas trees decorated at each place setting that guests can take, and having "themes" all the way through dinner.

[charla]

I love to set a pretty table. I don't want it to look perfect though. Here's what I've done in the past and loved.

Tablecloth on first - usually white or white covered with white lace. If you have chargers, put them down next. I have cheap ones from Wal-mart and they make a pretty table. If you don't, don't worry just use some pretty china or I've found what I like the most is just plain white dishes. Then if I'm serving salad, I might place a salad plate on top. It doesn't have to match the bottom plate, just harmonize. On top of the plate, put a cloth napkin or paper if you don't have cloth and use a napkin ring. My favorite napkin rings are ones I made on the fly from silk flowers by twisting the stem of the flower around the napkin. Silverware and glasses complete the look. I think stemmed glasses look really elegant. Not everything has to match. I'ts fun to mix it up. For the middle of the table, candles always look nice and elegant as well. Dim the lights and light the candles and anything looks much more elegant even if you think it looks meh. ;) Have fun. I know you are a creative person. Use what you have for tomorrow. The center of the table can be anything, a pretty bowl of food, fruit or interesting veggies in a bowl or glass vases, a potted plant, candles, a cake or dessert on a tiered or footed plate.

[crunchymum]

Inspirational pictures are welcome. :shifty



I really would like some matching cloth napkins, that's probably a good start. :think my everyday ones are pretty scraggy looking and none of them really match. :no


I have a collection of milk glass vases and stuff... Maybe I could use those tomorrow? I have just plain white dishes. I wish I had some sugar maples outside or something to cut and add some color, no?

[charla]

I was just thinking pictures. I'll be back with some.

[racheepoo]

Jen, if your milk glass vases are different sizes/styles you could easily cluster those on the table with just some pretty ferns or something in each, not too much, and a ribbon of some color on each.

[Niphredil]

I think white and clear glass is a great theme start, really. White dishes, white linens, tea lights, vases in the center with a white flower or two in each. Simple, minimalist, elegant. :yes

[charla]

I pulled these two together really quickly with what I had on hand. The first is pillar candles on cakestand. Since you mentioned you had vases, I gathered a couple vases and a small bowl and overturned them and put tea light on top in the second set. I put colored glass around the bottom.

The table has a white tablecloth with a lace over the top, white plates, flowered salad plates, white napkins, silk flower napkins rings, everyday silverware and cheap clear stemmed glasses. Hopefully that will give you some ideas. And yes, my tablecloths are stained. I figure it adds to their character. :shifty

http://i902.photobucket.com/albums/ac229/charlams/IMG_1595.jpg

http://i902.photobucket.com/albums/ac229/charlams/IMG_1593.jpg

http://i902.photobucket.com/albums/ac229/charlams/IMG_1590.jpg

http://i902.photobucket.com/albums/ac229/charlams/IMG_1591.jpg

http://i902.photobucket.com/albums/ac229/charlams/IMG_1592.jpg

[racheepoo]

:heart you Charla, a big pink puffy one

[ArmsOfLove]

I think there are many ways to have a beautifully dressed table :hug Choosing your style is helpful--so if you know your DYT you can think of the words that describe your type.

As a type 3/1 I like texture and fun special things. So I start with a table cloth and build up. Chargers, or serving platters, beautiful plates, napkins, nameplates (if it's sit-down--names of food if it's buffet and I don't know everyone well). Flowers in the middle--or some kind of centerpiece. Candles (for a brunch I'd do little tea lights every so often spaced on the table).

And then if I have a theme for the event (I host Thanksgiving, for instance) I use the color theme and flattering colors and patterns, etc.

not sure if that helps or not :hug And I hope your event is lovely!

[Niphredil]

https://www.google.com/search?q=white+and+glass+table+setting&hl=en&client=safari&prmd=imvns&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&ei=5gZtUJW3OIbNiwKSw4CQAw&ved=0CCUQsAQ&biw=320&bih=416#i=0

https://www.google.com/search?q=white+and+glass+table+setting&hl=en&client=safari&prmd=imvns&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&ei=5gZtUJW3OIbNiwKSw4CQAw&ved=0CCUQsAQ&biw=320&bih=416#i=105

https://www.google.com/search?hl=en&client=safari&biw=320&bih=416&tbm=isch&sa=1&q=white+table+settings&oq=white+table+setting&gs_l=mobile-gws-serp.1.0.0l3j0i5l2.223215.226820.0.229224.12.11.1. 0.0.0.358.1297.5j5j0j1.11.0...0.0...1ac.1.CrnOwlvm uE0&mvs=0#i=1
https://www.google.com/search?hl=en&client=safari&biw=320&bih=416&tbm=isch&sa=1&q=white+table+settings&oq=white+table+setting&gs_l=mobile-gws-serp.1.0.0l3j0i5l2.223215.226820.0.229224.12.11.1. 0.0.0.358.1297.5j5j0j1.11.0...0.0...1ac.1.CrnOwlvm uE0&mvs=0#i=8

Should I go on? :shifty

[ArmsOfLove]

this is where I love looking at Martha Stewart's stuff :heart http://www.marthastewart.com/search/apachesolr_search/table%20settings

[crunchymum]

Such great ideas and great links!!!! And charla, so pretty! :heart



I just didn't have time to do a pretty table for today. :no we all just sat at the island in the kitchen anyway, though. :giggle I put some "fallish" placemats down as a runner and stuck some lavender from outside in a vase and called it a day. :giggle It looked pretty pathetic.


I realized last night I need some good linens to start... I have 3 tablecloths and they're pretty icky. And nothing matches with anything, but it doesn't mismatch in a cool way - just in a ghetto, unmatched way. :lol :rolleyes and everything is old, worn out, stains, holes... :sigh


BUT, you guys have given me some really great ideas for what I need to keep and eye out for... :ty

[librarianjojo]

Odd numbers. Odd numbered items in an arrangement are more pleasing to the eye. Don't know why, but they are. :shrug3 Decorators have said so, so it is now law. I think that's how it works.

[ArmsOfLove]

I love Goodwill for linens. I opted to go for mismatched linens and found a lot of beautiful ones for $.25 to $.50 each :jawdrop I got a couple of chargers at Goodwill, but they matched the ones that I got at Walmart--and they were all maybe $1 each ($2 at the most) when I got them on sale :rockon

I find that combining mismatched some things with very solid and matched other things can lead to some fun designs.

and I have no doubt that your brunch was wonderful--the company would be fantastic and I'm sure everyone felt welcome :hug

[crunchymum]

Odd numbers. Odd numbered items in an arrangement are more pleasing to the eye. Don't know why, but they are. :shrug3 Decorators have said so, so it is now law. I think that's how it works.

:yes this is true (with a couple exceptions).



Thanks, AOL! :heart it really was wonderful. It was a beautiful day and astonishingly no one had to rush out the door so it felt really relaxed and fed my extrovertedness. :giggle i love "my girls". :hearts

I'll have to scour my goodwill, though ours is kind of expensive... Relatively speaking. :lol Maybe Savers would be a good place to look, too. :think I could probably wait around for a good Joann's coupon, too... They sometimes have super extreme clearance stuff and maybe I can find some little touches (like maybe some cute birds or something... I love birds). :think

[Niphredil]

I'm sorry, I just had to say birds! I heart birds! Pier One has CUTE bird tealight holders for $6. Mine is sitting with some white mums and two blue glass mason jars. Adorable.

/hijack. :shifty

[Waterlogged]

That's for the birds. :shifty

[RiverRock]

I bought three of these to fill with seasonal items and use as a running centerpiece on the table. http://www.ikea.com/ca/en/catalog/products/86933500/

I've used rocks, flowers, glass beads and tealights, pinecones (natural colours and dipped in paint to coordinate with my home) and Christmas ornaments to fill the vases. I also have a matching tall vase that I can use to pretty up the buffet if there is a spread of food.

[SamRose]

Such great ideas and great links!!!! And charla, so pretty! :heart



I just didn't have time to do a pretty table for today. :no we all just sat at the island in the kitchen anyway, though. :giggle I put some "fallish" placemats down as a runner and stuck some lavender from outside in a vase and called it a day. :giggle It looked pretty pathetic.


I realized last night I need some good linens to start... I have 3 tablecloths and they're pretty icky. And nothing matches with anything, but it doesn't mismatch in a cool way - just in a ghetto, unmatched way. :lol :rolleyes and everything is old, worn out, stains, holes... :sigh


BUT, you guys have given me some really great ideas for what I need to keep and eye out for... :ty

You own a table cloth and a vase, so that puts U way ahead of me. :lol Clearing & wiping my table constitues making it fancy for guests, and it's usually so cluttered that it actually does look really nice w/ nothing but the food on it. ;)
It sounds like U set an adorable table. :)

[Drew]

I bought three of these to fill with seasonal items and use as a running centerpiece on the table. http://www.ikea.com/ca/en/catalog/products/86933500/

I've used rocks, flowers, glass beads and tealights, pinecones (natural colours and dipped in paint to coordinate with my home) and Christmas ornaments to fill the vases. I also have a matching tall vase that I can use to pretty up the buffet if there is a spread of food.

:yes We have one of these filled with P's nature walk finds on our mantel.

Speaking of Ikea, they have a whole book about dressing your table. I just saw it this morning and was thinking about checking it out since I need major help in this area.

http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/10233985/

[Aisling]

Childless singlehood. :yawn :cup

---------- Post added at 05:24 PM ---------- Previous post was at 05:23 PM ----------

Odd numbers. Odd numbered items in an arrangement are more pleasing to the eye. Don't know why, but they are. :shrug3 Decorators have said so, so it is now law. I think that's how it works.

It's because there's a central focal point for the eye...the middle of four of something is an empty space. :wink

[crunchymum]

:yes We have one of these filled with P's nature walk finds on our mantel.

Speaking of Ikea, they have a whole book about dressing your table. I just saw it this morning and was thinking about checking it out since I need major help in this area.

http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/10233985/

Oh, that looks good! :tu I'd like to check it out, too. :yes


I love birds. :yes I'll look at Pier 1, looks like I need a trip there. :shifty