Dinner Party Table setting & decor + Creating little bits of beauty in the every day
A simple table setting design can add so much beauty to your home dinner party & make sure your guests remember it
What is the key to a successful gathering? Well the Food of course. I spend weeks planning the food but when I am hosting a gathering I like my guests to feel special , to feel that I thought of them not only with the food but to have a chance to make them feel special, to be transported to a different place while they enjoy the food and the conversations. It also enhances & highlights all the beautiful food that I spend hours creating and cooking.
If I have any aesthetic sense I have my Mum to thank for it. I have grown up watching my Mum always decorating all our homes with impeccable taste and a lot of thought. Before dinner parties my Mum would spend some time in making the table beautiful and my Dad would always help. Even now Vivek & I spend a good amount of time thinking of how we want the table to look and feel before all our Lébu Suppers, in fact Vivek takes over most of the time.
So here are some thoughts to have a beautiful table:
Keep it simple: First rule of having a beautiful table scape for a dinner party is to keep it simple. Simplicity is beauty. You will already have food and plates to put on the table depending on if you’re having a sit-down dinner or a family style one so don’t add too many elements or things.
Choose a colour palette & a theme: A colour palette is the key to a beautiful table scape, there is no other way around it, choose a dominant colour and then dress the rest with other colours that go with the main colour so for eg: choose a table cloth and then work around putting elements like the flatware etc. . In here I chose a white table cloth and added white plates and blue glass jars to offset the same. I added in the fake ‘Jerusalem cherry’ twig for some christmas/New year cheer
Add in an anchor elements: To easiest way to signal a theme is to add in a few pieces that can tie the entire decor together, for eg: I added a little golden christmas tree to showcase the holiday cheer, and it hardly cost anything at a hobby shop. Even if its not for a holiday or festival an element like that can be a beautiful addition
Choosing components from the Menu: This is my favourite, if it is a seasonal menu that you are planning then nothing signals the theme than using a few vegetables or other things that give guests an idea about what they can expect. For example for winter dinner parties adding small pumpkins can be a good idea
Choosing the right flatware: If you’re reading this I am guessing you own few good flatware, if you don’t I suggest you invest in some, if you like having dinner parties then this is a must. But then again I don’t believe they have to be matching, its the age of experimentation and doing things your way so don’t be afraid to mix it up. Guests can have different plates and it can still be beautiful. Also, don’t shy away from mixing materials for eg: I used ceramic plates for the mains , glass plates for the sides and copper glasses for drinks and it all looked great together. Remember decor is all about your personal taste
Pay a visit to the florist or just forage: Vivek loves buying fresh flowers for every party and Lébu Supper that we have actually, but sometimes we just put pick up some flowers from our own balcony garden (lovingly created by Vivek) or just pick up from our building garden. Another great idea is using dried flowers, here I used a bunch of dried flowers and Vivek added in some essential oil and Voila! it looked and smelled amazing
Invest in a good table cloth and runners: This is key to my table scape, A good table cloth can just set off the theme and immediately make the party special, add in a few runners and you got yourself something that guests will remember long after. Remember its not expensive, its all about investing in a few pieces that can last a long time
Candles all the way: Oh my I love candles so much , they are my favourite ways to add to the ambience, I mean I like putting on candles even for daytime brunches, candles have a way of immediately make anything look special, be it the long ones or the short stubs that you get everywhere. Invest in a few candle stands or holders and you can use the same every time
To end all I have to say is, make every day a little more special , a little more beautiful. When you’re having dinner parties I am guessing you’re doing it to spend time with the people you love and want to hang out with, taking a little bit of extra effort for the ones you love is precious. Hit me up with any questions you have on table decors.
