Since it's finally spring (at least here in Texas), we thought it would be fun to make a guide on how to style your table for all your spring and summer dinner parties, girls' brunches, and more! We'll go through all the basics - what to include, how to layer items, and all the finishing touches.
1. BASICS TO INCLUDE IN EACH TABLE SETTING
We like sticking to a neutral palette with our basic dishes, using black, white, or a neutral pattern. For more formal meals, we like to set each place with 1 large dish and 1 smaller salad plate or bowl. You can layer in a folded napkin between the dishes or placed on top with a fun napkin ring. Napkins are a great way to start bringing color to the tablescape.
To ground the dishes, you can place chargers or placemats under each setting. We like using natural materials to warm up the space and add a different texture to the table for visual interest.
To bring in more colors, we like to mix and match glassware in the same color. We love using green cups - you can find these often in antique stores or new from Target or Amazon. The green will tie in really well with the florals in the center and still feels like a neutral despite being a brighter color.
2. CENTERPIECE DECOR
We like to start by creating a river through the center of the table filled with beautiful pieces, rather than just one item in the center. We do like putting the tallest item in the center, surrounding that with slightly shorter items. For longer tables, we put 2-4 vases filled with florals spread out along the table. We get our flowers from Trader Joe's the morning before an event and like to get 3-4 different colorful flowers and 2-3 fillers like baby's breath and eucalyptus. For spring and summer, pink, yellows, and orange flowers look so bright and fresh.
When mixing and matching items, we go a few different routes. You can have a tall vase with long stems in the center, with shorter candle sticks and candle holders dispersed throughout. If you have a tall candelabra, you can put that in the center and have shorter, rounder vases of florals spread out around that. To fill in the gaps throughout the center, you can add in plates of food that can stay at room temperature, like pastries or cheese boards to allow your guests to start grazing before the main food is served. We also like bringing in tea lights to add shorter items. In general, we like to keep the vases and candlestick holders in neutral colors so that the florals and candlesticks can really pop.
3. LAYERING & FINISHING TOUCHES
Time to layer everything and bring in smaller details to make the space cozy, cohesive, and create a lived-in feeling. We first like add blankets and pillows to a few chairs in the same color scheme as the room or flowers. You can even use a thin blanket or lightweight linen runner through the center of the table to ground all the pieces. We like arranging the runner a little messily to make it look more organic and cozy. Make sure that you have pieces scattered through the center of different heights and textures, including candles, greenery, and food. Finally, add in anything else you think would add character to the space - put your own flare on it!
