5 tips to help get your tablescaping right

Are you familiar with the term “tablescaping”? It refers to the art of dressing a table in a manner that creates true visual delight – or making it “Instagram-ready”, as some of us might consider it! 

If you have previously tended to take a fairly formulaic and ‘safe’ approach to table setting, the ‘tablescaping’ phenomenon may leave you feeling more than a little intimidated – but it doesn’t have to be that way. 

In fact, one of the great things about tablescaping is that there aren’t really any definite ‘rules’ to it – it genuinely is an outlet for your own creativity and style. 

That doesn’t necessarily make it easy to know where to start, though. So, here are a few nudges of inspiration that will hopefully help you start forming and practising your own philosophy and aesthetic in all things tablescaping. 

Start by deciding on a colour palette or theme 

When you are looking to dress a table with its visual appeal in mind, it makes sense to begin by deciding on those elements that will effectively ‘anchor’ and dictate (or at least greatly influence) many of the other choices you make about your table’s look. 

That means choosing a colour palette, or at least an overarching theme, before you decide on anything else. 

Although – in accordance with the aforementioned ethos of ‘no rules’ – you could choose to do without a theme or colour at all, instead simply allowing your imagination to take flight, this isn’t necessarily advisable . 

It is generally a good idea to put a foundation in place for your subsequent creativity, to help maintain a sense of order – even if that just means deciding to restrict yourself to about two or three ‘main’ colours. 

Design your tablescape in accordance with your décor, rather than against it 

Your tablescape will almost certainly look best if you don’t give observers the impression that you were forced to ‘design around’ an undesirable interior design. 

So, at the very least, you ought to think carefully about how to dress your table in a manner that complements its surroundings. This applies even when you are setting the table for an exceptional occasion such as a Christmas dining party, as you will still wish to avoid creating jarring clashes within the overall ‘look’ of the space. 

Feel free to experiment with different looks and combinations 

You might think that this tip contradicts the advice we have already given, but that isn’t quite the case. Rather than accepting simply ‘any old’ incoherence or disorder in the all-round appearance of your tablescape, what we’re really saying here is to… give different approaches a go. 

After all, you might think that certain tablecloths could not possibly look good alongside those table mats. But have you actually placed them together in your space? If you do, you might surprise yourself with the interesting and striking aesthetics that can be achieved. 

Give careful thought to the centrepiece 

We have already discussed in this blog post the notion of certain elements ‘anchoring’ the general look of a tablescape, and the centrepiece will be another one. 

What should be the focal visual feature of your table? It is a big question, and your choice will likely depend on the nature of the given occasion for which the table is being dressed. 

If in doubt, flowers can be an excellent ‘failsafe’ choice. Meanwhile, for a get-together between relatives, family photos can work well as a centrepiece, as can candles for a couple’s intimate evening meal. 

Practise genuine sustainability 

Given that we are such strong proponents of sustainable catering and dining at Caiger & Co., you might have expected this inclusion. But it is also a tip that can have serious benefits for both you and the wider planet we share. 

Choosing products for your tablescape that you know you will use on many more occasions in the future, will help ensure you make wise and well-considered choices representing good value for money. But it will allow you to feel no guilt in your table setting, knowing that you have done everything possible to create a beautiful table and help take better care of our environment.    

There you have it – the components of a formula for successful and enjoyable tablescaping that your fellow guests and diners are also sure to admire! 

Don’t forget that when you require assistance in the form of truly bespoke and sustainable catering services, our team can be available to make your dreams a reality; simply contact us today by phone or email . 

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