A decorative table adds charm to your dinner party.
Dinner parties offer a chance to socialize, show off your culinary skills, get to know new friends and catch up with old ones. Although the conversation and dinner menu are the stars of the show, decorating the dining table sets the stage for your whole evening. Whether you want an upscale event, a casual affair or something in between, choosing the right decorations is part of successful entertaining.
Floral Centerpieces
The best dining table decorations are complementary, not distracting. Fussy flower arrangements look too cluttered, while flowers with overpowering scents distract from the smell of the food. Choose flowers that are lightly scented, such as baby's breath, daffodils, orchids or carnations. For a casual look, arrange a few blossoms each in jelly jars, glass bottles or tea cups, spread out along the length of the table. For more elegance, scatter the blossoms across the center of the tablecloth, blended with trailing ivy, or feature a single tall arrangement in the center of the table. Use a tall, clear vase and add sliced fruit or colored pebbles around the stems for extra color.
Illuminated Centerpieces
Instead of using your typical dining room lights, create a cozy glow with dining table decorations that double as light sources. For instance, arrange small tea-light candles in a straight row down the center of the table for a sleek, minimal look. A circle of votive candles around a large pillar candle creates an interesting visual focal point. If you're holding a fall party, celebrate the season by hollowing out miniature pumpkins and red apples and using them as easy, colorful candle holders, each one holding a small white votive candle. For a winter dinner party, arrange tiny candles in paper lanterns, or luminarias. Set a small luminaria in front of each guest's plate for a holiday glow.
Food Based Centerpieces
Edible centerpieces are especially suitable for a dinner party. Guests can enjoy candy as appetizers or desserts. Mimic flower arrangements with colorful sweets by filling a transparent vase with hard candies, jelly beans or chocolate buttons, creating the appearance of pebbles. Arrange stick candy, lollipops, rock candy and candy canes inside the vase. For a non-edible centerpiece that adds hearty charm to your table, arrange colorful root vegetables in a clear vase. Possible vegetables include carrots, beets, radishes and turnips. Use different colors or opt for one color scheme, with the leafy tops of the vegetables providing a cheerful spray of greenery.
Table Settings
For a simple and yet striking look, use each separate table setting as a way to add decoration to your dining table. Instead of using monochromatic dinnerware, add color and whimsy by using slightly mismatched dishes. For instance, alternate two or three shades of plates down the length of the table. This looks especially colorful on a table with many place settings. Set a colorful piece of fruit, such as a lemon, lime or orange, on each guest's plate. If you need place holders, write each guest's names on the rind of the fruit with a marker or paint. This adds a little formality to your dinner party while maintaining a playful decor scheme.
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