I love a good colour story, and many of the events and parties I style and consult on, have a theme that is routed in colour. Blush and Gold is
Growing up, I remember having Sunday dinner at my grandparents house. What was so nice was that the table was always set. It wasn’t some fancy ordeal, but a table cloth was put down, we used the better silver-ware and each place setting had a linen napkin. Even at my own home, we would use nice placemats and matching plates and best of all, we would sit down together to enjoy our meal and talk.
It is unrealistic to go to great lengths to set the table every night, but how your table looks for your dinner party, or luncheon, or baby shower, even your wedding, is a direct reflection on the event as a whole. The table is really one of the most important aspects of any party; it’s where you eat, and drink and talk. So, how it looks should be an important part of your planning.
You have a captive audience at your table, so it is a remarkable place to bring in colour or texture or whimsical elements. You can be minimal or extravagant. The key element is being consistent with your colour and style. And think of your table as a show-piece and don’t be afraid to add fun little touches that may be unexpected or different.
For any party I do I prefer low-lying florals and putting most of my elements at eye level or below on the table. At my dinner parties and even at my wedding, I used florals that allowed for guests to see each other and speak well across the table. While having height at your table creates interest and drama, having most of your elements lower will allow for your guests to enjoy them more.
I’ve collected some images of beautiful table settings for inspiration and ideas. And if you’re hungry for more inspiration, please visit the sites where I found mine with the links below. Enjoy!
This palette is soft and fresh. The simplicity of each place setting really allows for the florals to take centre stage and the whole look to be cohesive.
Wow. Such interesting and bold patterns and colours in this design. By using a striped table runner, the focus truly is on the centre colours and popping each place setting with colour pulled from the florals is fun.
So pretty and whimsical in it’s design. The copper colour and use of branches adds so much texture and interest.
What a dreamy table. The clear plates really allow for the colour of the table and florals to come through. By hanging something from above, like this chandelier, you can add height and dimension without obscuring sight-lines.
This just says serene. Again, consistency with the elements allows for the beauty of this simple palette to come through.
I just love this for so many reasons. By using clear crystal and minimal silver-ware, the table explodes with colour from the bold florals and blue plating. You don’t need anything else.
This is a great example of consistency. It’s refined rustic appeal comes from the colours of the florals being mimiced in each place setting and a burlap table runner brings all the elements together.
Cream and green are always a winning combination and popping the table with unexpected elements like the bird is fun. There is more height here than I would normally like, however the clear candle holders and candles add soft light, not distraction.
So bright and fresh. Citrus is a fun colour to use and the chevron pattern of the table runner adds dimension. The simple white table gives a great backdrop for all the colour.
I would love to eat here. There are a lot of elements on this table to explore and delight. By bringing the colours of the florals into the napkin rings and votive candles, a fantastic consistency is achieved.
Varying shades of blue and teal and sage green are colours that work for any table and any event. By opting to have the florals at the end of the table, a dimension of height is achieved which adds interest and really allows for the table-ware to shine.
This is so soft and delicate and just pretty. I love the touch of a single flower at each place setting. It has a country feel but is really rich with colour.
photo source: that inspirational girl; iced coffee and peonies; my inner landscape; rhode island prep; snippet and ink; 100layercake; peachy-blisss
[…] The most fun part for me, is figuring out how I will set the table and then plugging away on what china to use, what colours are good, how will each piece be placed; all the good stuff. Even when doing larger events, conceptualizing what rentals I may need, what should the colour scheme be and how should everything be displayed is a lot of fun. I did a post awhile back on setting a table which you can check out here. […]