When you’ve had a long busy day, it’s all too easy to throw together a quick dinner and grab a knife and fork to quickly sit at the table – or even worse, have a TV dinner with your plate on your lap. However, is there anything more relaxing and indulgent than a decoratively laid table, filled with fresh linen, your best crockery and beautiful flowers?

The trick is to prepare your tablescape in advance of sitting down for dinner. Perhaps set the table the night before, so you can look forward to cooking your food and anticipate your time at the table that evening. Or, if you have friends coming over, ensure you have everything you need for the table well ahead of the date so that you have one less thing to worry about on the day. This is also true for any special dates that you might be planning a tablescape for, such as Christmas or for a birthday. The more time you’re able to put into planning and decorating your tablescape, the more ‘wow factor’ it is going to have on the day.

And for those of you wondering what exactly a ‘tablescape’ is, it is essentially a term to combine your table’s centrepiece and place settings, or the overall decoration of your table.

25 Gorgeous Spring Wedding Tablescapes.jpeg — What is the Purpose of a Tablescape?

A tablescape should elevate an entertaining or eating experience.
It’s a way to show your guests that you care about them and that this meal is special – it takes the event from being ordinary to extraordinary. For yourself, it can even be an act of pampering and self-care.
You don’t necessarily need to spend a lot of money on an extravagant tablescape: simply providing thoughtful touches, such as greenery from the garden or personalised place cards is enough to create a special dining experience.

35 Thanksgiving Table Centerpieces That Are Seriously Gorgeous.jpeg — Find Your Inspiration

The very first step in achieving your perfect vision is to find your inspiration.
Take time to research blogs, Instagram and Pinterest to find a style that you love. Alternatively, you might be inspired by a season, a holiday, a place, a colour or patterns.
For example, bright and colourful tones work best for spring and summer, while neutral tones look great during autumn and winter. During autumn, you may use small pumpkins to set the tone, or use holly on your place settings at Christmas time.
Another source of inspiration comes from shopping – you might see a particular item that you like, and then end up planning your tablescape around that.

Fall Tablescape Decorating Ideas - J Cathell.jpeg — Create the Perfect Centrepiece

It makes sense to create your centrepiece first, as everything else will follow on from this.
Begin with any vases, serving plates or foliage that you plan to put at the centre of your display. Also make space for any food that you might be planning to display – you can measure the space by placing your platter or cake-stand down.
It always pays to have varying heights of décor throughout your tablescape, as this adds visual interest, but make sure that you’ll still be able to see your guests across the table!

4-pack forks.jpeg — Adding Interest with Texture

Textures are essential when setting a table and to create a swoon-worthy look, you should consider layering your textures liberally.
Start with a pretty tablecloth and then stack up the patterns with floral napkins. Add more height and texture by setting your table with stacked dishes, and complementary cutlery.
For the perfect finishing touches, add flowers and gorgeous candlestick holders. Think 3D – a flat table will look…flat!

An Easy Christmas Centerpiece for a Long Table - Sanctuary Home Decor.jpeg — **Embrace Mismatched Plates**

Create a unique and striking look by mixing and matching your dinner plates, side plates and bowls instead of sticking to traditional matching sets.
This adds variety and interest to your table, and allows you to showcase a variety of different ceramic styles.
If you choose to do this, then it’s sensible to keep the rest of your table elements consistent, to avoid overloading your table with too many different styles.

Tablescapes set the mood for every event, whether it’s an intimate dinner party, Sunday brunch, or just a romantic meal for two. We hope our blog post has shown you the importance of putting the time and effort into a beautiful table display for creating a special atmosphere, and we look forward to seeing how you get on!