As the year winds down, you might be thinking of throwing a lunch or dinner party. Helen Grange brings you some tablescape ideas courtesy of the experts
Party season is nearly upon us, which means it’s time to get creative with your table. And this season you have leave to go wild with colour, because the hot trends are yellow, orange, delft blue, mint greens and cerise pink.
As to the look and feel, one of the strongest trends at the moment is the rustic harvest table.
“It’s natural and relaxed and encourages a more relaxed type of function. A harvest table is perfect for a garden function, with set tables under a beautiful tree,” says Karen Short, of By Word of Mouth party planners and catering.
Another big trend, especially for large events, is mixing and matching the shapes and sizes of tables, creating clusters or pods of tables. “We are seeing a lot of interest in this look due to the Baz Luhrmann film, The Great Gatsby. Inspiration for this look is taken from the art deco era with all its bold geometrics. To create an indulgent feast for the eye, you can use feathers, pearls and lace, combined with a dramatic colour scheme of white and black with subtle pops of gold and red,” suggests Short.
A look that doesn’t lose its appeal is mixing old and new. This entails mixing table styles and blending themes, like say rustic with elegant, vintage with contemporary. “This is an opportunity to play with objets d’art, though make sure they fit in somehow,” says Short.
Thanks to Masterchef, another popular idea is food stations, where the station itself becomes part of the decor. “We are doing taco bars, sushi bars, Caesar salad bars, and bread and spread bars. All very visual and interactive and delicious,” says Short.
Vicky Crease, of Vicky Crease Catering and Events, says the best ingredients in an impressive tablescape are flowers, candles and fresh produce. “We are using a lot of fresh products as decor, as well as incorporating coloured glassware and luxurious fabrics in the table design,” she says.
Abundance is very fashionable for big events, she adds. “For this you can create luscious macaron towers.”
For Marc Hirschowitz, party planner and author of the book, Savour, the tablescape of the moment uses metallic colours “as well as über chic black glass vases”. “We are punting this look, now that the ombre colour theme is fading. That has been fun for the last few months,” he says.
Creating a great tablescape means you need to be bold with your ideas. “Don’t worry about everything matching,” says Short. “Pull out a mixture of chairs, glassware, napkins, jars, etc. Pick a mixture of grasses, twigs and leaves from your garden. Use vegetables and herbs.
“If your function is in the evening, never forget the candles.”
Another great idea is to spray what you have all white or another colour, and finish with a beautiful array of summer flowers or fresh produce.
“Or create eye-catching containers by wrapping glass cylinders or squares in a gorgeous wrapping paper to create a different look and colour scheme every time. Wrapping paper also works beautifully as a table runner,” Short says.
Summertime is all about braai-ing, but you can spice it up a bit. Short likes to do a stand-around cocktail type braai or a tapas station or bread and spread bar – all far easier to produce than delicate canapés. “Choose one type of food like sushi or Mexican tacos and serve them well,” she says.
The thing to avoid when doing a tablescape is making it so formal it is almost intimidating.
“The table settings should always be inviting, tell a story and entertain in some way,” says Short. And you don’t have to sit and plan it beforehand – her tables tend to “unfold organically”.
“My inspiration comes from the flowers or foliage that has caught my eye, and from there I build up the layers. When putting together a look, one rarely sees all the elements together when sourcing decor items. Just stick to your basic design principles of contrast, texture, line and shape, and you’re sure to be successful,” she says.
And for Crease, the best accessory at a table is “a positive attitude”. “The rest is all about attention to detail, and innovation,” she says.