5 Secret (And Free!) Weapons For Setting A Beautiful Table
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Hosting a gathering and in need of quick yet captivating table decorations? Have no fear; you've got everything you need. All it takes is a bit of creativity and a few materials most have lying around the house.
1. Bottles & Jars
Dive into your recycling bin and hunt for glass bottles and jars. Look for interesting shapes, peel off all the labels and sticky goo (Goo Gone works well for stubborn labels), and you've got some table-ready elements.
∙ Use varying heights of bottles and jars as a centerpiece grouping and fill some of the jars with fresh flowers.
∙ Line up similar height jars in a row down the center of the table and fill with votive candles.
∙ Fill small jars with interesting natural objects like shells, rocks, and leaves and create a still life on the table.
∙ Put a small jar or bottle at each place setting and create a message in a bottle for each guest by adding a quick handwritten note rolled up inside.
∙ Place a plate on top of a jar with a flat wide top and secure with a tacky wax. Voila! You've got an instant cake stand.
2. Paper
Think of paper as the ultimate shape shifter. Whether it's construction paper, wrapping paper, or even newspaper, this powerhouse can become an asset to any table.
∙ Cut out paper place mats from wrapping paper or use sheets of square scrapbooking paper for instant mats, coasters, or place cards.
∙ Create a runner for the center of your table by cutting a long strip of wrapping paper, or assembling pieces of overlapping paper, and running it down the middle.
∙ Make paper flowers for your centerpiece. Type "paper flowers" in a search engine and you'll find numerous types and styles.
∙ Cut out strips of paper in varying widths and wrap them around glasses, vases, or napkins for a touch of color or pattern in an unexpected place.
∙ Use paper as a tablecloth and draw a design at each place (writing guest names at each setting can be fun, too) or leave out crayons for guests to doodle with over dinner.
3. The China Cabinet
Too often we forget that we've got pretty plates, candleholders, pitchers, and bowls that only come out for special occasions. Shop your china cabinet and use those pretty pieces to make your table shine.
∙ Layer different sizes of plates to make a base for pillar candles.
∙ Grab all your candlesticks and votive holders and make a gorgeous line down the center of your table with lit candles. Mix candle sizes and styles for something unique.
∙ Put a teacup filled with flowers or candy at each place setting, or fill serving bowls with flowers or fruit and group them together for a centerpiece.
∙ Don't forget about pretty pitchers. They make great vases and will add height to your centerpiece.
∙ Hunt down those table linens you've been saving for special occasions, as well. There's no time like the present to use the beautiful things you own.
4. Ribbon
Find your wrapping materials and pull out some pretty ribbons for your table. They will add texture and color to your table in a jiffy.
∙ Use ribbon in strips down the center of the table or weave strips together to create a grid-like runner.
∙ Tie a ribbon around the stem of a wine glass (it makes distinguishing wine glasses from each other easy, too).
∙ Tie bundles of flatware together with ribbon.
∙ Add a bow to a dining chair by tying a ribbon around the entire back of the chair.
∙ Use double-stick tape to wrap horizontal bands of ribbon around your vases.
Natural Elements
In your backyard (or a local park, if you are a city dweller), there's a bounty of beautiful, natural objects. Do a nature walk that doubles as a tabletop shopping spree.
∙ Surround candles with rocks to create a unique centerpiece.
∙ Lay a large branch down the center of the table or gather a bunch of smaller branches to arrange in a vase. (Just-budding pussy willow, forsythia, witch hazel, and cherry branches are wonderful in the spring.)
∙ Pluck a few leaves off a tree and place them under glasses as coasters or together as a runner down the center of your table.
∙ Look for smaller items like pinecones, acorns, and shells that can be tied around a napkin or used to surround the base of a vase or candle.
∙ Gather flower petals or flower heads and float them in water in a large bowl or several smaller bowls on the table.
∙ Line the inside of a glass vase with large leaves. Water in the vase will keep the leaves sticking to the glass and a clear vase will take on a new personality. (Photos courtesy of Alexis Givens)