5 Tips for Setting a Beautiful Table and an Extra Very Important Tip

I borrowed this pic from the HGTV website. This is a
perfectly simple and excellent example of a
gorgeous table setting.

It's during this time of year that people remember why they have a dining room. There are lots of dinner parties, entertaining and holiday meals being planned. If you are planning to host a meal at your home, I wanted to provide you with some useful tips for making a beautiful table.

Another image borrowed from HGTV.Notice the leaves,
pumpkins and pine cones.

1. No humongous centerpieces please! It's a pet peeve, well one of many but this is the one that pertains to tables. I've been to so many events where there are gorgeous arrangements in the center of the table, but they are so huge and overwhelming that you can't find the salt, much less the person seated across from you.

Please, please, please put those lovely arrangements on the buffet table or somewhere where we can appreciate them without having to make small talk with them. Instead, keep your center decoration beneath eye level. Think votives, bud vases, cake plates - all of these items can be used to add beauty to your table, without obstruction.

How adorable are these place holders?!

2. Speaking of centerpieces, this is a really great way to add flair to your table without having to buy all new dishes and a good opportunity to use your creative muscle. Rather than flowers, this time of year there is an abundance of pumpkins,

gourds, leaves, branches, dried corn husks, greenery, pine cones, apples, pears - all of these items can be used to decorate your table. Too rustic for your tastes? Paint them. They would look fabulous painted in white, cream, silver, gold, bronze, black. Whatever goes with your color scheme. Some newspaper, a couple of cans of spray paint and voila. Gorgeous! Oh and the same thing goes for place cards - a mini pumpkin and a Sharpie and you are good to go. Anything hand made, makes it seem more special.


3. Use what you have. There is no reason to go out and buy new dishes, unless you really want to. Simple everyday dishes can work. Dishes, glassware, silverware - all of these items are the work horses of the table. After all, you want a civilized event. And no, I don't care how heavy duty and pretty they are, for this type of special occasion you cannot have paper plates, plastic forks, plastic cups and paper napkins - unless you want everyone to feel like they have been relegated to the kids table. Might as well add some balloons and party hats and call it a kids birthday party!

However, if you must purchase dishes, please keep them simple. Plain will work for any occasion from now on. Or if you want a little metallic accent that's fine too. Just keep in mind that you can make your life easier by having tableware that is dishwasher safe. To add color and pizzazz, get a pretty charger, place mats, cloth napkins, table runners. All of these items can be purchased quite inexpensively at Pier 1, Target, Homegoods, etc. Not sure what wine glass to use? Just use the largest that you have - and a water goblet. Too many glasses gets confusing and messy and most people are going to stick to one type of drink. And if they don't - you have my permission to give them some plastic cups!

Can someone explain why there is a fork going through
the napkin ring?

A quick word about clothe napkins. I do encourage you to buy some. They bring elegance and formality to any occasion. You can get them in a pretty color to go with your scheme or just plain white or cream. You can forgo the napkin ring by tying a pretty piece of ribbon on them, or simply lay them folded flat on your plates with a pine cone or sprig of greenery. I would also highly recommend that they be easy to wash and dry at home. Do you really want to pay for dry cleaning your napkins?

4. Have enough condiments and sauces in appropriate dishes. If you are having more than six people over, make sure that you have multiple salt and pepper shakers and that you have multiple bowls with spoons for dressings, sauces, gravy, etc. Many times this gets overlooked at dinners and it makes it so much more pleasant for everyone if they don't have to share with so many.

5. Keep it simple. That's my mantra in everything I do in my life. Just keep it simple. Less is always more. If you have the basics so that people can eat, drink and clean their mouths, the rest is incidental. I would prefer to go to dinner where the table is set simply than where the table looks like a housewares display exploded. I cannot say it enough - keep it simple!

Important tip!!! This is outside the realm of decorating, but it has to be said. Enjoy yourself! The mood of any event is set by the hosts so please don't stress the little stuff or the big stuff, either. Guests will forgive you if something is burnt - having to order a pizza or Chinese food because the turkey was burnt is not the worst thing in the world. If anything, it gives people something to laugh and chat about. But it would be awful if you throw a tantrum about it. Then it's just uncomfortable for everyone. Just have fun and your guests will remember that most of all.

Look Up - Ideas for Your Ceilings

St. Mary's Cathedral, Annapolis, MD

I was at a wedding this past weekend. Though the weather was not typical of October - snow?! - it was a lovely ceremony, regardless. And the setting was absolutely gorgeous. The wedding took place at St. Mary's in the heart of Annapolis. The cathedral was recently renovated and it was breathtaking. It has gorgeous stained glass and beautiful murals, but the crowning glory was the starry sky painted ceiling with it's gothic beams in cream and gold accents above simply painted cream colored walls. Wow! It got me thinking about ceilings - how typically we don't put too much thought into them, yet they are at least a third

I love the contrast of the blue ceiling with the
cream walls and architectural elements. It
allows the stained glass windows to shine
like jewels in the room.

 of the space in a room. Architects and builders are definitely trying to get them noticed with higher ceilings and the addition of trays and coffers in many of the newer homes and renovations. 
But they still don't get the love that they deserve.

Most ceilings in most homes, including some of my own, are still some shade of white. But why? Yes, they are much more difficult to paint - they can drip and give you pains in your arms, neck and shoulders, but they offer such a great opportunity to make your rooms stunning. 


So let's talk about ceilings...


Whatever you do to your walls, you can also do with your ceilings. Your only limits are your imagination and your ceiling heights. And as for any lower ceilings, you are limited only by your own personal preference and daring.


Here are some of my favorite examples I found from Houzz.com - a terrific, free website/e-newsl for all sorts of home design ideas.

This is a coffered ceiling in a client's home. The wall were painted a spicy paprika to complement the floors, furnishings and artwork. The coffered ceilings were painted in a steel, gray color to complement the fireplace. So here, we have the contrasting palette and the coffers to add interest to the ceiling. BTW, my client is Irene Zaso and she has a great Organizing business. I recommend you visit her website at www.zaso.org/OASIS.htm if you have any need for organization in your life!

I cannot take credit for this lovely space, but here is a pretty example of a wallpapered ceiling. Rather than putting the wallpaper all over they chose to put the Toille print on just the ceiling. It looks like a small powder room so in a space that's small, a large Toille print would be overwhelming. Using it as an accent on the ceiling makes it playful and beautiful. Plus, it brings your eye up creating the illusion of more height and space. Imagine this in a nursery or small entry. Love it!

And finally, here is an example of using wood, more specifically in this case, stained bead board on the ceiling. This particular example can really warm up a space and can work with just about any rustic or country interior. But wood isn't just for rustic interiors. A in a modern version of this you would keep the same visual plain and take the vertical lines all the way down one or both perpendicular walls. Stained or painted in a high gloss, the impact would be spectacular and it would add tremendous vertical space. 


You could gain the same affect with wallpaper that wraps from floor to ceiling, but honestly, it's not my taste. Even the well done examples I've seen haven't been to my liking. It looks fussy and visually there is no place for your eye to rest. I would not recommend that. But hey, that's just my opinion. So if you're game, I say go for it.


There are so many other things you can do to your ceilings - using lighting, trim, beams, alcoves, sea grass, tin tiles, fabric... Again, the options are limited only by your imagination.


If you're not sure what to do with your ceilings, however, let me know. I'm sure I can give you some pointers.