Have you ever walked into an event and been blown away by the scene before your eyes? Visuals, music, lights, installations, decorations, and sometimes even smells fill the room exciting all five of our senses. All of these elements are not a coincidence. They are carefully and meticulously planned detail by detail for months and even years by event producers and planners to create what we call the customer experience.
While most people aren’t planning to host hundreds of people in their homes, you can still create the customer experience at home for your guests.
After making your way through the event space, you are eventually asked to find your way to your seat. This is often times where you will spend a majority of your time at the event. This is why, in my opinion, the table design and experience is one of the most important elements.
The place where we spend most of our time is where we create memories. Meaning, the thing we remember most about our experience.
This is why, the table is my favorite design element of an event! And I am sharing my five all time tips on creating an Oscar worthy table setting in your home.
This is the first tip because I find if to be the hardest for most of my clients. When discussing what they want the look and feel to be, they often times list a neutral color or single color, describing they want it to look clean and formal. My first thought when this comes to mind is, “not again”. Don’t be afraid to add color to your table settings. While a clean, simple look is pretty for your everyday staging, when hosting an event, guests want the table to be a little different than normal. It will make them excited and special that you designed a new table for their dinner. Now, you don’t have to mix a bunch of bright and bold colors if that isn’t your style. If you are sticking to neutral, create a palette with varying shades of the same color. If using white, you can add shades of cream, gray, or pale pink to add contrast to your table.
2. Texture
One of the most discussed elements of design is texture, and that is because it excites two of our 5 senses. Because as humans, our senses work together, when our eyes see something with dimension and texture, our brains are triggered to feel the element. Adding a textured linen or napkin will be sure to make a statement.
3. Centerpiece Height
While you still want to be able to see your guests across the table, adding height to your table will make the table appear larger than it actually is. This will help transport guests from your normal dining room to their exclusive dinner party. Add height to the table by using varying height florals or candles along the length of the table. If you want to create more of an illusion, you can draw the decor down the edge of the table all the way to the floor.
4. Style with a Colored Class or Utensil
This is one of my favorite trends this season! While most tables are designed to add color to the napkin or linen, I like to add color in unusual places. In each of my designs I add two or three unique pieces, whether its using a neutral color napkin and bold napkin ring or using a colored wine glass instead of clear, I love to find color in elements that are already in my place setting so the table doesn’t get too cluttered.
5. Not Everything has to Match
I even have to constantly remind myself of this tip. I love a perfectly organized, symmetrical table, but organization doesn’t mean that our design has to lack style. Using mix matched pieces is the key. Whether it is using a different patterned design for the salad and desert plates or mix matching mugs at different place settings to give your table more character.
As the weather gets warmer, I will be using these tips to design bright and bold summer table settings!
Love,
Shonna