How to become a tablescaping pro

FIND YOUR PERFECT TABLECLOTH

The star of the show – the tablecloth – sets the tone for the entire table, so choose your colour and material wisely. And don’t worry, the rest of the table decor will fall into place around it. For an added luxurious, ‘bouncy’ feel, pop a table protector under the tablecloth – which also obviously protects your table!

GET AHEAD OF THE GAME

Get ahead early and lay your tablecloth out the night before your feast – this will help it settle. Give the cloth a gentle mist with water to help any creases and folds fall away. When you wake up the next day, your tablecloth canvas will be ready to embellish.

DECK YOUR TABLE

The middle of the table is where the fun really happens. Start with flowers and place your favourite blossoms in impactful vases that run down the centre of the table, making sure to alternate the height of the vases and scatter a selection of smaller bud vases around them. Add candles, too (and make sure you burn them a little before your party begins, for a relaxed, romantic look – while you’re in the room of course, we all know not to leave lit candles unattended!).

GET SETTING

And for dinnerware? When choosing your plates, they don’t need to match exactly to look elegant. Use a larger ‘charger’ plate beneath a slightly smaller one for an additional touch of plate pizzazz. Follow this with your napkins – you can either match these precisely to your tablecloth or opt for ones that only match tonally. Place them over the plate or alongside the knife (remembering to always face your blades inwards). Finally, place your glassware and cutlery on the table. As a general rule, white wine glasses go on the far left, followed by red wine glasses, and finally, water glasses.

AND RELAX...

Now, this last tip may be the most crucial. After your table is set, don’t forget to live in the moment and absorb it all. It’s a special thing to be surrounded by your bubble, so make sure you spend time sitting with your guests, talking, laughing, and not worrying about the next course. Enjoy yourself, and the atmosphere you have created!

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