Ideas for Eye-Catching Table Decorations

Table decorations are key elements to every party that has a sit-down or dining element, and having handsomely-decorated, elegant tables can be the clincher for your event as far as guests are concerned.  Many guests spend a lot of time at the table, after all, especially during dinner parties and the like, so you can be sure that there is more time and that there are more opportunities for them to appreciate your table settings and garnitures.  

A classic style still being employed often for table decorations is the table runner embellishment, where a strip of different colored fabric is set above the actual tablecloth, dividing the tabletop into three distinct areas: the centre and the sides.  If you have a trestle table or any other kind of table that is long enough to permit this division, you should start off your table decoration with a runner.  The idea is to go for contrast.  For example, given the standard white tablecloth, you should opt for something such as a black satin table runner to give you a clear division of the areas and to provide the “centre strip” on which to focus your other decorations.  

Now that you have your decorating area (the centre strip, or the area occupied by the runner), you can start putting together the rest of the embellishments for your tables.  Now the theme and purpose of the party comes into play, as some table decorations might not be suited for other ones.  Even given one main category for table decorations, you can come up with countless variations for that category, or specific items better suited to one party over another.  

For example, you could have the main category of light centerpieces.  In a more elegant or romantic setting, it would be a pretty good idea to with some beautiful candle bag lanterns made out of flame-retardant paper to cast a soft glow over your tables.  If you use these for a more modern-themed, lounge-like party, however, they may be a touch out of place.  Instead, it would be better to go with a light centerpiece that has more of a modern feel like some of the products found in our glow products area.

When decorating your tables, keep in mind that the more you add to the centerpiece, the more potential you have for clutter — which means that more elaborate centerpieces should be fairly restricted in occurrence, i.e. there should ideally be only one (with a maximum of two) for each table, even for trestle tables.  A glorious centerpiece can handle its own, after all, and requires no additional assistance. 

The above rule is particularly true of light-based centerpieces, because they naturally draw attention to themselves.  The problem with such decorations is that they may clash with other party lights if your party area is already well-illuminated.  When this is the case, go with something that works off the existing lights instead.  For instance, use table decorations that rely heavily on glass and crystal work, such as mirror base installations with vases of flowers on top of them.  You can bring up the sparkle by adding some handy crystal strands to dangle from the flowers or whatever you have placed in the vases.  This is a particularly elegant effect for table décor and your guests shall think so too. 

Written By: Jarrod Brake
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