Guest Quarters: Creating a Great Holiday Table without Burning a Hole in your Wallet - November 6, 2008Creating a great holiday table without burning a hole in your wallet The holiday season is just around the corner and that means parties! There are numerous ways to be creative and insure a successful event without burning a hole through your wallet. One great way to turn a holiday celebration from drab to fab is the use of elevation/vertical design aesthetic with your table settings. Most people are used to setting their table in the traditional fashion where everything is set flat on the table. Utilizing this technique is a fabulous easy remedy to making your otherwise ordinary table fantastic. This method of decor is best used when the food is served buffet style or separate from your seated guests. You don’t have to buy any special equipment in order to accomplish this feat. Simply utilize unused boxes or containers that you have around your home. One key in selecting a box is to make sure that once it is turned upside down, that it is level and can support the items you will be placing on it. Another consideration is to make sure that there is balance. If using a platter to display appetizers, you want to make sure that as people remove the food items that the platter will remain balanced enough so it will not teeter off of the box. I do advise a trial run through if this is your first time using vertical design. You will need to have another tablecloth or coordinating fabric to cover the boxes once you have placed them on the table. You can choose any layout that fits your fancy; two boxes at the end, one box in the middle, square shapes in the middle and a rectangular box at the end, it really is up to you. The goal is to create an environment that is visually stimulating and delectably keen! 
If you are serving food at the table where your guests will be sitting, then it is important to add a design element that promotes conversation. I really like to see elevation here in the decor itself such as with vases, floral arrangements, candles, etc. I always like to keep it simple. If using fresh floral arrangements, be very cautious of the aroma because it may not agree with the menu and it may also not agree with your guests. If you are utilizing these types of items, make sure that they don’t visually obscure your guests from one another. Bare branches and thin tree limbs are a great addition to a fall/winter color palate. It is also reasonable and quite possibly right in your yard. Remember, the table setting itself then becomes the design focus. Handwritten setting cards and the fold and placement of the napkin all come into play here. It doesn’t have to be elaborate,,,it simply needs to come from you. Your guests will appreciate the effort you put into the table design.
I hope these few ideas will help you have a wonderful holiday event. Send your event questions to Ask@blissgirlzinc.net.
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