by Susan Serra, CKD
Yesterday we learned the basics of How to Set a Table. Today its right brain time, when our Kitchen Design Expert and Contributor, Susan Serra, CKD shares some fantastic tabletop decor. Known to many as “The Kitchen Designer” for her popular blog, Susan is an award-winning Certified Kitchen Designer, with a national clientele.
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While a kitchen designer may not be the best one to ask about the proper way to set a table (as many designers express creativity, often via breaking rules) I’ll give you the guide for breaking rules.
How’s that for removing pressure from the “dressing” of your holiday tables? So, forget pressure, forget rules, and look to creativity and fun for inspiration! Let’s look at these awesome tables that I witnessed at the Architectural Digest Home Show and DIFFA’s Dining by Design – and get some new ideas.
A city theme complete with glitter and little yellow taxicabs, the linear nature of the center decorations provide continuity with natural greens. The tall glasses are the skyscrapers; the glitter…New York lights at night. Lots of pieces to the whole of this theme.
Oh, the drama of red! One dominant color, in this case, red, with the accent of black and a little white to create a “pop”. The theme here is the luxury of Paris. Rich, opulent, overdone (but why not??).
Not a true analogous color scheme, it’s close. Google “color scheme” and you’ll find great inspiration and guides to work with color to coordinate with the decor of your room and connect with your table, as this color scheme does so perfectly.
Exotic, monochromatic, ethnic…this dining theme has everything including the sand! A shot of turquoise in an otherwise monochromatic themed room adds an interesting and fun element. The table settings add pattern to reflect pattern on the fabric. Otherwise, the simplicity of the settings as a whole balance well with other design elements.
Another shot of color (purple) as the dominant and permanent element in the room, other colors are softer and serve to support the purple chairs. The light, bright, greens are nearly analogous counterpoints (in terms of a color scheme) to the purple chairs…just the extra something special to create a little “pop” to the table. Added interest is the mix of different types, shapes, and sizes of center decorations. The drama….enormous candelabras!
The key is to let your imagination go free, go wild, go wherever it feels good to go to…
it’s your tablescape!
Susan Serra is a CKD (Certified Kitchen Designer), an award winning designer and the principal of Susan Serra Associates, Inc., for nearly 20 years.
Susan’s design work is widely published in online and print shelter publications and she is a frequent source for the media on kitchen design issues.
Susan’s blog “The Kitchen Designer” is the most read blog authored by a professional kitchen designer.
How will you get creative with your holiday tablescape?
