10 Steps To Styling Beautiful Tabletops From Prop Stylist

As a Lifestyle Stylist styling tabletops, I’m always looking for new trends, styles, color palettes as well as the classic sources for styling tabletops. But, before all that, I plan out a creative concept and ensure the styling steps are thought out.  Here are my 10 Pro Prop Stylist tips to instantly elevate your table and make it feel like a magazine. While what you serve for dinner, brunch, lunch is important, it's also important to "set your scene" tell a style story, and bring in color, style, creativity. It all plays a role in entertaining and enjoying time with friends, family, work associates ~ everyone.

10 STEPS TO STYLING TABLETOPS:

START WITH CREATIVE CONCEPT.

Before you start to get styling items together, decide on a concept or style.  Do you want table to be romantic, modern, minimal, rustic or seasonal? (spring blooms, fall harvest, winter wonderland?)  Try not to overthink it or overcomplicating you style concept.  It does not need to be elaborate.  Select something you love.  I love the modern gingham in our Love Lately weekly feature.  It can be as simple as a pattern you love, like gingham. I suggest some tabletop items in the post.  Gingham vases and vessels with beautiful spring or summer blooms, candles with coordinating linens would be beautiful. 

SELECT COLOR PALETTE.

I will usually select no more than 3 with a neutral being one of them ~ but pops of multi-color can be beautiful as well.  This will give you direction and cohesiveness. Get creative!


LAYER PLACE SETTINGS AND SERVING PLATTERS

When layering your tabletop, think of both your individual place settings (with placemat, charger plate, dinner plate, salad plate, bowls) as well as layering for your table with runners, trays, and platters.  I chat about one of my layering serving platter tips in Handcrafted Natural Tabletop Items For Summer Gatherings. Instead of using a serving platter or tray, I have used a mirror with trim as a serving platter. I have also used large wood art frames and embellished photo frames. Think creativity!


INCLUDE TEXTURE.

Adding items like woven chargers, rattan placemats, napkins with texture such as linen or waffle fabrics are great ways to add texture and interest to your tabletops.


THINK MOVEMENT ON TABLE.

Movement on your table can be a "swirl" of a napkin or toweling around your plates.


INCLUDE LIFE ON TABLE.

Adding "life" to your table adds a freshness that is beautiful.  It can be florals, fruits, herbs.  Also it's a great way to add the season into your tabletop concept, like Fall harvest with branches and leaves of big bowls of apples or gourds or in the Summer, big beautiful hydrangeas in woven baskets or winter, add beautiful branches and lights. It's both your "life" and texture.

ADD SHAPES TO VESSELS, PLATES & PLATTERS

Be mindful of shapes. I love to add a plate that has a "ruffle" to it.  Eyes are drawn to different shapes, this will highlight your food or products. So, add a combination of ruffles, ovals, squares to your table.

CREATE FOCAL POINT AND STAR.

Create a Focal Point (or as the Stylists say ~ a "Hero") to your table. This will create a creative "conversation" piece and/or pull your entire creative tabletop theme or color palette together. It can be flowers, fruits, herbs in large bowls or you can create clusters of style with those items or ingredients. The product, food, etc. whatever you are styling (selling) is always the "star".  It has to be obvious. You don't want to distract away from that in your style selections. Goal is to "compliment" ~ not "distract".

VARY HEIGHTS ON TABLE.

To vary height, you can use elements like risers, vases, candlesticks. Add for some high, some low. While doing that always make sure their is not obstruction from the guests seeing each other and having a conversation.  Your table should always compliment the atmosphere. Guest should not have to "move" your decor to see each other or have room to eat and enjoy the meal together.

DON'T OVER CROWD TABLE.

Along with not obstructing view from each other, same goes for having some clear space on the table so guest do not feel "crowded in" and uncomfortable eating.


LIGHTING.

Ok, so I guess 11 style steps ;)  Lighting is also very important.  Lighting sets the ambiance, the mood. To bright or stark can be uncomfortable for guests. You have many options:  candlelight, candle vessels, LED battery charged options are so beautiful now with beautiful shades, overhead pendants or basket lighting.  Overhead of table with florals (or citrus) attached to lighting is beautiful and really draws in your color palette or theme.  AND it really immerses your guests into multi sensory environment, entire feel and mood of your dinner.

TOP ITEMS FOR STYLING TABLETOP

▪︎ Plating │Dinner & Bowls
▪︎ Glassware │Clear & Color
▪︎ Utensils │Place Setting & Serving
▪︎ Linens │Table, Napkins, Towels
▪︎ Grounding │Trays, Baskets
▪︎ Layering │Chargers, Placemats, Plates, Platters
▪︎ Accents │Vases, Vessels

Goal when including all the above items, is to add texture, layers and interest to your styling.  Ways I add unique pieces to my tabletop styling and creative concepts is with platters, utensils, statement pieces, vessels at Flea Markets. I chat about tips in 10 Tips for Flea Market Shopping From a Photo Stylist.

WHERE TO LEARN AND SEE TABLETOP TRENDS

Styling tabletop is an on going, keeping up with trends on style, designs and palettes.  Want to know where Stylists go to see everything new, trendy and fresh? Every year, I go to the lifestyle, home and tabletop trade shows to see them first hand. Two favorites are NY Now and Tabletop Association.


Bonnie ~


IMAGE CREDIT  │AI Aesthetic Studio

WANT TO SAVE THIS POST FOR REFERENCE?  PIN BELOW IMAGE TO PINTEREST.