Design Tips by Carriann:
- Put on the right attitude about entertaining. This should be an ‘experience,’ not a chore.
- Consider a theme centered around the interests of your guests.
- Extend the mood you wish to create in your table setting. Dark colors, soft lighting, elegant decor, and soft music will encourage a slower experience. Brighter colors, upbeat lighting, lively music will create a quicker experience.
- Consider adding favorite photos of the friends attending your event to the tablescape itself. Add their photos in decor, as place setting cards, or in size appropriate frames.
- Create a focal point (a statement piece) in your space.
- Take time to create a proper color palette that extends to your place settings, flatware, napkins, drink ware, and decor. While they don’t need to match, they should coordinate.
- Encourage good conversation by adding a wine bucket full of fun questions on small cards. Questions such as “Where is the most exotic place you’ve ever eaten? If you could have dinner with a celebrity, who would it be? What is your favorite restaurant?, etc.”
- Don’t forget the candles! They’re the easiest way to create ambiance and elegance!
“Instead of having so much guilt over food, we should learn to enjoy ourselves when we actually indulge and then forget about it. Think about food and enjoy it when it’s time to eat, and then enjoy the rest of your time not thinking about food.” – FREDERIC PATNAUDE
