What is a Tablescape?

by Sherry Holetzky | More from this Blogger

19 Sep 2007 08:35 AM

The term tablescape is often used interchangeably with terms like tabletop arrangement or centerpiece. However, a true tablescape is actually a bit more complex. While tablescapes often adorn the center of the table, they are more than centerpieces. They are design plans, an overall look that addresses the entire table or surface as well as its surroundings.

Every item is chosen specifically to complement not only other items on the table but also other elements of the space. A tablescape should also incorporate elements of the season or occasion. A breathtaking tablescape display can set the mood for the entire event.

The key to creating a fabulous tablescape is a sense of balance. This is not to say the display must be perfectly symmetrical. It is more about repeating scale, color, and texture throughout, although not necessarily in direct proportion. Creating a sense of harmony may be a better description than "balance."

When creating tablescapes, items do not need to match one another or the other elements in the space perfectly but they do need to make sense in some way. There should be a distinct reason why items are used in a particular space, for a particular occasion.

While tablescapes are often used to dress a dining table or sideboard for a dinner party, they can be used for most any surface in the home, such as a coffee table or bar. A tablescape is a work of art, a small-scale landscape, which expresses a personal touch. It is its creator's interpretation of the season, holiday, or event and it is a welcoming gesture.

Please check back regularly over the next several weeks for tablescape ideas, centerpieces, and other decorating tips as we move into autumn, which means we'll soon be heading into the holiday season. We'd love to hear about some of your favorite ideas too.

Entertaining Tips: Simple Decorating

Learn more about Sherry Holetzky

Sherry Holetzky is a work at home mom and freelance writer. Married to her best friend, Sherry and her husband are raising their family in a quiet rural setting in the beautiful Ozark Mountains.

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