A Seat at the Table with Savvy!

November 1st marks the beginning of the holiday entertaining season for me, so I’ve partnered with AllModern to highlight some of my favorite entertaining tips and tricks! AllModern is of my favorite retailers, they always stock some of the most unique furniture and accessories that we’d all love. The best part of shopping with AllModern is the fast and free shipping.

In addition to this post, I’ve also curated a list of my favorite dining picks from AllModern and have included some of them in this post!

When it comes to the tablescapes, the most important thing is the actual table, of course. Before moving to the new house, I had a round dining table that accommodated only four people. With my big family coming into town, I knew I’d get a new one just before the holiday season. I found this Ludo Dining Table on AllModern’s site and knew it was the right one the moment I saw it. Once it arrived it was PERFECTTTT, it complimented my dining chairs beautifully. The chairs aren’t from AllModern but, here’s a link to a similar option.

Here’s the Ludo Dining Table table in my open space.

The table was not only the perfect oak tone but the perfect size to separate the living area from the kitchen. Although I currently use six chairs, I could easily place a chair at both ends of the table to fit eight people comfortably.

Build a Tablescape

My go-to tablescape consists of four layers:

Short floral arrangements or floral/greenery runner.
Candles.
Flatware, Serveware & Dinner Napkins.
Matching Glassware.

Floral Arrangements & Floral Greenery/Table Runner

When selecting floral arrangements for the tablescape, I always opt for a few smaller floral arrangements or a runner of florals/greenery instead of taller, more voluminous arrangements. The larger arrangements block the sightlines across the table and make it hard for you to converse amongst the table. I love larger floral arrangements, but there’s a time and a place for them.

For my table runner, I used fresh eucalyptus because it omits such a calming scent amid the many fragrant dishes shared at the dinner table. It also pulled the green tone from the rim of the salad plates, which is barely noticeable in these images, but you can see it in person. -I guess I’ll have to invite you over for dinner so you can see for yourself.

Candles

Igniting all the senses is essential when hosting, so I lit scented candles around the room. Also, I added candlesticks to the tablescapes, which created a festive ambiance to the overall vibe. But don’t stop there; feel free to use other types of candles, such as votives and tea light candles, in your tablescapes.

Flatware, Serveware & Dinner Napkins

When picking these elements, don’t feel pressured to ensure everything “matches,” but it should instead feel well-curated. To attain that well-curated look and feel, your flatware, serveware, and dinner napkins should all be contrasting in color, texture, and shape. I built the entire tablescape around these salad plates with hues of blue, green, black, and white. I also decided to use this edgy set of flatware from AllModern, but they’re no longer available. Here is a link to a similar option that is as equally stylish. The carefree knotted dinner napkins were the perfect color to pull the green out of the salad plate and brought so much texture to the overall tablescape.

MATCHING GLASSWARE

Since glassware is the easiest way to clutter a tablescape visually, I almost always opt for glassware that matches to create cohesion and a more streamlined look. I chose these refined Schott Zweizel glasses from the Pure collection. The red wine glass and water goblets looked so chic together!

Bar Cart Styling

Although I have a dedicated cabinet to store all of my wines and spirits, I love to pull out a bar cart when hosting. It is not only a great way to show off your lovely collection but a great way to create a designated drink station for your favorite signature cocktail. When styling your bar cart I recommend one bottle of each spirit, a couple of liqueurs, a bottle of white wine, red wine, and a bottle of sparkling wine, preferably Cava because I’m biased. But be sure to save room for glassware or find a bar cart like this Bradley Metal Bar Cart.

It has three shelves, one to display spirits, one for glassware storage, and the top shelf to store your bubbly in an ice bucket with extra surface area for you to whip up a cocktail in style rocks glasses like these on my bar cart.