Here in the Deep South, a family event of any significance will certainly involve food. From baby showers to funeral, from Sunday dinners to visiting with an out of town relative, there is always food and a little fuss to go along with it.
We also want it “just so” when it is our turn to host. Sometimes we pull out the good dishes and other times, after agonizing a bit, we decide paper plates will do. We push all the tables in the house together to squeeze everyone in, we find tablecloths or clean sheets, and we put something in the middle of the tables to feel like we have decorated.
Maybe we just cut blooms from the yard and put them in an old vase passed down a long time ago or maybe it is just the sauce collection we bring out every time the whole herd comes over. There is not one brand that satisfies everyone! And those bottles are really colorful. Lots of family members gathered around the table, chewing on barbecue or just chewing the fat is one of life’s greatest celebrations, no matter what the occasion.
Every meal at home should be a beautiful celebration. It is the time to sit down, take a breath, and catch up with your loved ones. Morning starts are always hectic and some nights it might feel like it is all we can do to get something halfway nutritious on the table and get everyone to sit down at the same time. But when we do find those moments to share a meal, we need to recognize how significant that is. Adding small touches to the table will let everyone else know how special you think it is to be together.
Tablescapes do not have to be elaborate to elevate the home dining experience. Most of us do not eat on fine china every night with formal flower arrangements, tall candlesticks with burning tapers, place cards, and fancy-folded napkins. But it is nice to add a little something next to the salt and pepper. Flowers are an easy go-to. Grabbing an inexpensive bunch of flowers from the supermarket and arranging them in any vase you have on hand will look fabulous when nothing in the yard is blooming. Do not judge yourself harshly when you put together a bouquet of flowers. If you like the way it looks, the arrangement is perfect. Snipping greens from outside and weaving them down the middle of the table is easy too.
Lighting candles and dimming the other lights in the room takes the meal up a notch. Small votives are very casual and easy but every so often think about using the candlesticks you received when you got married but have reserved for fancy occasions. Everything looks better and tastes better in candlelight! An eye-catching bowl flanked by pretty candles or even plants is a nice setting to leave on the table every day. Fill the bowl with fruit, a shell collection, or just leave it empty to be enjoyed as a piece of art. Try not to let it become the catch-all for bills, junk mail, or schoolwork!
Cloth napkins are considered a luxury these days. But they are so much nicer than paper napkins and keep everyone’s hands so much cleaner at the table. Plain white, absorbent cloth napkins can be purchased in bulk. Buy a bunch for everyday use and just throw them in the wash with the rest of the dirty laundry. We agree that paper napkins are easier to deal with and are often good enough but using cloth napkins a day or two a week teaches your children how to use them and good table manners are always in style. A formal meal every now and then will give you opportunities to teach etiquette skills your children will appreciate later.
When you want to create a more sophisticated tablescape, consider using décor objects you have around your home. Books, artfully arranged, offer a good look, and can reflect the theme of your meal or just group them by color to add drama. Adding small, framed photos to the mix personalizes the meal in a unique way. Pictures of past adventures will delight your friends. The photos will be conversation starters and reliving memories is one of the best ways to spend an evening. Statuary can be tasteful additions to your table when not overdone. Bunnies in the spring, stars in July, and Santas in December are lovely. Fruit and vegetables and flowers scattered among greens elegantly highlight any season. A charcuterie centerpiece that your guests can nibble during the meal is one of our favorite trends right now. And a charcuterie dessert centerpiece can be a showstopper.
We must mention linens and textiles when we talk about tablescapes. Nothing is quite as beautiful as exquisitely woven textiles. Adding them to your table as a tablecloth, or in placemats and napkins, or just as a runner across the table, adds color and interest that is worth keeping in mind when planning a culinary experience.
We are lucky most days to find time to eat a nice meal at home, much less to create a fine dining experience. Often, it is easier to pick up fast food or microwave something and serve it on disposable everything. But sometimes it is worth the effort to cook a simple meal and set a pretty but uncomplicated table. Or at least put the takeout on a nice plate. Life is more beautiful because of the friends and family that sit at your table. Show them how much you value a meal shared together. And surprise them occasionally with a little napkin folding razzle dazzle!
Holly Harrison has been a licensed interior designer for over 35 years. Shannon Stage has spent nearly 20 years in the giftware industry. Together they own Sassy Bird Interiors in Bay St. Louis, Mississippi.
Sassy Bird Interiors
122 Court St., Bay St. Louis
228.344.3181
www.sassybirdinteriors.com
