Return of the dinner party: 4 ways to nail your tabletop styling
Melbournians, rejoice! With restrictions set to ease, we are itching to get our entertaining shoes on. More specifically, our dinner party shoes.
For some of you, hosting a dinner party may be the epitome of excitement. You’ve been itching to entertain, to create the feast of all feasts and to pop the champagne and let the bubbles flow. For others, the mere thought of all that preparation (particularly after such a long hiatus) may induce uncontrollable sweaty pre-dinner party anxiety.
While we can’t provide the charcuterie board and roast (although we daresay that a catering company can help), we can give you a few tips on how to blow your guests away with your dinner party styling. So, get your wine glasses out and gather friends and family (within current number allowances, of course) and let the good times roll.
Images courtesy of The Style Co.
Invest in good dinnerware
Unless you’re going for those “casual outdoor barbeque” vibes, stay away from paper plates. Even if you are entertaining outdoors, pull out that fancy dinnerware! After all, what else are you saving it for?
If you don’t have any, we highly recommend investing in some beautiful pieces. Chances are you’ll be hosting more than one dinner party sometime in the near future. Trust us, it’s worth it. Choose designs that can be used again and again, rather than going for the trendiest, most “in” dinnerware. Do you need to buy a matching set? That’s completely up to you. Sets can create simplicity and beautiful cohesive dinner table styling. But they can also be a pain to replace in the future if you happen to chip a plate or two later down the track. Why not take a page out of your local café joint and mix and match? Whatever you choose, be mindful of the practical aspect too. Nothing against fine bone china, but having dishwasher-friendly options will make clean-up a breeze.
Choose proper lighting
We’re sticklers for good lighting, and you should be too! No matter the space or what occasion, lighting is one of the most important elements in your interior. It’s crucial for setting the right mood – dinner parties in particular! Your guests won’t want to be shrouded in darkness when eating (unless dining in the dark is the theme). Nor would they want to feel like every little bit of spinach stuck between their teeth is on show from an unflattering flood of downlights. Use a combination of different lighting to create the perfect ambience - a tasteful combination of pendant, lamp and downlights are sure to do the trick. You can even top it off with a few candles (preferably not scented as these can interfere with your drool-worthy menu).
It's all about the details
Whether you choose to theme your event or keep it simple is up to you. While there’s no right or wrong dinner party theme (it’s your opportunity to get creative, after all), we recommend keeping it in line with the season. Unless you’re going for a particular theme like "Winter Wonderland”, we’d stay away from going to heavy on the wintery tones and décor – particularly as we’re almost into summer. Opt for fresh tones and lighter colours to get everyone into the warmer weather mood.
So, how can you decorate your dinner table? The options are almost limitless. If you want to keep it simple, go for some lovely table linen and get whimsical with your centrepiece (or centrepieces – you don’t have to limit yourself to just one). Nothing says ‘special occasion’ like a crisp white tablecloth. Pair that with some gorgeous linen napkins and you’ve already got the basics of a stylish dinner table down pat. When it comes to centrepieces, cascading flowers in a vase, greenery arrangements, fairy lights and elegant candlesticks are your best friends. Place them on the table or on any surface in the room and your guests will never want to leave.
What’s on the menu?
Why not theme your dinner party décor to align with what you’re serving? This is something restaurants and cafes do all the time – and it’s easy to see why. Eating is an experience not limited to the taste buds. Providing a streamlined sensory experience where everything – from the food to the décor – is cohesive is guaranteed to create dinner party success.
We won’t tell you what to cook (or what to order if you’re going down the catering route), but a Mediterranean share-plate style dinner is always a good option if you’re stuck for ideas. Plus, having an array of share plates in the middle of the table will only add to the overall styling of your dinner party. You can even finish it off with a serve-yourself dessert station – because who wants just one slice of cake?