Tablescape: What are the Secrets to a Great Looking Table?

I was watching the Food Network, one of my favorite weekend activities, and was listening to this one show when all of the sudden the host said a word that I flinched at in bewilderment. Tablescape… no, not landscape but tablescape.

The best way I can explain this is, it’s a made-up term that gives identity to the act of making your dining room table look pretty for an occasion. Think about wedding receptions, the act of designing the elements to work cohesively: silverware, centerpieces, plates, chargers, glasses, accessories, napkins…the whole kit and caboodle.

So tablescapes would be a way to enhance a space and complete the design package when company arrives.

Here are a few things I gathered as ideas for a successful tablescape:

1. There are two major routes – a single focal point or multiple points of interest for each individual. This means either you can design the table with one large centerpiece that acts as a focus with surrounding details – or you can make a focal point for each individual – adding a fancy napkin ring or something like that.
2. With the first point in mind, you have to think about height and what you want the emphasis to be. Using multiple heights can add variety to the table. Think about a city skyline and how the beauty lies in the changing shapes, their varying height and the change in materials.
3. Like any good combination, you have to think about texture. The plates are most likely smooth – and the glasses may follow that route. So what are you going to do in order to add variety in texture to add interest? One idea is the napkin texture, perhaps a unique candlestick holder, or even individual unique chargers beneath the plates.
4. Color and sheen is the last component. This is absolutely important and sets the mood of the space (along with the lighting). For instance, if I want a summer table, I am not going to put down a black table cloth. If we are celebrating the holidays, candy red and evergreen may be the way to go, or maybe not. Try a path of mixed metallics that emphasize the reflection of the materials and will reflect candlelight.
5. To theme or not to theme…I can just leave that one there. If you are looking to be very literal, go for it with your accessories. If you just want a “pretty” table, keep it simple and classy.

In the end, a tablescape will have all the same basic design principles as if you are designing an interior. Do you do anything special to dress your table?

Outdoor Living Decor Can Transform Your Backyard

Over the last several years designers have been eager to push the concept of outdoor furnishings. There is a whole new look; structure and style that has taken place in the trend of spending time outdoors.

We have seen some evolution in the form-following function concept and the movement of indoor style taking on shape in our outdoor settings. There are familiar shapes, classics that were once for our living rooms that have been recreated in concrete, stone and teak, allowing them to exist outdoors without the fear of mother nature taking its toll on them.

Take, for example, designer Maya Lin, who has designed gorgeous painted “stones” for Knoll and the 60th anniversary celebration. These stones can be used both indoors and out and are a wonderful conversation piece! There are low elliptical table with a slightly convex top and elliptical stools in two sizes, each with a slightly concave seat. Stones are available in a range of colors and materials, including cast stone and molded polyethylene, with 100% recycled versions. Quoted from Maya Lin about her design:

“At the heart of this furniture collection for Knoll is my love for the land, which can be traced back to my childhood in the rolling hills of southeastern Ohio. It goes back to a childhood fascination we all have—that moment when you discover that the earth is round…and you walk around trying to see that curve.”

There has been a great attempt to experiment with new manufactured goods, like an ultra hardy fiber or mesh mixed with steel brass and woven metals. Design Within Reach has crossed the bridge in what they offer to consumers in innovated and creative designs, like the bubble sofa designed by Phillip Stark.

The chunky yet lightweight forms of the Bubble Club Sofa and Armchair remind us of classic Chesterfield styling in colorful, weatherproof, UV-resistant, roto-molded polypropylene. Rotational molding allows the polypropylene to have consistent wall thickness, stress-free corners and a lightweight, durable build.

On a much more cost competitive scale, these designs have been replicated and can be found at a variety of other stores. It is becoming that time of year again, and I recommend exploring your options for outdoor furniture. Consider the “funk” to be timeless. The origin of the designs are all based on the former knowledge of our indoor use now improved for outdoor living. Enjoy!

Finding the Right Dining Table

Everyone has some form of “dining area” in their home. Whether it be a countertop in your kitchen with a bar stool or a 12’ dining table that seats 10, we all find a way to eat and perhaps be social in and around the topic of food. Traditionally the dining table has been the daily social meeting place for family and friends. Sometimes these tables serve as multifunctional gathering areas for homework, an additional mail sorting table, or laundry folding area to name a few.

Considering these other functions is just as important as selecting your style and the size of the table. Here is a rough idea of size to keep in mind when you begin shopping – a 35” x 70” table will generally seat six people, or maybe eight for a squeeze at Thanksgiving.

The location of the table legs can be an important aspect to watch for. Where are your legs going to be if the table is often seating eight? Will your guests have to hover around a table leg? Consider a pedestal table which provides stability and more leg space.

Often times wood is considered a popular selection for a dining table. It is durable, can be resistant to staining and heat resistant (ask those questions before purchasing). If the table has a wax coating, it may have difficulty resisting the pan of lasagna that you just pulled from the oven. Glass surfaces can look great, but their transparency can be awkward for diners, as you can see beyond your plate of food into the laps and legs of your guests below. Children often have a tendency to leave mucky finger prints on the underside of the table, making this a constant effort in your cleaning regimen.

When it comes to shape, rectangular seems to make the most sense, especially if you plan to move to a new home at some point. This shape will be likely fit in most rooms. Round and oval tables look great, but often times require a large room to have easy traffic flow to navigate around the table. I personally have always wanted a round dining table to seat 8-10. When I draw that into a plan, and factor in the chairs, the room needs to almost be twice the size in length and width. Maybe someday…

Check out Canadel’s dining collection. Customize table tops, legs and finishes to create your very own custom look! ( Just be prepared, the lead times are 12-14 weeks and it ships from Canada. Well worth the wait!)

What type of dining room table do you just melt for?

Creating an Organic Feeling Environment

Organic, Natural, Environmentally friendly, these are all the buzz words we are hearing today. But what can you do to bring the organic look into your home? In the ideal world, a large open area with lots of windows would be a great way to bring in the organic look.

Now some of you may have this and some of you may not, so let’s start with the background color. This can make or break the overall feeling in the environment. Make your color scheme consistent with the colors of nature; beige, brown, white, light blues, light greens, stone, and grays. I recommend picking one of these colors for the paint on your walls. Possibly light beige, a color that might remind you of sand. Now, what to do with the rest of the room?

For a dining room, I recommend light colored or painted white woods. The area to pop the other “nature” colors might be on the seat fabrics. Bringing in light greens and blues mixed with white and browns are ideal to make the room pop. Try a beautiful oil painting of a water scene over a buffet or on an open wall. Keep the window treatments light and airy; possibly not use any at all! Soft linen drapes in a white might be a perfect solution, but do not use this color if it is the same color of your walls because a soft contrast is needed here. Repeat the soft colors used in the room through the dishes, glasses and/or vases. And most importantly, don’t forget the table centerpiece! Some soft greens foliage, a bowl with sea shells or stones, possibly even candles may work perfectly here.

As for the bedroom, I would recommend light colored wood, painted white wood, bamboo, or wheat board for the furniture. The bedding would be the perfect opportunity to bring in the beautiful blues and greens found in nature. Texture can also add to the feeling such as using linen or soft cottons. Wood, bamboo, or tile floors would look great in here with a sisal rug. Wall art should be simple with a skinny frame or even frameless, but don’t forget to make sure there is some color! Keep the lamps light, possibly with a glass base and a white shade without any details. Simple picture frames, greens, or candles would be the perfect finishing touch for the nightstands.

Finally for the living room, always look at the largest piece of furniture you will need. Typically this is the sofa and is a great start to building the atmosphere of your room. A beautiful crisp white sofa will bring a light organic feeling to an environment. Then placing colored pillows in blues, greens, beiges, stone or grays is a great start to bring in the colors of nature. For the coffee, end tables, and entertainment console remember to keep the wood light colored or painted in light colors. Simple accessories that remind you of nature are great for adding to the feeling to the room. How about some large coffee table books with photographs of the ocean, lighthouses, or the outdoors? Simple candles can be placed in a large charger with stones or shells covering the bottom. Bowls are a great place to add natural textured accessory balls. Finally, finish off the room with a beautiful seascape painting, photography of outdoor places, or flower prints.

Enjoy your Organic Feeling Room!