simple tips for an easy spring tablescape

It’s hosting season! Here are a few simple tips for an easy spring tablescape!

1. Tips + Tricks Easy Tablescape: Think in Terms of Diverse Layers
More on this below, but bring in layers with various colors, fabrics, and more for the table. It helps create interest in different ways, from table runners and napkins to paint, chargers, and more. The more varied and interesting it is, the more inviting and fun it can feel. Start with a good base, and build on what you love.

2. Tips + Tricks to an Easy Tablescape: Say Goodbye to Matchy-Matchy.
In our last home, my largest table held ten spaces. Did my plates all match all the time? Nope. They don’t have to. In fact, some of the more interesting pieces will happen when they’re diversified or mismatched and pieced together. This is where the fun layering bit from above comes in! In the past, for big gatherings, I’ve collected plates over time. And then alternated the layers, so that multiple looks can work well together.Pssst: this is the matchiest tablescape I’ve ever done, and it’s only because I shocked myself and had enough plates that day

The key is repetition, so that it looks intentional. You can have the same look by finding subtle similarities in the things that you use and unifying them. It helps to keep the vibe fun, easygoing, layered, and interesting. See more unexpected tablescapes here!

3. Tips + Tricks to an Easy Tablescape: It Doesn’t Have to Be Expensive.
Best advice I was given right before we got married? Don’t register for fine china. So I didn’t. In the south, I may as well have told everyone I don’t like sweet tea and slapped someone’s grandma. People weren’t sure what to do with me, even though I had registered for practical things. But really, it just never was my style to throw staunch tea parties or keep a china cabinet on display of things we’ll never use. So I ended up with a lot of heavy crystal and Arthur Court {remember that one?} instead, which I exchanged for my everyday plates. Which I still have.

See more of this one, here!

It’s something I’ve never regretted. I do love collecting fun plates, glasses, and napkins galore for photoshoots and entertaining. I have plenty to work with. But if I’d been stuck with fine china, I can guarantee you I would never have used it, and then I would have felt terribly guilty about that. All of the finds you see here, every single one, have been collected over time. They’re all from Target, Amazon, and Walmart. I think there’s something about mixing them up that makes them feel eclectic and fun.
more of this one, here

These are all affordable pieces that really bring a table to life. Layered together, it brings a richer meaning to the word community than matching fine china that would still be collecting dust. They also make for good stories when people ask where I got them, since most of them are actually paired with a ridiculous adventure or two. It’s just a different way of looking at it, but it’s worth considering. Take the pressure off and enjoy creating with layers and diversity.

Check out these bunny ear napkin rings, here!
4. Tips + Tricks to an Easy Tablescape: Centerpieces Can be Practical.
Grocery store flowers! We’ve said it a million times. These are so great! In the spring, you’ll find them paired with fresh cuttings from our own yard. Each year, I’m a haphazard gardener, and pull from the beautiful roses in our yard, and the zinnia seeds that I love to plant. It’s growing each year. They make for lush additions when you add greenery, and even the tulips can be fun. Trader Joe’s + Publix + Fresh Market for the win.

When it comes to flowers, check out a post here where we shared 1 bouquet 5 ways: it shows some diverse and easy ideas with none other than grocery store flowers. It’s all in the presentation, y’all. We believe in treating yoself around the home, and this is the fastest way to brighten up your spirits with some fresh flowers.

5. Tips + Tricks to an Easy Tablescape: It Doesn’t have to Be Neutral.
Clearly, we don’t do neutral. And even if you prefer it, you can still put a pretty spin on it all with a touch of color, as seen above. Color should be embraced and celebratory. We find that people default to neutrals because they usually don’t possess knowledge of color. The only way to gain that knowledge is by dabbling in it. You don’t have to be afraid of color, so the more you bring to the table, the more vibrant it will be. Think in terms of tying it together in various ways, along with colors that work well together. You never know what combos you’ll find!

Check out all the details behind this one, here!
6. Tips + Tricks to an Easy Tablescape: Have Fun!
We believe in letting your personality shine and enjoying it all. And when that happens, it gets a little easier. Enjoy the process, and let ideas come naturally. There’s no reason to get caught up in those old school rules of proper table settings, because while your grandmother’s table is lovely, it’s also quite exhausting to feel like you’re constantly being judged if the fork isn’t in the right position, and your napkins aren’t folded properly.

Life’s too short to fuss over proper fork placement. Do what you love, and leave the stressful stuff in 1956. So these are our top tips for an easy-peasy tablescape… we hope these got your wheels turning. Don’t let fear or intimidation or traditional {ridiculous} rules hold you back. You’ve totally got this.