Styling Tables for a Valentine’s Day Dinner Party

I got the best phone call the other day from a my favorite client of mine, G.  The task?  Styling two tables for a Valentine Dinner party ~ YES!  Have I mentioned that Valentine’s Day is my favorite holiday of the year??…

My next step was to gather information about the fete:  number of guests (18!), serving style (buffet) and location of the dining tables (dining room & kitchen).  I was already very familiar with the house because G and I have collaborated on several projects so I knew the color palette and her style. A tip:  keep in mind the existing wall color and décor of the rooms you working in because you want to compliment, not clash, with the space. Even for Valentine’s Day, large doses of bright red will not be the best fit for most homes ~ rather it is best to used as an accent. Try working in softer shades such as pink or peachy red instead.

I brainstormed and came up with a design then I got to work assembling and purchasing supplies.  I dashed off to the local fabric store to purchase a variety of tulles and chiffons in ivories, pinks and some reds. These colors would nicely complement the white linen under cloths.  Then I was off to the Hingham Fruit Center for materials for the centerpieces:  fleurs (of course), but also herbs and lettuce.

Finally, time to get to work at the site.  In the dining room, this is where we started:

The chandelier was already embellished from the Christmas season. I removed some of the ornaments but decided to add to the soft blues with my red hearts ~  the perfect combination…don’t you think?

Next I added the tulle from the fabric store.  I opted to go with the ivory because the red was just too jarring, much more romantic this way.  I always “cloud” my tulle, I dislike straight, neat edges.  When the plates are laid it creates a soft, almost ethereal feeling.

Someone in the house is loving my stylin’, excuse me, Bella the cat:

Thank you, G for relocating her…

On to the centerpieces…The fleurs are arranged in petite, low vases so eyes may meet across the table, making conversation a breeze.  I used five vases in total (odd numbers are best).  I adore  the red roses, they just say “I love you”. The frilly edge is a lettuce leaf along with thyme and a basil leaf for fragrance and interest.

I always like to add imaginative or fanciful  elements to the table setting as well.  In this case I used a small painting on an easel, letterpress cards with thematic words (i.e. Amore), and a few Valentine poetry books as well (yes, some poems were recited later in the evening!).

The candlelight makes everything come alive…softly…

On to table #2 in the Kitchen!

The tulle for this orange area was a soft pink/peach and it is lovely, if I do say so myself.

Everyone is dolled up for the party…

Handmade Valentines made a great accent on this table, adding a wonderful element of personalization and sentimentality.

I adore this arrangement with the red edged lettuce leaf, the color gives great depth to the roses…

Just wonderful!

I was even lucky enough to be invited to this lovely affair.   Thank you G and J, I had a marvelous time.  The dinner was delicious, the company divine, and I love you both!

“Hospitality is not about inviting people into our perfect homes;
It is all about inviting people into our imperfect hearts.”

Author unknown

xo,

Pamela

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