A beautifully decorated party table has the power to be the focal point of your next fete. Do you keep it simple with one centerpiece? Do you cover it in portion-sized edibles that guests can grab and go? Is there such a thing as over-decorating? While the answer to these questions may ultimately come down to personal preference, today we’re sharing some stunning party decor ideas. Bonus tip: don’t hesitate to get creative with the wall behind your party table!!

From centerpiece ideas to incorporating cocktails into your party spread, keep reading for a slew of photos and decor ideas. Because if you’re wondering how to decorate a table for a party, you just might be surprised by how easy it is to get an abundant look, even on the tightest of budgets! For some extra fun, there’s a cocktail recipe if you keep scrolling. Cheers to that!…

*Photos and styling by Kate Simmons for Decoist

The Big Picture

Will your party table be used mostly to hold party decor? Will it be a buffet table where guests can access the food at all times? Perhaps it’s a little bit of both. Even if it’s purely functional, you can always make this party hub a destination with a few pretty touches.

For starters, what’s behind your table?! Try creating a beautiful backdrop with the help of balloons, paper fans and other decor. If you can make it easy, even better! For example, ordering a bundle of balloons in a specific color family (such as blue) gives you an array of tones for a reasonable price. Much more affordable than buying full bags of every shade and only using a portion of them. Aren’t the paper fans the prettiest shade of teal?! You can secure the balloons with pushpins, or if you don’t want a wall full of holes, try using balloon decorating strip for easy assembly and display.

If you’re curious about the “living” plant wall in today’s photos, check out our Decoist tutorial for crafting your own!

Your Party Centerpiece

Your party centerpiece may be as simple as a potted plant or as ornate as a row of eye-catching objects. A vase of flowers always gets the job done. Bonus points if they’re the guest of honor’s favorite!

Don’t hesitate to let your party supplies double as decor. For example, a container of party straws=instant festivity.

Even supplies such as party napkins can help establish the color story for your fete and add fun touches of pattern to your event. Blue and white stripes instantly channel a breezy summer vibe. Like the balloon bundle featured in the previous section, these Frenchie Striped Napkins in Cobalt are from the Oh Happy Day Shop!

Party Consumables

Displaying food and beverages is an easy way to give guests quick access to the consumables. Not to mention, it creates a beautiful spread on your party table! Pre-mixing cocktails and setting out a batch just before the first wave of guests arrives is always festive and fun. The look is decadent yet accessible.

To keep the flow smooth (and give yourself plenty of time to mingle without having to be on drink duty), consider having a separate bar area where party guests can later get their own refills. Setting out an easy-to-follow recipe takes the guesswork out of the mixology. Keep it simple by choosing cocktails that only consist of a few ingredients.

Ready for an easy drink recipe?! Try a blood orange mimosa!…

Blood Orange Mimosa

4 oz orange juice

2 oz blood orange soda

champagne 

fruit slices for garnishing

If you have fresh-squeezed blood orange juice, even better! All you’ll need is champagne to top it off. But if you don’t have access to blood oranges, the combination of regular orange juice and blood orange soda will do the trick. Keep in mind that soda can have a syrupy, medicinal taste when mixed with champagne, so the key is to add one part blood orange soda to two parts orange juice. Top with champagne and you’re set!

This easy party drink is perfect for adapting into a mocktail. Use carbonated water to thin out the juice and soda, and you have a refreshing treat that’s as beautiful as it is delicious.

Cheers to a party table that’s equal parts affordable and fabulous!! Thanks for reading.

You're reading How to Decorate a Table for a Party, originally posted on Decoist. If you enjoyed this post, be sure to follow Decoist on Twitter, Facebook and Pinterest.

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You know you’re a design lover when you visit a new restaurant and spend more time staring at the decor than the menu! And why shouldn’t you?! Interior design can be absolutely grand in culinary spaces. The surroundings may be larger-scale, providing a showroom of possibilities for combining eye-catching elements. Even smaller spaces can provide inspiration for decorating a compact home.

So take a look around. In addition to the benefit of a delicious meal, restaurants can provide a feast for the eyes! Today we feature three spaces that illustrate the beauty of restaurant design, and we share ways to bring each look home. Bon appetit and happy decorating!

Amara at Paraiso in Miami

Amara at Paraiso is so very Miami! From the food to the decor, this restaurant located on Biscayne Bay features cuisine with a Latin American influence and an exquisite interior by Meyer Davis Studio. Ocean-hued concrete tile, light wood, earthy pendant lights and plenty of indoor greenery create a dining space as alluring as the sea. And let’s not forget the tropical wallpaper that rivals some of the most iconic banana leaf prints… [photos by Nick Garcia via Eater Miami]

To get Amara at Paraiso’s tropical look at home, consider adding a few beachy touches. For starters, it never hurts to create a wallpapered accent wall that brings the beauty of tropical greenery to your interior. Below we see Catalina Palms from Etsy shop Wallpaperie:

Next, add some earthy pendant lights. Woven pendants are a top trend, so you can find them at a variety of retailers. Serena and Lily’s Headlands Bell Pendant is undeniably modern, yet the textured look created from woven rattan creates a breezy feel:

Modern dining chairs in light wood are so versatile. They work beautifully in Amara at Paraiso’s clean-lined space, as do the potted trees that grace the stunning interior. But for a smaller touch that can instantly channel a summer vibe, try incorporating a set of green highball glasses into your drinkware. These Iris Sage glasses from Artland Inc. are available through Hayneedle:

Café No Sé in Austin

Light, airy, and filled with beautifully curated decor, Austin’s Café No Sé is the more casual (but no less delicious) eatery in the South Congress Hotel. Located in the heart of Austin, TX, this dining space designed by Studio MAI features white-washed wooden panels, eye-catching tile, abstract art, gold-toned light fixtures, and plenty of open shelving. Other highlights include wicker chairs and reclaimed wood tables, which contribute to the space’s warm feel. [photo from Eater Austin]

There are so many ways to create this laid-back, well lived-in look, including an abundance of potted plants. Look for planters that feel like they have a bit of history, such as vintage pieces or pots with a worn look. [photo below by Anna Mazurek]

Terrain has some beautiful selections, such as these Earth Fired Clay Low Sill Pots and Saucers:

Wicker chairs are another way to create a textured, modern look. This isn’t your grandma’s wicker from the ’80s! Streamlined forms achieve a contemporary feel, but with plenty of earthy style. CB2’s Chord Woven Back Dining Chairs are a lovely possibility:

The gorgeous abstract paintings featured at Café No Sé are from talented artist Diana Presley Greenberg. Learn more about her work here. [photo below from Briana Balduci via StarChefs]

Those on a tight budget can bring abstract art home with the help of sites such as Society6 and Etsy. For example, the Etsy shop of artist Christen Ilacqua features some beautiful modern selections, such as Seaglass, shown below:

Auberge du Soleil in the Napa Valley

Warm tones abound at the picturesque Auberge du Soleil in Napa Valley. The look and feel of this beloved resort blends contemporary style with the romance of the south of France. The restaurant and resort overlook the sprawling valley, providing the perfect backdrop for reveling in beautiful design. Whether you’re dining at the Restaurant or at the Bistro and Bar, it’s the wine country views that takes center stage. [photo via OpenTable]

While enjoying a glass of wine and gourmet cuisine, it’s impossible not to notice the beautifully appointed poolside retreat below, filled with classic nods to outdoor living. Getting the look requires canopied seating, plenty of stripes, and beautiful potted plants. Expansive views are a bonus! [photo from USA Today/10Best]

Start with comfy, canopied seating. This Belham Living Brighton Outdoor Daybed and Ottoman includes the bolsters and back pillows, but you’ll need to add your own canopy and throw pillows…

…which is easy to do when you have throw pillow options as eye-catching as this Caitlin Wilson Balo Stripe Pillow from Anthropologie. The tassels are the perfect touch:

Since natural beauty is the star feature at Auberge du Soleil, use an abundance of potted plants to channel the lush look and feel. Once again, Terrain provides the perfect selections, complete with scalloped charm:

We hope today’s post has inspired you to bring delicious restaurant design home. Cheers!

You're reading Let Restaurant Design Inspire Your Next Home Makeover, originally posted on Decoist. If you enjoyed this post, be sure to follow Decoist on Twitter, Facebook and Pinterest.

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The beauty of a wall hanging is its ability to define a room’s color story. By juxtaposing yarn of different hues, you create a rich palette that can inspire the design of the entire space. Today’s easy wall hanging features colors in the blue, green and teal families, creating a jewel-toned, cool-toned finished product that is soothing and visually interesting at the same time. However, you can use the basic crafting process to showcase any collection of colors that you choose.

 

 

Since the process is super simple, try putting your focus on texture. Fuzzy and frayed is the name of the game! Keep reading for instructions and plenty of visual inspiration…

Wall Hanging Project Supplies

Yarn and ribbon are your friends for this easy project! Here’s a full list of what you need to create your own wall hanging:

• yarn in the colors of your choice
• ribbon (optional)
• a wooden dowel
• scissors

Make sure you include at least one yarn selection that adds texture to the project. Don’t shy away from yarn that you wouldn’t typically purchase. While it may look extra bold in the ball or skein, you’ll only be using it in a few key places. It may take on a totally different look and feel when added to the wall hanging!

You can also include ribbon to add variety in texture and shine. You can modify the ribbon with a pair of scissors for a different look (more details below).

Ready to get started?!…

Project Steps

Now that you have what you need, it’s time to create your wall hanging. Be prepared to spend at least a few hours on the project. Patience is key, but the process itself couldn’t be easier. Here are the project steps:

1. Prepare your yarn and ribbon. Cutting your yarn into long pieces is a good place to start. Get an idea of the length by hanging the yarn over your dowel, and trim accordingly. Now is also the time to texture or fray the ribbon you’ve purchased. Though not essential, it can be fun to create a more weathered look through strategies such as removing the edges/border of the ribbon. The look is less polished and wonderfully worn, as shown below.

2. Gather a cluster of yarn (5 pieces will do) and create a section of your wall hanging.  By folding the yard in half, then creating a loop and pulling the ends through, you can secure your yarn to the dowel.

One great strategy is to drape the yarn over the dowel, and pull the ends of string through the loop:

3. Repeat this process all the way across the dowel, switching yarn and ribbon colors as you go. For thicker pieces of yarn and ribbon, you may only need to use 1-3 pieces in each knotted section to create a full effect.

Have fun alternating colors and experimenting with the length of each large section. Don’t feel the need to achieve perfect symmetry or to follow tidy patterns such as “5 teal loops/knots, 5 blue loops/knots”. There is beauty in the imperfection.

4. Give your wall hanging a haircut. When you’ve finished adding yarn and ribbon to your wall hanging, it’s time to trim the ends. Rather than trying to achieve a perfectly straight edge, simply focus on trimming away extra long pieces and creating an overall sense of balance.

5. Attach your wall hanging to the wall of your choice and enjoy! Many find it helpful to hang the dowel in place before crafting the wall hanging, so you are attaching the yarn to the dowel in the exact location where it will end up. However, others may craft the wall hanging while it’s lying flat. If you haven’t yet attached your dowel to the wall, now is the time! Enjoy the fruits of your labor and take in all of the vivid color!

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