Five Ways To Make Setting a Pretty Table Easier

Entertaining and having friends over does not need to be stressful. In fact, the more simple you keep things the more fun it is to welcome others over. Even if that means looking past the pile of toys in the living room or the bikes in the yard. I am learning to let go of “perfect” and embrace spending more time with people I love. While I am getting much better and forgoing the perfectly clean house before my girlfriends come over, I am still a lover of all things pretty and think a table shouldn’t be overlooked. In fact, a pretty table can distract from the mess in the rest of the house! This table took me ten minutes to plan and set. I wanted to share my go to tips to setting a pretty table. 1. Toss it on the Table: Not literally of course, but play around with what you want to use. I create a corner of the table like this and see what looks good together. I can see if it all goes well and if I think I should edit out or add more color.   2. Stick to Two Colors + One Color Pop Done Two Ways: Generally speaking, I like to pick two colors and create the table with those only. So I pulled all of my blue and white items. I knew hot pink would work well so that would be my pop. I always think you should use the pop in two ways. That way it is intentionally but still gives the jolt of color you want without going overboard. For this table, I will use the pop of hot pink in the flowers and the napkins. 3. Divide One Bouquet into two or three Smaller Bundles: I bought a beautiful bouquet of pink roses for only $5 at Trader Joes. By cutting them stems way down and dividing them into two small containers, they still look abundant and pretty and it’s a price performer. The trick is keeping the flowers very short so that they fill the small vases and this keeps them out of the way for conversations as well. The beautiful blue glasses that the roses are in were a HomeGoods find. I was so excited when I stumbled upon them because I already had the water glasses. 4.  Include Food in White Serving Dishes as Décor: Food is beautiful. Use it to your advantage. Set out easy to grab items that guests can serve themselves. I think a table with fresh bread, fruit or nuts always looks more welcoming and inviting. White serving dishes won’t compete with food. The pretty cake platter is a HomeGoods find. The chevron dish for the cream cheese is from Anthropologie.   5. Keep it Simple So You and Your Guests Can Enjoy   I honestly went bananas when I saw these placemats at HomeGoods. There is just something so striking about the pretty blue and white Ikat pattern. I love the square size, too. I hope these tips help you when you go to set your next table. And at the end of the day, it’s just about sharing good food with good friends. And here’s to letting go of everything in the house needing to be clean and perfect and to embracing more time with those we love. To see other post in the Five Ways Series just click below Make Neutral Spaces Shine Style a Small Foyer Style Bookcases Hang Art Above a Console Decorate With Wreaths Re-think The Closet *I have received free product from HomeGoods in  connection with my affiliation with Happy By Design. All styling and ideas are 100% my own. Always.