*This post is in partnership with Town Center Crossing. All thoughts, opinions, and tips are my own.
Last Thursday night I had the pleasure of hosting some of you at Town Center’s Crate & Barrel for an evening of shopping, snacking, conversing, tablescaping, and selfie-ing.
I remember driving over to Town Center as a kid with my mom to shop for back to school or when we wanted something just a bit nicer than the offerings close to us. The center is filled with top brand stores for home, fashion, and great restaurants. It’s always been my favorite place to shop in the city and continues to be a destination for me. From Apple to Trader Joes, Janie & Jack to Crate & Barrel – I can get an assortment of gifts for anyone on my list and pick up groceries for the holiday party too.
Many of you wished to make it, but don’t live near, so I promised I’d break down my tips for you here. Let’s talk tablescapes. Putting together a table can appear very intimidating, but the truth is it doesn’t have to be hard. I think when you’re first starting out you need to consider 2 zones: the table setting and the centerpiece.
I usually start with the table setting because that’s typically what you already have in terms of dishes. It can usually be the most expensive thing to get, so it’s best to work with what you’ve got in that area. Pull out your dishes. If you only have one set, work off of that. If you have a few, see what you can mix together that excites you. I wanted to create something that was a mix of rustic, industrial, and glam. So here I used a white plate and a more organic looking bowl. For the linens I brought in this very textural placemat and plaid napkins. The utensils are a hammered silver. To juxtapose those things I placed a gold, glittery starburst ornament in the bowls. I love a decorative detail at a place setting. It’s a touch that feels thoughtful and adds that holiday sparkle.
For the centerpiece I used these rustic, iron candlestick holders and put white tapers in them. The idea of the candles down the table is very traditional, but the material and shape of the holders isn’t. Then I took three of these gold leafed magnolia garlands to add more glam. They feel so great against all of the texture of the wood table and linens. Plus, the berries speak to the buttery leather of the chairs.
For the second table I went more traditionally modern. I started with the tablecloth and built from there. It’s fun to mix colors you wouldn’t expect to see at Christmastime and make them feel like holiday. I layered blue dishes on top of the green tablecloth. With a green napkin tucked into the dishes the combination works well. Layering the colors makes it feel intentional. The reason I use candlesticks quite often in centerpieces is because they add height and light without blocking people’s view. I also added some votive holders because the lower light shines up on peoples faces and gives the best glow. It’s magical, and people remember that magic. To dress up the greenery a bit I put in some silver garland. Sparkle makes everything festive this time of year.
I got a lot of questions about my outfit that night. The top and jeans are from Standard Style (the jeans are Baldwin, designed right here in KC). My shoes are a few years old. Here is the top in a different pattern and the jeans for those of you who don’t live in Kansas City.
Mid-Boomerang.
If you can’t tell, this is my younger sister, Kate. She used to be drug along to my musicals and operas. This had to be more fun than that, huh?
It was so lovely to finally meet some of you in person. The internet is amazing, but there really is nothing like one-on-one connection. People traveled aways to get there, but Micah’s grandma surprised me and definitely came the furthest…all the way from Lima, Ohio!
Let me know if you have any questions about the tables and how to put together a simple centerpiece in the comments below. I’d love to discuss!
For other styling tips + tricks go here.
All photos by Justin Salem Meyer.
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Hollie @ Stuck on Hue Pillows says
So funny to see Lima, OH, referenced. Many of my college friends were from NW Ohio, including one of my roommates, who was from Lima!
themakerista@gmail.com says
Fun!
Emily Kuhlman says
Ya look gorgeous, ya sexy thing! I’m sorry I had to miss it, I so wanted to come but I couldn’t get a sitter! xo! -Emily
themakerista@gmail.com says
You’re so sweet, wish I could have seen you! Happy New Year!