Adding colour and pattern to your tablescape

HOW TO CURATE A COLOURFUL TABLESCAPE

CONSIDER TEXTURES WITHIN COLOUR

We'll always consider texture when it comes to designing a tablescape. This is a great way to add depth to a look and avoid it feeling flat. This works especially well when you're designing in a very limited colour palette as well. For a colourful palette it allows you to introduce new colours without it feeling too intense. For example, a colour can be introduced in the edging of a napkin or charger plate, a flash In the handle of cutlery or perhaps a water glass. You can have a lot of colour without having large blocks of colour.

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ADDING PATTERN TO YOUR TABLESCAPE

Pattern is one of our favourite ways to introduce colour without it being blocky. Stripes, florals and playful patterns are all amazing bases for table linen. If the base of the linen is pale and the pattern colourful, this is really fun and allows you to pick up the colours within the linen elsewhere. A lot of people think pattern isn't for them, but there are so many options out there and incredible linen suppliers. It also can be seen in smaller areas such as a napkin, your menu or name cards, candlesticks or napkin holder - you don't have to have a fully patterned tablecloth, although they really can look amazing.

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WORKING WITHIN A PALETTE

Deciding on a colour palette right from the start is so important. It should be your guiding light and something you constantly refer back to. Even when a client isn't looking for an overly colourful look, we still would have at least 6 colours within a palette even if this is actually 2-3 colours in varying shades. We then refer back to this time and time again, with every decision from tableware to florals to stationery to chairs. We find it gives us a great basis to work from.

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COLOUR DOESN'T ALWAYS MEAN BRIGHT

This can be a misconception – a tablescape can be full of colour without being overly bright. It’s all about the palette you choose (more on that later). Unless the theme is all out rainbow, then we tend to stick with a few colours. You can go with moody tones, rich colours, pale pastals - whatever your tonal range is, if you're keeping it fairly tight then it can avoid it feeling overly bright and garish. A more muted palette with a pop of a brighter colour or metallic such as yellow or gold can feel very elegant.

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ENSURING BALANCE

It's really important to balance your colours. For example if you love colourful tableware for example, you may want a plainer table linen. Or if you'd like a coloured or patterned table linen, bring in larger blocks of neutrals in your crockery, charger plate and glassware. Introducing the colour with pops on edges of napkins, patterns or perhaps a colourful candlestick allows you to give the impression of a very colourful table without it feeling too full of colour. We're always aiming for elevated and chic, not too primary or intense.

TYING IT ALL TOGETHER

When you have your palette decided on, ensure that you're really considering where each colour comes in. We find that having the colour repeated at least twice is important. For example if you have an amber tone, this may be seen in a water glass and then again gold on the edge of a charger or in the cutlery. If there's a blush pink, perhaps this is seen on a napkin and then one of the flowers. Don't forget your menu as well - it;s a brilliant time to bring in a big pop of colour but as it's an item that's removed fairly soon on, it can be bolder or playful with pattern.