How to Make a Tablescape

Select a color scheme for your tabletop decor. This will often depend on the theme of your tablescape. If you are creating a tablescape for everyday decoration in your dining room, then match the colors of the tablescape with those of the dining room decor. For a wedding, stick with the color scheme of the dresses, flowers and other decor. For a fall theme, such as Halloween, use fall-inspired colors, and use light, bright colors for a spring theme such as Easter.

Cover the table with a simple tablecloth. If you have a beautiful wood table and you don't want to hide it away, leave the tablecloth off for a more rustic feel. This is especially suited to fall tablescapes.

Plan to take up no more than one-third of the table space with your decorative elements. Your guests need somewhere to place their food and drink without sending your beautiful decor flying. Place a table runner down the center of the table, and restrict your tablescape to this area.

Match decorative place mats and coasters with the table runner. Use oranges, rusty reds, browns, deep yellows and dark greens for a fall display. Use light greens, soft yellows, creams and white with splashes of delicate, pastel colors for a spring or summer display. White and silver creates a frosty feel for a winter display, or use colors such as rich berry reds, deep greens and golds for a warmer feel reminiscent of roaring fireplaces and Christmas cheer.

Set each place with plates, cutlery and glassware and add decoratively folded napkins next to each place setting.

Add the basic items that will make up your tablescape. Flower arrangements and candles are suitable for any theme, but the type of flowers you use and the colors and scents of candles should reflect the time of year. For example, use yellow and white candles with scents such as freshly mown grass or a summer breeze with daffodils in the spring and roses in the summer, and red and brown candles with scents such as orange and cinnamon with mums in the fall or frankincense and myrrh with poinsettias or paperwhites in the winter.

Build your tablescape up with items that suit the theme or time of year. For example, colorful Easter eggs, chocolate bunnies and little chicks for an Easter theme; pinecones, pumpkins, chestnuts and acorns for a fall theme; Christmas decorations and sprigs of holly for a Christmas tablescape.

Finish with a scattering of sequins or glass pebbles for extra sparkle.