With a frantic pace of running after a toddler and trying to get my work done, I often forget to slow down and enjoy the people I love. Friends and family are so important and it can be a great pause from our hectic lifestyles when we invite them over for a meal.
I have to admit, the best part of entertaining for me is setting the table. I like to have an element of surprise in my design. And you don’t have the break the bank to do it. I recently welcomed a friend home from a trip to Africa with a lunch that had a bit of a global beat to it. I couldn’t wait to hear all her travels tales!
I found jaw-dropping items recently at Target and knew I needed to add them to my tabletop for this dinner. The great thing about the items I bought is that they can work in a variety of ways. My idea for the table began when I was at Target and saw a pair of hurricane candles made of mango wood, metal, and glass. Everything else that went into my cart worked with the safari global look I was trying to create. I then found a smoky colored vase with a lovely gold rim, blue napkins with a small fringe, and a tray that went perfectly with my hurricane candles. The coup d’état were the brass giraffe’s that Nate Berkus created for Target. I actually found them in the stationary section of the store – it pays to look everywhere! I plan to eventually use them in my son’s bedroom for his desk, but for now, they are going on my dining room table.
Products
Corelle Livingware Winter Frost White Dinner Plate | Riedel Vivant Merlot Tumblers | Threshold™ Square Rim Bowl in White | Threshold™ Chambray Napkin with Fringe in Blue | Threshold Vase in Smokey Brown Glass | Carved Wood Tray with Silver Handle | Threshold™ Mango Wood Abstract Pillar Holder in Small | Torre & Tagus Prime Palm Wax Pillar Candle in Ivory | Nate Berkus™ Decorative Giraffe Figure in Gold
3 Tips for a Global Table:
1. To keep it easy the day of your soirée, organize everything on a tray you can later use for serving.
2. Bring the outdoors inside. I did this with jasmine vines from the garden and wood hurricane candle holders that look like they could be on a safari.
3. Find something that represents the place you are trying to evoke. I chose brass giraffe’s to add height and warm up the table.
I always like to set the table ahead of time so I can concentrate on making a fabulous meal. I try to use a variety of flowers, but you can also just cut greenery from your garden. It’s the extra effort that makes the table look fresh and alive. Plain white plates and bowls from Target mix nicely with whatever you’re trying to create. We might not be going on a safari, but the safari can certainly come home with us!
Photos by Andrea Posadas