Time to turn the tables
Suggestions to have your Christmas lunch looking really cool and elegant
Save the red and white for Valentine’s Day and try something different for your Christmas table this year.
Karen Heuer, manager of Lush Events Planner and a florist by trade, does a modern table set-up as aesthetically pleasing to the eye as your Christmas lunch will hopefully be.
Playing with hues of blue, white and dusky pink set against a floral backdrop as the main theme of the table setting, Heuer creates a look which is both simple yet undeniably elegant.
The table runner and napkins, taken from the Sarah May Floral Linen collection, boldly feature white flowers which are heightened by the white table cloth underneath.
She said the white creates a mental image of snow, despite South Africa, and certainly East London, almost always having a humid Christmas.
Alongside the cutlery are silver underplates which, together with the crystal glasses, add a touch of sophistication to the table.
Candles in glass holders plus dusky pink hydrangeas – popularly known as Christmas flowers – in a glass vase, complete the décor as the centrepieces.
Heuer said the set-up is inspired by the need for something elegant, slightly traditional but also new.
“I find that East London tends to be a bit old school and we’re just trying to bring out the new trends. I find it’s fresher and refreshing to change things a bit,” she said.
“I’ve done away with the clichéd red, green, white and gold and gone with new colours all together. The Christmas flower brings in something traditional to tie it together with the season. So there’s a little bit of tradition in there but with a twist. With Christmas you get the blue baubles and I’ve brought that element in, just in a different way. I love the overall look because yet it’s still elegant.”
For those working on a tight budget, Heuer has some tips. Buying flowers is not always necessary if one has a flower garden at home. With some trimming and a good looking vase, flowers from the garden can work as the perfect centrepiece.
No vase at home? Then clean glass bottles will do.
For underplates, old spray-painted vinyl records can be used. For this she said either silver or gold spray paint works best.
While the crystal glasses add elegance, normal champagne glasses can provide the same feel at a fraction of the cost.
If there is no table runner then a simple table cloth, with the blue-green leaves of a pennygum tree used along the centre, looks beautiful with some chocolates strewn on top.
“When it comes to table décor, less is definitely more. I love simplicity. Your table does not have to be busy at all, it really does not need to have too much going on in order for it to look beautiful,” she said.
“Another nice theme is a beach look. We’re on the coast so people can think tropical. Some people continue to mimic what’s being done in America and there’s really no need. They must be brave enough to go with something different and let their preferences guide them.” it’s not too formal and