Holiday Table-scape Tips from Butler’s Pantry

The following decorating ideas were provided by Butler's Pantry Catering:

When hosting friends and family for the holidays, not only do you want to “wow” your guests with the menu, you also want your home to look festive and well-decorated for the season. Butler’s Pantry Director of Visual Design, Brian Blasingame, offers decorating tips for the holidays. 

• Establish a theme. With the holidays, many themes easily come to mind. Of course, you can get creative and expand on the traditional red and green holiday colors. For example, host a “Woodland Winter”- themed party, or a “Snowed In”- themed party… the possibilities are endless. 

• Set the mood with lighting and décor. Dim the lights in the room, and add color by hanging votive candles and colored ribbons throughout the room. For a Woodland Winter party, use nature-inspired colors such as green, brown or white. Your guests will feel like they’re walking in the woods at winter time.

• Decorate your buffet table. Elevate vases, candles, pinecones and greenery at varying heights. For example, wrap bark around a tall vase and add a succulent wreath around the bottom. Fill the vase with plenty of fresh evergreens. Add a mixture of tall candles to your buffet table with some votive candles for soft lighting. 

• Surround your punch bowl with a wreath of fresh nuts, like walnuts, chestnuts and pistachios. The hearty nuts will add depth and texture to your buffet table. You can also use colored ribbon to enhance the wreath.

• Continue the Woodland Winter theme in a corner of the room or down a hallway. Using Styrofoam, add twigs of varying heights and Christmas lights. Cover the lights and the Styrofoam with some artificial snow and add some fresh evergreens. Guests will feel like they’re walking along a snow-covered path in your home. 

 For more tips and decorating ideas this season, visit www.butlerspantry.com.