10 Tips for Creating a Stunning Dining Room Tablescape, According to Designers

Before you host your next dinner party or holiday gathering, you'll want to read these tips for styling a stunning table. From simple and elegant tablescapes to glamorous and vintage-inspired centerpieces and place settings, designers Cecilia Casagrande and Mimi Meacham are sharing their 10 best hosting tips and designer tricks to help make entertaining easy and beautiful.

To start, Cecilia Casagrande suggests creating ambiance. “For a warm ambiance, illuminate your table with tall candleholders. Make them skinny and at different heights so you don’t block the view, like these artisan-handmade copper ones.”

“Don’t be afraid of making it glamorous. Thanksgiving is special, so why can’t you add a touch of glamour? Try multiple metallic vases and rich floral colors. Add gold and brass wherever you can,” she suggests.

For a more budget-friendly table setting, Cecilia suggests keeping it simple. "Dress your table with an oversized bowl of fall fruit."

"For a great conversation starter try a vintage tablecloth. Don’t worry if it doesn’t fit — layer it and put it on an angle, like this gorgeous vintage Suzani cloth, which everyone at your table will want to know the story about it,” she says.

"Find some vintage table accessories to mix with a modern table and chairs, like these 1950s Italian fruit glass, tulip vase and brass candlesticks. Spread it all out and be sure to have various heights to your found objects," she explains.

Cecilia explains to have a cohesive look, you need to make it match. "Have fun matching your table arrangements to your furniture, like these green apples and green flowers to the green upholstered chairs."

Designer Mimi Meacham of Marian Louise Design says "clear any clutter! All of the stuff with no home that got put in the dining room throughout the year needs to be cleared out. Find a permanent home for it or purge, baby, purge! You want to have a clean, clutter-free dining room for your guests to feel comfortable in."

Mimi also suggests to "keep the flowers elegant and simple. Let the food and family make the biggest impact in the room and compliment with a few vases of fresh flowers. Try your local plant nursery or use some beautiful branches from your tree. Magnolia branches or hydrangeas and ranunculus are some favorites of mine."

"Change light bulbs, vacuum, dust, clean upholstery, rugs and window treatments. Nurture the dining room right before the season, since it will get a lot of attention and play time during the holidays," Mimi suggests.