Instantly Prettify Your Kitchen Table
As the heart of any home, the kitchen deserves special attention when it comes to decor. The kitchen table in particular should reflect your personal style while remaining highly functional. Whether used for quick weekday meals or slower Sunday brunches, a beautifully decorated table can transform the entire kitchen.
Read on as we share our favorite ideas for instant table makeovers that don't require hours of effort. With a few simple tweaks and affordable accents, you'll be dining in style at your stunning new table in no time.
Craft Quick Yet Stunning Centerpieces
An eye-catching centerpiece anchors the look of your kitchen table, acting as a focal point amidst the dishes, food, and other items. When choosing centerpieces, scale them appropriately to your table size so they provide presence without impeding functionality.
Everyday DIY Centerpieces
For casual daily meals, opt for budget-friendly DIY pieces incorporating natural beauty. A mason jar or empty vase filled with fresh blooms from your garden costs next to nothing. Seasonal fruits like lemons and limes also make cheery centerpieces. Forage your backyard or neighborhood for interesting sticks, dried seed pods, colorful leaves, and other finds to artfully arrange. Dollar store vases, candles, and other containers offer inexpensive bases you can fill with foraged elements to complete the look.
Statement Centerpieces
When prettifying your table for special gatherings with friends and family, craft a bolder statement with your centerpiece. Use a large transparent vase or ceramic urn as the foundation for a dramatic display of flowers, greens, and other natural items. Incorporate eye-catching blooms like giant dahlias or exotic orchids for serious wow factor. For holiday meals, create seasonally appropriate centerpieces using found organic materials. Think bare branches and dried hydrangeas for fall tables, fresh spring buds and tulips in the springtime, or sparkling holiday accents atop evergreen clippings and berries during the winter months.
Layer Table Runners and Placemats
In addition to your fresh centerpiece, inject color, pattern, and texture with table runners and coordinating placemats. Table runners draw the eye down the length of the table while protecting the surface from spills and scratches. For everyday use, try leather, burlap, or easy-clean woven placemats. Up the elegance for more formal occasions by layering linen runners and lace placemats. With loads of colors and patterns to pick from, it's easy to find tablescape layers aligning with your kitchen's motif. Change them out seasonally or swap in pieces matching your dinnerware to keep things looking fresh.
Set the Mood with Lighting
The right lighting casts a warm glow over your perfectly decorated table, enhancing the ambiance. Candles and table lamps infuse cozy, intimate lighting. Try a mix of pillar and taper candles in glass holders at varying heights for dimension. Position an antique table lamp or modern geometric version off to one side. Install pendant lighting over the center of your eat-in kitchen table for even and focused illumination. Opt for vintage inspired Edison bulbs, a spunky sputnik fixture, or sleek Scandinavian showstopper. Dimmer switches allow you to control the brightness, from a moody romantic glow to well-lit workspace. No matter what your style, adjustable overhead lighting opens up endless possibilities for customizing your table's atmosphere.
Rethink Dining Chairs and Furnishings
Most kitchens have standard dining chair sets offered by furniture brands. However, sourcing unique chairs gives you the freedom to express personal flair. Flea markets and secondhand stores allow you to curate one-of-a-kind seating at budget prices. If your current chairs are structurally sound but looking worn, apply a fresh coat of paint using colors pulled from your kitchen scheme. Then upholster the seats in fabric complementary to your updated palette for a custom look. For additional visual expansion in a small eating area, hang mirrors along the wall behind your table. Their reflective qualities give the illusion the room is larger than it really is. Trays, baskets, and additional surface space in the form of a sideboard or buffet table also come in handy for organizing dining essentials.
Style Your Table for Daily Use
Prettifying your kitchen table doesn't stop when the dishes have been cleared. Style your tabletop so it remains Instagram-worthy in between meals and entertaining. Keep decor consistent with accents found elsewhere in your kitchen. Opt for ceramic planters, wooden bowls filled with fruit, and decorative boxes to organize napkins, placemats, coasters, and other tablescape layers. When the table isn't in use for eating, fill empty spaces with stacked dishes, cookbooks, vases, and seasonal decorative touches. Just be sure to remove extraneous items when dining to allow enough functional area to enjoy a meal.
It's remarkable what a dramatic difference some simple decor additions and tweaks can make when transforming your kitchen table. In mere hours or less by following the easy tips we outlined, your lackluster table turns into a Pinterest-worthy focal point rather than an afterthought. Use our guides to centerpieces, runners, placemats, lighting, and creative touches to amplify form and function. By prettifying your kitchen table, you set a warm and welcoming stage ready to host everything from hectic school-day dinners to extended family feasts.