Why It Works Wednesday- Complimentary Earthy Goodness In This Backyard BBQ Table Setting
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06.12.2013 8:30 am
I have a real thing for table settings, when done right, setting a table properly and creatively as can be is practically art in and of itself. When guest are presented with the {reception} room for the first time, rest assured that after the awe of the whole picture subsides, the very next thing they are looking at are your tables! One of my most favorite boards that I curate on Pinterest focuses expressly on the art of the table setting which I have dubbed, Elegance of Table Setting. Designing ones tables for an event is a true art but with a bit of help and design breakdown, you’ll soon enough be seeing the saucers through the forest of plates, if you know what I mean!
There has been the most chic, lovely & wondrous backyard BBQ place setting floating around for a bit now and I am super eager to discuss it on WIWW! This gorgeous dream of a setup has color harmony out the wazoo, gentle eye breaks in the form of texture & pattern, along with a beautifully organic touch! The full post can be found on OnceWed and as always I highly encourage you to head over to check it out! Let’s see this light beauty shall we!?
*Photograph by Robert Sukrachand
Color Theory: The first element to the entire setup that really resonates is the color harmony. Complimentary colors in the form of green & peach are the true stars here. The varying tones of each color beautifully jive with its neighbor as each is slighty lighter {or darker} then the next. The wonderful thing about the color scheme is that some elements, such as the rosemary sprig & some of the leaves in the planter box, contain a tonal range all within themselves! This vibrant collection of complimentary colors delivers a truly fresh & nirvana like state to any table set up. While the greens & peaches are spectacular, the mix of neutrals within the rest of the table serve to keep our lofty shades grounded! In just about any color match up, neutral colors are fair game. The rule of thumb here is simply to make sure that your tonal ranges match up. You’ll want the right kind of whites, the right deepness of blacks, and the right earthiness of your browns. Here, charcoal to true blacks are used, mixed with what I will call lived in whites. Tying it all together is the light beige table cloth which is the perfect balance between the deep blacks & light whites. Color harmony takes a lot of work, but when you get it right, there is nothing more glorious!
Pattern Party: Personally I am a huge proponent of patterns. In most cases, if I can throw in at least one pattern, I’m a happy girl. By design, patterns keep the eye moving, beautiful noise if you will, therefore the key is always pattern selection. Pick competing patterns and your eyes will cry, pick just the right combos and the sky’s will sing! The beauty to the pattern selection here is the use of two striking patterns that are not loud attention seekers. When working with multiple patterns, the key is to select patterns that will play nice with one another. Mixing of geometric shapes are typically a nice way to go, just make sure there is a common thread to tie them together. The pairing of these two work so well as the simple windowpane check squares in the base layer echo that of the diamond shape that is found in between the circles within the top napkin. I bet when you first looked at the set up you didn’t even realize how very complimentary the two patterns were! The hidden gem to the layering however is the choice of the solid black menu which provides the eye break within the pattern world and beautifully ties them all together. Even the choice of font for the menu eloquently picks up on the thinness of the check print as does the name card which echos that of the curvier nature of the circle napkin. Speaking of ties, the small simple black & white striped ribbon tying our napkin package together, works beautifully to counter balance those geometric shapes within the napkins. Lastly the soft gentle textures & patterns in the floral, their leaves and even the table cloth all serve as the perfect compliment to the over all picture!
Earthy Goodness: Perhaps my favorite piece to this puzzle is the wonderfully organic feel to the entire set up. Starting with the simple yet oh so powerful touch of the Rosemary sprig as the perfect finishing element to the choice of the centerpiece which emulates that of how one might envision flowers to appear in a natural proper English garden. Even the choice of using a low planter box {dark stained to beautifully harmonize with the color scheme!} brings you back to a true backyard garden feel, touching back to mother earth. I am not sure if it is or not, but the tablecloth seems as if it might be made of hemp, at the very least linen, either way, wonderful organic fibers that further that yummy earthy feel.
Light, bright and fresh can be wonderfully achieved with just the right elements. Gorgeous florals, select patterns, organic or metallic, you name it, the table setting world is your oyster! Remember just because you want a lighter {or darker} setup doesn’t mean that you can not have darker elements. Not to get all philosophical on you, but for what is a highlight without shadow detail, and the reverse is equally as true! Be sure to check out the full backyard BBQ wedding at OnceWed HERE. I’d love to hear what your favorite elements in today’s WIWW are! Are you a fan of patterns like me, or is it the organic earthy elements that touched you? Have something you’d love to have design explained, send it in, you never know, it just might be the next WIWW!
Vendor Love
Photography by Robert Sukrachand // Event Design + Florals + Coordination by The Nouveau Romantics // Catering by14 Acre Farm // Vintage Rentals by Magpie Vintage Rentals // Wedding Dress by Leanne Marshall // Groom’s Suit byBrooklyn Tailors // Invitations by Katherine Ahn
