Complement summer's beautiful blooms with vases and containers that make your centerpiece sing.
When hosting a summer dinner party for your family and friends, an inviting centerpiece is often the icing on the cake.
Think beyond the flowers themselves and also consider what you display them in to really make a centerpiece pop. Here are some tips for quick and elegant centerpieces that highlight the beauty of the season.
Go organic. Teak is a very popular wood right now and serves as the perfect foundation for a beautiful centerpiece. Consider filling a wood bowl with elements such as moss balls or seasonal fruit that kids can snack on before or during the meal.
Think metallic. Silver, gold and brass are popular finishes for bowls and candleholders, and look great paired with organic materials such as moss or stones.
Add sand. Sand is an ideal vessel filler, and brings a beachy vibe to the table. Try filling a clear vessel with white sand and adding a candle or a single flower or succulent on top to create an effortlessly chic centerpiece.
Consider unconventional items. From using a large candleholder to hold flowers to employing wine glasses to display floating candles, let creativity be your guide to decorating with items you already have around the house.
Use herbs. Herbs are a pretty, affordable and creative way to bring the outdoors in, while also adding fresh fragrance. Fill a long, low vessel with fresh lavender, rosemary or dill for scents that complement food.
Mix shape, size and height. One way to create interest is to make vignette groupings, often done with groups of three objects. Be sure to mix and vary items of different shapes and heights. Try mixing different materials, as well, for a more bohemian effect.
Bring the outdoors in. Natural elements, such as stones, interesting twigs, branches and moss, can serve as beautiful standalone centerpieces, or foundations for a larger grouping.
Experiment with color. Black is often considered too dark or drab for summer but, year-round, black adds luxury and elegance to an environment and lets colorful blooms really shine.
Use single items. Often, people think a centerpiece needs to be big and over the top. But sometimes the strongest statements can be made with a single item, or with a stem placed in a beautiful bowl or vessel.