Table decorations are the bikini’s of home decor.  Can’t be too big, can’t be too little, can’t be too flashy, but at the same time you want it to get noticed.

Well after much thought, and many many pottery barn magazines later, I’ve got my dining room table all set.

Meet the perfect Christmas table bikini…

And here’s why this works (which translates to here’s how it can work for you).

I’ve noticed that a good table center piece usually involves a large item (the big glass candle vase), a smaller item that echo’s the shape of the larger one, and two or three additional shapes (here it is the ornament and the tall black candle holder.  So we’ve got four items but really only two shapes (because the black ball in the candle holder echo’s the round purple ornament).  Then we’ve got good texture: the tinsel; and good color: the different colored ornaments inside the larger candle vase.

Last but not least we have the busy pattern that ties it all together on the plate it’s all resting on.  I’ve found that putting all the pieces on a cohesive spot like that makes a huge different.  They could all sit there pretty without it, but if you put them in a boat together (especially one with as cute as a design as that) it gives it that extra sparkle.  By the way everything you see here can be found at Hob Lob.

So there you have it.

Merry Christmas Everybody!