OVER THE TOP TABLES
Designing your own stunning tablescape the WE way is like telling a story, one place setting at a time.
If the kitchen is the heart of the home, the table is the heartbeat. It’s where we welcome beloved dinner guests, where fellowship and family discussions take place, where we gather for important events. As such, it deserves to be a place of celebration.
Decorating a tabletop the WE way tells the story of the occasion. A beautifully dressed table can include stunning place settings, candlelight reflecting off flatware, casting shards of light through crystal goblets and dazzling centerpieces. Or it could be a simple, thoughtfully arranged platter with a few treasured serving pieces. Most of all, as Wilfredo Emanuel says, a decorated table should include what is meaningful to you.
“For me, designing a beautiful table is about expressing who you are and going with what you feel, not with what’s trendy,” says Emanuel.
Early in his design career, Emanuel’s clients discovered his special gift of designing individual tables, and they began relying upon him to ready their homes for the holidays. From Versace china to family heirlooms, over time, the word got out in the philanthropic community to red carpet organizers and gala event hosts: a Wilfredo Emanuel holiday table was the table.
“Tablescaping added another layer to my professional career as a designer, to decorate a table where people share each other, share a meal, and inviting family and friends to join them in celebration,” says Emanuel. “I love being part of that process.”
Later, Martha Stewart came calling with an invitation for Emanuel to participate on the Discovery / HGTV television series, “Table Wars,” judged by Stewart, with Tamera Mowry-Housley and Chris Hessney. Emanuel’s unofficial title as tablescape maestro firmly cemented in television history; he has become the recognized expert in over-the-top table design and décor.
“After the television show with Martha Stewart, it’s amazing how every time I go into a place and see a table, I imagine how I will decorate it,” says Emanuel. “This is especially true during the holidays, a time when I love to invite everyone to be at the table with me, saying ‘Merry Christmas,’ and see you in the spring!”
How to Create the Perfect Festive Table
STEP 1 Begin from the center and work your way to the outside of the table. Look around your home and find things that represent whichever holiday you’re celebrating. It
can be an item that’s color specific to that holiday, or something you love, such as a beautiful book. This is where the story of your holiday table begins.
STEP 2 Bring your collection of holiday décor to this element and build from there. Add rib- bons of color and found items that celebrate the season.
STEP 3 Your main theme will live on the table runner, helping continue the story of your table. Holiday tables are not just about décor, they are about the guests the host has in- vited to share that space, so let that be your driving factor as you decorate.
STEP 4 Focus on the center. Begin mixing and matching the items you’ve chosen to decorate your table, starting from the top and down the sides of the centerpiece, so every- one who has a seat can enjoy the scenery.
STEP 5 Create illusion with lights and layers, continuing to mix and match meaningful items. There is an unbalanced balance of
a decorated table. Designing a table is like being a magician, creating height and depth.
STEP 6 Every place setting should tell its own story, with a beginning, middle and end. Choose elements that carry the theme of your centerpiece. The layering, mixing and matching will allow guests to be part of the journey as they discover each tiny detail. Once the table is set, the ooohs and ahhhs is your reward. Now take a breath, have a seat, and enjoy the meal, together.
