Create your buffet design with a theme in mind. Christmas decorations, winter or summer motifs, or beach scenes can be incorporated into your buffet very effectively.
Many people wish to incorporate a theme into their dinner party, but when they set up their food buffet area, they do not carry the theme over to this area. Rather, the food set up becomes a catch-all for mismatched bowls, ladles and dishes in the home. Review the fundamentals of good buffet design first and then take a few tips from the professionals to add your chosen motif into your themed buffet design.
Winter Theme
Elements to include:
- Basics – fabric or tablecloth in silver, gold or midnight blue to cover the levels
- Snow – can be attained using shredded plastic “snow”, polyester batting, white felt, powdered confectioners’ sugar
- Snowflakes – consider using plastic, glittered snowflake ornaments, crocheted snowflakes or even paper cut-out snowflakes
- Bling – shiny gold and silver balls or bead ropes will add reflection and sparkle to the snow theme
- Light – simple white tealights or votives in clear glass holders are all that’s needed to add some fire and light to a winter display
Summer Theme
Elements to include:
- Basics – fabric or tablecloth in lemon yellow, sassy orange, or a fun pattern of the two
- Sun – can be attained by using inflatable yellow balls, kitschy sun ornaments or sun themed floral picks
- Texture – marbles of varying shades of yellow and orange scattered in groupings throughout the design
- Fun – clever items that scream “summer” can add kitsch. These items can include sand shovels, sunglasses, lemons and beautifully colored miniature kites.
- Brightness – gold or sky blue shiny balls or bead strings can multiply the light from many individual votives.
Beach Theme
Elements to include:
- Basics – fabric or tablecloth in shades of blue, aqua and green to simulate the colors of the ocean. Add in a gauzy piece of fabric in marine colors to simulate the wave motion of the sea.
- Texture – sand, pebbles and beach glass can be distributed in small piles
- Sea Treasures – dried starfish, coral and sea urchins along with a variety of shells can be used to reinforce the motif
- Shimmer – use white tealights or votives interspersed with blue or silver shiny balls or bead strings to create the shimmer of the sun on the water
Christmas Theme
Elements to include:
- Basics – fabric or tablecloth in hunter green or rich burgundy
- Greenery – fresh or faux pine and balsam boughs add texture, fragrance and fill
- Shimmer – white, red or green tealights reflected off of metallic tree ornaments and strings of metallic holiday beads snaked throughout the display
- Fill – use ribbons of red or burgundy to contrast the evergreen boughs
The copyright of the article Buffet Designs With A Theme in Entertaining is owned by Janice Benoit. Permission to republish Buffet Designs With A Theme in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.
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