Home for the holidays

 Tablescaping suggestions for celebrations

By Earl D.C. Bracamonte

Celebrated tablescape artist Pinky Tobiano recently unfolded her designs at a late afternoon event in Shang Plaza's atrium area. According to the settings artist, anybody could design their own table settings as long as they are guided by a few important pointers.

For the coming holidays, or any other special occasion, Tobiano shared some tips on how to come up with a fabulous setting that could spark conversation throughout the entire affair. 

"Everything should start with a theme and color palette. The theme is important because it differs from occasion to occasion. This is so because your heart also feels differently at certain times.

"When you are certain about your theme, that's the time you play it up with color. Whatever hue or shade you opt for, be sure to remain cohesive and uniform while allowing for creativity to creep in. Always remember that you can always push the limits as aesthetically possible as you can.

"With your theme and color palette in place, you can now start filling your table top with the necessary accessories. As an artist, the table is my canvas. So when you fill in the details, go for things that would give height and width to your setting."

Pinky also suggests that hosts should be on the lookout for any health issues his/her guests may be suffering from, like allergies to certain foods and/or ingredients used in cooking. Keeping your guests' wellbeing in mind could spare you any party spoilers, or, worse, emergency trips to the hospital. So it's better to check on your guests' dietary restrictions, if there are any, before finalizing the menu of your party.

With all these pointers in mind, I'm sure you'll have a swell time receiving and entertaining your guests for the coming holidays. "A happy table creates memories that last a lifetime," intimated Pinky at the close of our brief colloquy.