A Creative Spring Tablescape with a Lemon Theme

I’m so excited about this months dinner club theme! We’re hosting a Spring Fling party and I had so much fun putting this table together. Read on and let me share how I put a creative spring tablescape with a lemon theme together.

If you are coming over from Jennifer at Cottage On Bunker Hill, welcome! We’re so glad you are joining us.

Jennifer is our guest host this month and we are so happy to have her.

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If you’re new here and not familiar with my monthly dinner club group, let me explain.

Two years ago, a group of 5 blogger friends joined together and created a virtual monthly dinner club.

Every month we choose a theme and each of us creates a table that reflects that theme.

We share our tablescapes with you the last Thursday of every month.

We also create a menu to go with our theme, and share the menu and recipes with you the last Saturday of the month.

If you have missed seeing our tablescapes, you can see a lot of mine here. Here is a sneak peek at some of my faves, but you can see them all by clicking the link above.

5 easy steps for creating a tablescape

First, lets talk about the process for creating a tablescape.

1. Choose a theme for your party or table.
2. Decide on a table covering (if you are using one), table runner or foundation for your centerpiece.
3. Begin creating your centerpiece.
4. Add your place settings.
5. Add interesting creative touches to your table.

Read on to see about each step in more detail……

1. choosing a theme for your party/event

When you choose a theme for your event, it makes the creative process much easier.

I have mentioned many times that I like to begin any design process with an inspiration piece.

This is the same idea. Choosing a theme gives you a starting place and then the ideas will fall into place.

For this particular party, I decided on a lemon theme. “A Creative Spring Tablescape with a Lemon Theme”

Since it is a spring event and we will be serving salads, the lemon theme seemed perfect.

2. decide how you will dress your table

To begin creating your tablescape you will need to first decide if you will cover your table with a tablecloth or not.

I typically don’t cover my table unless it is a more formal gathering, but this is certainly a personal preference.

If I am not using a tablecloth, I like to add a table runner or a foundation of some sort, in the center of my table.

By “foundation” I mean something that will anchor your centerpiece. Otherwise, it can look as though it is lost and alone in the center of the table.

This begins to create a layer which makes a centerpiece and tablescape more interesting.

For example, I used a stack of large vintage books in the center of one table, an antique board down the center of a table and a couple of vintage books under a flower arrangement on another table.

For this spring tablescape, I used a roll of coconut coir liner down the center of my dining table.

This is typically used to line window boxes or garden boxes.

I ordered a roll that was 12″ wide x 10 ‘ long. Then, I cut it the length of the table.

I can use it on another garden, spring or summer tablescape, or put it to good use in my gardening when I am done with this party.

3. creating your centerpiece

Keeping your theme in mind, begin thinking of things you might already have on hand, to use in your centerpiece.

I like to think outside the box when creating my centerpiece and place settings. It makes the table more unique and interesting.

Here are a few examples of past table scapes I have created with an unusual centerpiece, just to give you an idea of what I mean.

The first one is vintage frames layered on top of a crocheted table runner down the center of the table, in the center photo I used cowboy boots for the centerpiece to hold flowers for a barbeque party, and the last photo was a Hawaiian luau party and I created a table runner out of seashells.

You can click on the photo if you would like to see more detail.

“A Creative Spring Tablescape with a Lemon Theme” – centerpiece

For this lemon themed tablescape, I used a vintage soup tureen on top of an oval ironstone platter and placed in the center of my table.

Then, filled it with lemons and tucked in some greenery I cut from my yard. I used fresh lemons, but you could certainly use faux lemons.

On one side of the soup tureen, I placed 2 small ironstone pieces. One is a vase, and the other is a sugar bowl. I just went searching my home for pieces I already had, that would work.

These were filled with inexpensive grocery store flowers I made into a flower arrangement. These delicate flowers that are a version of a daisy were perfect for my blue, white and yellow tablescape.

On the other side of my centerpiece, I used an ironstone chamber pot (that I already owned) and placed a shasta daisy plant inside.

When my party is over, this will be planted in my cutting garden.

And as far as the lemons go, since I did purchase those and don’t want them to go to waste, here is a little hint.

When you have excess lemons, limes, oranges, grapefruit, etc. juice the fruit and put in ice cube trays and freeze.

This way, you have fresh juice for recipes and drinks whenever you need it.

Lastly, I made a decorative ice bucket with lemon, lemon leaves and a few lemon blossoms and put it in a deep terra cotta plant tray at the end of my table.

If you want to see how to make a decorative ice bucket, you an read all about it here.

These are so fun to create to go along with any theme. This one I created for a New Year’s Eve party a couple years ago.

Even if you aren’t serving wine or champagne at your party, you can put drinking water in a pretty bottle to keep chilled in your ice bucket.

4. layering your place settings

Layering your place settings really adds interest to your table.

I like to start each table setting with a placemat or plate charger of some sort.

Sometimes, I will come up with something very unusual that isn’t typically used for a placemat or charger.

Here are a few examples.

In the first photo, I used an egg crate as a placemat for a spring table. The 2nd photo is a clipboard used as a placemat for a book themed party. A piece of sheet music makes a great placemat and lastly cutting boards were used for a chili cook-off party.

You can click on any photo to see more detail.

That’s the fun and creative part about designing a tablescape.

This makes your table unique and interesting.

I mean, who wants a table that looks like everyone else’s??

These creative touches are also great conversation for your guests.

Creating a beautiful, unique and creative table makes your guests feel welcome and special.

“A Creative Spring Tablescape with a Lemon Theme” Place Settings

For this table, I used pieces of the coconut coir runner (that is my table runner) for the place mats.

I cut 12″x18″ pieces for each place mat.

12″ terra cotta plant trays are the next layer and are used as plate chargers. I have some real terra cotta ones that I use, but you can certainly use the plastic ones. They would be lighter weight an a bit less expensive.

I decided to used blue accents to go along with my lemon tablescape, and a few garden elements since this is a springtime party.

Octagon shape blue pattern vintage dinner plates that I thrifted last year were layered on top of the plant trays, then topped with smaller white plates.

Clear glass vintage goblets (also thrifted) were used for water and garnished with lemon slices.

To make each place setting fun and interesting, I used blue pattern garden gloves found at the Dollar Tree store to hold the silverware. Since I only need 1 glove per place setting, one pair of gloves worked for 2 place settings, and each pair was only $1.25.

Finally, napkin rings made from tiny terra cotta pots held white linen napkins on top of each plate. And a seed packet with a blue or a white flower was tucked in behind the napkin.

The seed packets helped carry out the garden elements and also can be a fun take home favor for your guests.

I will be sharing how to make the terra cotta pot napkin rings next week here on the blog.

5. adding interesting details to your table

With design, it’s all in the details, friends!

And a tablescape is no exception.

Adding the final touches of details can take your table decor to the next level.

Try and think outside the box for unusual elements to add to your table.

For this blue and white lemon themed table, I used egg holders at each place setting.

A lemon propped inside the egg holder, wrapped with twine and a small name tag attached were my place cards.

This is an example of using something other than it’s normal purpose. Obviously, the egg holders are meant to hold eggs at each place setting.

But a lemon fit perfectly inside the egg cups and went along with my theme.

I also sprinkled a few real lemons along the tablescape to carry out my theme and fill in some spaces on the table.

Also, making the ice bucket with lemons and lemon leaves part of the tablescape was another fun and unusual element.

My lemon tree that is in a pot even made an appearance sitting beside my table.

tips and other ideas for a spring tablescape -lemon themed table

A white tablecloth would be great with this table theme.

Also, if you want a pop of color, you could add yellow napkins.

For the center of your table, you could use faux lemon branches and place white vases with white or yellow flowers among the branches.

Thrift stores, garage sales, estate sales or a flea market are my favorite ways to gather things to use for my tablescapes.

Dishes, glassware, and seasonal decor are typically very easy to find and so inexpensive.

I have been collecting white dinner plates from thrift stores for years and never pay more than $1.00 – $2.00 for them. Since the white dishes will go with anything, I can use them for any theme, then add color or pattern with salad plates or napkins.

I hope you found some inspiration from “a creative spring tablescape with a lemon theme”.

Be sure and see all of my friends tablescapes for lots more ideas for a Spring Fling. Just click the link on the photos below.

Next up is Jen from Midwest Life and Style with a cheery garden tablescape.

blessings and happy spring,

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