DIY Network

Simple Centerpieces Learn how to create elegant, but simple, centerpieces for your next dinner party. From "Home Made Easy" episode DHME-125

Guest Karen Bussen, an entertaining expert, joins host Stephanie Lydecker and shows how to create two elegant centerpieces for your next dinner party. You don't have to spend a lot of time or money to create memorable centerpieces. One is created for a casual brunch or dinner and the other one has a more modern flare.

advertisement

	Karen shares simple ways to make centerpieces for your next dinner party.
	Figure A
	Figure B

Materials:

pots of various sizes and materials
plants to fill pots
mood moss (or regular sheet moss)
potting soil
watering can
clear glass vases
flowers
votives
flower scissors or clippers
water

You don't have to be an interior designer or a floral wizard to make your table look great for guests. Complicated mixed centerpieces are too expensive and sometimes too fuss for a get-together. They can also block your view of other guests and put a damper on conversation.

Casual Brunch or Dinner Centerpiece

• A great centerpiece solution is "collections." This means taking groups of things—flowers, foods, or plants for example—and clustering them together for a maximum effect with minimal effort.

• Be sure to choose a basic color palette and stick with it. Try to stick to no more than three major colors—this will give you the most visual impact.

• The first thing you need to keep in mind is the mood of your table. What kind of meal are you serving and what time of day is it?

• Create a flower pot centerpiece with varying size pots and flowers—with a larger pot in the middle surrounded by smaller pots (figure A). First, buy a few plants in plastic containers. You can either buy all of the same type of plants in coordinating colors or varying plants in the same colors (herbs for example).

• Then buy several pots in the appropriate sizes and heights—but be sure your pots are no larger than 6" for a regular sized table. Any larger and they will distract your guests. They can be in whatever material you like—aluminum, painted ceramic, terra cotta and you can mix and match them.

• Arrange your plants so you know your composition before you start. Add a little soil to the bottom of your containers, then squeeze out the plant from the plastic container and place it in the pot. Tamp it down a bit and give it a drink of water.

• Cover the top soil with decorative moss. "Mood" moss which is velvety and pillow-like works great, but sheet moss will work fine too. Then simply arrange the pots in a circle in the middle of the table and you have a wonderful centerpiece.

Modern Centerpiece

• A more modern and elegant centerpiece would be perfect for a more formal dinner party. This one is very simple—just glass vases, flowers and tea lights (figure B).

• To start, take six clear glass vases (or you can use narrow drinking glasses if you prefer) and fill the vases three fourths of the way with water.

• Take 12 flowers and remove the leaves that would be under water. Cut the stems on an angle—the angle allows them to drink more water.

• Cut them at the appropriate height—not too high, but not too low. Pop two flowers into each vase and arrange them in a circle with the votives surrounding them.

• Light the candles and you have an elegant centerpiece. This also works well on a long table is you line up the vases and alternate vases and votives.

GUESTS :

Karen Bussen
Author, Simple Stunning Weddings
E-mail: Karen@karenbussen.com
Website: www.karenbussen.com