Even when you aren’t entertaining, or eating outdoors (and not in the dining room), it’s nice to keep your dining table fresh with simple, everyday décor. Instead of keeping your table blank or with a protector or table cloth on…consider these.
This is a popular post updated post for 2022
Tips For Everyday Decor On Your Dining Table
1. Uncover the Table
Let the pretty wood or marble or other finish shine through so that you can enjoy it all the time and not just on special occasions. Life is short!
2. Blue and White China Collection
Andrew J. Howard places the collection in the center with one vase filled with flowers.
Or even just one planter as below. This is my friend, Debbie’s dining room. The blue and white planter is pretty on its own as the inside is painted too, but often Debbie places potted flowers here.
3. Footed Fruit Bowl and Hurricane Candle Holders
An elevated fruit bowl and hurricane candles are one of my favorite combos. Here you can see I used this Hudson Grace footed fruit bowl for two clients. I like a raised bowl as it gives it more prominence. Melina switches out hers seasonally…
And Susan has air plants in her fruit bowl…
4. Soup Tureen
A soup tureen with hurricanes is nice too like we did for Kim (the before and after of this dining room is here). 
![](http://<div class="shopthepost-widget" data-widget-id=""4752749"">
<script type="text/javascript" language="javascript">
!function(d,s,id){
var e, p = /^http:/.test(d.location) ? 'http' : 'https';
if(!d.getElementById(id)) {
e = d.createElement(s);
e.id = id;
e.src = p + '://widgets.rewardstyle.com/js/shopthepost.js';
d.body.appendChild(e);
}
if(typeof window.__stp === 'object') if(d.readyState === 'complete') {
window.__stp.init();
}
}(document, 'script', 'shopthepost-script');
</script>
<div class="rs-adblock">
<img src="//assets.rewardstyle.com/images/search/350.gif" style="width:15px;height:15px;" onerror="this.parentNode.innerHTML='Turn off your ad blocker to view content'" />
<noscript>Turn on your JavaScript to view content</noscript>
</div>
</div>)
5. Clip Branches From Your Garden
Lucky you if you have branches that you can easily clip and enjoy in your dining room, as Lisa has here.
6. Plants As An Everyday Centerpiece
How about something green and fresh on your dining table?
7. Wicker Bowl For A Collection or For Seasonal Items
Melba collects hand blown glass balls. She could change this to pinecones or shells for other times of the year. (Before and after here).
Until our new dining table comes to our Florida home, we have been eating on the back porch, where I have a collection of shells in a basket as the centerpiece. The wicker chairs are from Serena and Lily and the iron chairs were discarded from an old school in San Francisco. I’m going to put seat cushions on them but they are surprisingly comfortable!
![](http://<div class="shopthepost-widget" data-widget-id=""4752809"">
<script type="text/javascript" language="javascript">
!function(d,s,id){
var e, p = /^http:/.test(d.location) ? 'http' : 'https';
if(!d.getElementById(id)) {
e = d.createElement(s);
e.id = id;
e.src = p + '://widgets.rewardstyle.com/js/shopthepost.js';
d.body.appendChild(e);
}
if(typeof window.__stp === 'object') if(d.readyState === 'complete') {
window.__stp.init();
}
}(document, 'script', 'shopthepost-script');
</script>
<div class="rs-adblock">
<img src="//assets.rewardstyle.com/images/search/350.gif" style="width:15px;height:15px;" onerror="this.parentNode.innerHTML='Turn off your ad blocker to view content'" />
<noscript>Turn on your JavaScript to view content</noscript>
</div>
</div>)
8. Table Runners
As you can see in the previous photos, I like to use table runners for texture or to lighten and tone down a formal table. But I also like tables without them, too!
Shop the Post:
And those are tips for Everyday Dining Table Décor!
You may also like:
12 Months Of Table Setting Ideas
Hi Mary Ann, Congratulations on your new home! I know your home will be warm and welcoming very soon and I’m looking forward to getting a glimpse of how you and Howard settle into your new lives and the adventures you will share about life on the East Coast.
I was very interested to read your post about helpful moving apps. I know you are very experienced in making big moves and I was wondering which moving company you have used that you would recommend.
Thanks,
Janna
I always get at least three quotes, Janna. For big move like this one, I went with a national company. Allied Van Lines. But there are others.
And thanks so much for your sweet comment!
I love putting interesting things on my table. I had to sell my dining room furniture when I moved so I purchased a white table and then bought 8 mismatched chairs. I painted each chair a color of the rainbow, pink, red, orange, yellow, green, turquoise, blue and purple! It is so cheerful! Love it! I like to put a colorful runner down the middle and a bouquet of flowers on it or a plant.
That sounds amazing, Jane!
We are also in the process of moving to Florida (leaving North Carolina). Our previous home had a slightly more formal feel than our new home in Florida will have. I’m curious if you will be going with more casual or contemporary furniture in your new home or keeping most of your furniture from San Francisco. If you are repurposing your old furniture, will you be lightening up fabrics or anything?
I’m keeping all my favorite antiques and vintage things but the walls are white and I’m adding a few more modern pieces like a new dining table and light fixures. Most of my fabrics are already light in cotton and linen.
This is a great article! I love the tips on how to make your dining table look great every day. I especially like the tip about using a pretty tablecloth. It makes the whole room look more inviting.
Hello,
I love the picture with the footed fruit bowl and “air plants” with the blue and white captains chairs. I have an old queen Anne set that I am trying to update rather than splurge for a new set that rarely gets used. Are those slipcovers on the chairs? I love the idea of only having slipcovers over the backs of the chairs and not the full chair. Also the idea that the captains chairs are slightly different. Thank you for any inspiration you can provide.
Erica,
I’m not sure which chairs you are referring to? I don’t think there are any slipcovers in this post…but I like them.
My “almost” favorite thing ever…unique tablescapes…let your vignettes sing!! franki
Great news on your mom, blessings! I love those ceramic artichokes and I love the fern on the tables. Such great ideas! I have a very old dining table and nothing is on it, shame on me! Good ideas here to help me out, I know what I need to do now, thanks!
Shelly, thanks so much for commenting!
Mary Ann,
This is great, there’s some fresh ideas. I do keep my dining room table decked out and sometimes even set (as if I were going to entertain. It’s fun to pretend we’re having dinner guests! 🤗
xo,
Karen
Always love all your ideas. Thanks!
Such great ideas and inspiration. Now that we’re home more, I find I want to refresh our dining room and enjoy it in different ways. Thank you! Great news about your mom – hope you all enjoy your weekend!
Love the tips for center pieces. We are in the car on a trip, when my husband asked what I was doing. I told him I was reading and taking a class. Well, I am. I learned great ideas.
So happy your mother is going home. Now you can give her that hug! Still sending prayers.
Ha! You always crack me up, Kathy!! I’m so excited about your new banquette. Let me know when you want to Facetime fabrics.
Great tips Mary Ann! We have a new table and chairs on order…finally after searching for months! The table will be a foot longer than the current one so I will have a tad more room to style it . Right now I have a table runner and a ginger jar.
So happy to hear your mom is coming home…that’s great news. Breaking a hip is probably my biggest fear in old age. I have some osteoporosis but do everything I can to help it. But I refuse to take those awful drugs!
Linda
That is so exciting, Linda!
All of the ideas you present I find so inspirational. Would you please tell me again how to get in the queue to work with you on my dining room. The quick decorating project. Thank you.
Happy to hear about your Mom.
Eileen
Thanks, Eileen! Please contact me at mapickett@classiccasualhome.com
Thank you for table centre blog today! I always love seeing a visual of decorating suggestions.
Thanks, Dee!
Mary Ann, I love your idea for enjoying the beauty of the table itself. It invites simplicity with objects already found like the soup tureen.
Blessings as you bring your mother home.
Diney on Camano Island
Thanks, Diney. I do like a simple approach for everyday!
Thanks for the reminder to uncover our tables and let them shine , fear of scratches
( especially on my piano) causes me to miss the everyday beauty of some of my favorite
pieces .
So happy to hear your mother gets to come home from rehab this weekend, more then
ever our parents are happier and safer at home when possible.
Thanks, Alexis.
Great news on your Mom. Happy, happy, happy. For my dining table, I do seasonal decor. So right now, I have a pumpkin with floral centerpiece and a cute wooden black cat with three little cats. For November, I will probably leave the pumpkin and floral but replace the cats with a turkey! Fun!
That is so fun, Linda!!
GREAT NEWS ON MOM!
DOES YOUR FRIEND DEBBIE live on LIDO?!!
HOW DO I KNOW THAT?!!
XX
Yes, she does!
I could tell from the WALL OUTSIDE!
Lovely ideas for the dining room. I especially loved the glitz of the second one I saw; the chandelier and mirror were inspirational for a glamorous setting for a dinner party. Thank you!
My friend, Debbie has the best taste!
Would you know the source for wallpaper in the first dining room? Stunning
It’s the Lotus and comes in many colors… http://galbraithandpaul.com/wallpaper/lotus-2/
Thanks for all the great ideas! Lovely! I was wondering how you would change this up for a large round table such as we have. Thanks!
You could just use the one round fruit bowl, planter, or basket. Or group your collection of say, blue and white china in the center.