The Trick to Creating the Perfect Grazing Table Is All About Color

April 05, 2021 by Juna Xu

There’s nothing more impressive than walking into a dinner party and seeing the most perfectly curated grazing table, worthy of an Instagram post.

The best bit? They’re the most relaxing way to entertain because they’re no cooking involved and you can have it prepared before your guests arrive.

But while the concept of grazing tables is nothing new and sounds relatively easy, you can definitely tell the difference between a grazing table that’s Insta-worthy and one that’s, well, not.

In fact, it takes a little more than simply throwing an abundance of the finest cheese, fruit, and crackers on a board, and calling it a day. According to home cook Lia Townsend, there’s one specific trick you need to implement if you want to build the ultimate grazing table: color.

“Select a color palette and tie all the elements back to this,” Townsend previously told Bed Threads Journal.

Pick two to three colors and incorporate them throughout the boards, food, and decorations.

“Seek inspiration for your color palette from a beautiful ingredient that is in season, florals, or the table linen you would like to use.”

For example, for Townsend’s Put on a Spread feature, she was firstly inspired by beautiful black grapes and green leaves, which led her to style her table using our 100% flax linen Olive tablecloth and Sage napkins. She then paired this with edibles in tones of white, beige, green and black.

Shop Lia's look with our Olive tablecloth and Sage napkins.

Need some more inspiration? Here’s how to execute the perfect grazing table using our two latest tableware colors - Pink Clay and Mineral.

How to create the perfect grazing table using Pink Clay

1. Layer complementary tableware colors

Pink clay has the soft femininity of pink, yet it’s grounded with burnt orange and ochres. It works well with verdant hues such as Olive, Khaki, and Sage, but pairs perfectly with warmer tones such as Rust, Turmeric, and Terracotta.

For the perfect color palette, we love partnering Pink Clay with orange, bright reds, subtle hints of greenery, and served with our Terracotta napkins.

2. Pick ingredients with bright hues

Here are some examples of ingredients that pair well with a Pink Clay color palette:

Cheese: Buffalo Mozzarella, Brie, and Jarlsberg
Dried fruit: Apricots, candied oranges, pineapple, and goji berries
Fresh fruit: Oranges, strawberries, raspberries, cherries, mango, and grapefruit
Crackers: Your favorite crackers, crispbreads, and breadsticks
Dips: Beetroot Hummus, Basil Pesto, and French Onion
Nuts: Walnuts, hazelnuts, and cashews

3. Choose warm-toned florals

Several large bunches of David Austin Garden Roses, Carnations and a variety of pink, red, orange and yellow Daisies will instantly brighten up your table.

How to create the perfect grazing table using Mineral

1. Match it with cool-toned tableware

Mineral is the perfect blend of greys and refreshing sea tones, which evokes the tranquil beauty of an ocean pool.

For the perfect color palette, pair Mineral with green hues, charcoal, pastel yellows, subtle pops of deep reds and serve with our matching Mi n eral or Petrol napkins.

2. Pick neutral-hued ingredients

Here are some examples of ingredients that pair well with a Mineral color palette:

Cheese: Herbed feta, Danish Blue, and Aged Cheddar
Dried fruit: Figs, dates, and raisins
Fresh fruit: Sicilian olives, pear, figs, raspberries, cherries, and black grapes
Crackers: Your favorite crackers, crispbreads, and breadsticks
Dips: Tzatziki, Olive Tapenade, and Hummus
Nuts: Sunflowers, pecans, and almonds

3. Opt for greenery

Place Seeded Eucalyptus leaves in ceramic vases or as table runners, sprinkle Baby’s Breath along the table, and add a small bunch of pastel yellow Garden Roses or Wax Flowers in a ceramic vase.

Liked this? Here are 5 things a stylist wants you to know about creating the perfect tablescape.