A bare table is an oversized pedestal for eye catching works of art and items of visual interest, especially in a contemporary dining room. Many people simply place one item on the dining room table such as a vase filled with flowers or a bowl overflowing with fruit, but it can hold more. Consider placing three unique items of interest across the center of the dining room table to enhance your contemporary decorating scheme.
I used three unique pieces of tabletop decor when decorating a contemporary dining room for a client. The items were not related, but when placed together they became visually connected. They added color, texture and visual interest to an otherwise ordinary space. It was eye catching because it was unexpected. Step beyond the ordinary and use my ideas for unique contemporary dining room table decor. It added natural elements while keeping with the contemporary design of the space.
Display a Finished Cypress Knee
A cypress knee is the protruding root of a cypress tree, and it is a natural work of art that can be sanded and polished. It is naturally contemporary by design, and it can appear different to each individual. To some it might look like an abstract face, and to others, what looks like a human face might look more like a flower. In any case it is worthy of display in a contemporary dining room.
My dad is a highly talented well-known wood carver, and he had several cypress knees in his wood supply collection. I asked him to sand and polish one for a client’s contemporary dining room table. It turned out more beautiful than I could have ever imagined, and it was far more unique than anything I had found in home decor stores. My client was thrilled with the natural work of contemporary art that adorned her dining room table.
Place a Single Finger Leaf Philodendron Branch in a Clear Vase
My client wanted something live and green on her dining table to go with the wood, but not the usual potted plant or vase of flowers. We found a gorgeous clear contemporary glass vase, and I took a cutting from her finger leaf philodendron. I placed it in the vase along with sufficient water. It looked fantastic next to the cypress knee, but the table decor needed something more that was vibrant and just as visually interesting.
Fill a Contemporary Urn with Citrus Fruit
The last item I placed on my client’s contemporary dining room table was a sliver urn. It had been in her family for more than a century, and although it was a vintage piece, it went well with the contemporary style of the dining room. I suggested filling it with small lemons, limes and kumquats. I mounded the fruit and placed one lemon on the table next to the urn.
The unique contemporary table decor was not unique in itself, but it was a unique grouping, and it did not appear staged. The grouping was the finishing touch in my client’s contemporary dining room, and it looked fantastic. I always place the table decor last when decorating a dining room, and I could not have been more pleased with the outcome of the project.
Source: Personal and Professional Design and Decorating Experience
