creative | Von Gern Home

Halloween Decorations: Scarily Chic Tablescapes

Oct 3, 2023 | Tablescapes

Halloween Decor Ideas That Are Scarily Chic

It’s October! What does your table want to be for Halloween? Sure, we make the kids pick one costume and stick with it (insert tantrum or storm-off here). With our dining décor, however, we can be a bit more lenient. We’re so in love with these three looks, that we’re doing them all! So here are some Tricks and Treats for your tablescape that will thrill …and kill the Glampire Games.

Stripes and solids lacquer placemat white turquoise

Pumpkin – the timeless Halloween decoration

Oh, Orange and Black – the time honored color combo of Halloween – until now. Let’s lean into the orange, and pair it with white! Suddenly we’re in a lighter, less sinister palette.

Think organic settings, here. Use sculptural natural branches, real pumpkins and gourds, flowers in the gorgeous rich tones of autumn. Want to use trick or treat buckets as accents? Replace the hard plastic pumpkin ones with spooky black cat heads, crafted from papier mâché.

As for place settings, keep them equally bright in tone and earthy in texture. Our Woven Fringe Placemats are the perfect pieces for this look. Hand-crafted in woven twine, they serve insouciant, festive style for a total Hallo-win!

Witchful Thinking

Now that we’ve paid homage to orange, let’s give her a rest. That’s right. Black is back! And paired with white, it’s starkly stunning.

This tablescape is less trick-or-treat, and more All Hallows’ Eve. Imagine Edgar Allen Poe’s vision board: ravens, witches, cauldrons, and candelabras. Sinister suggestion rules this look. Think opaque black glassware. Love a skull? Make it metallic. Want a finger bowl or a candy dish on the table? Choose one with spider legs. Paint a wreath black and festoon it with bats.

Now, ready to serve some serious shriek? Our Splatter Placemats, Zen Placemats & Coasters; and Woven Fringe Placemats & Coasters, all in black and white, will cast a spell on you. Their elevated glamour serves Haute Horror at its best. See? It’s right here in black and white….

(Trick or) Treat Yourself!

We might be too old to dress up and beg for it, but that doesn’t mean we don’t crave candy. So let’s celebrate the bewitching sweets that have us under their spell.

This look is all about festive fun. The skulls are smiling here. Think Scared Silly! Stir the rich bright tones of autumn into this color cauldron: orange pumpkins, forest green leaves, yellow gourds. Add Halloween cupcakes, candy corn, and marshmallow ghosts to up the adorable ante. Day of the Dead Cookies? Absolutely.

How to bring this Hallo-whimsy together? Just add sugar! Inspired by the colorful coating on our favorite confections, our beaded Sprinkles Placemats elevate this esthetic to elegant. And you know what that means. You’ve still got room for dessert!

3 Looks You’ll FALL For!

Sep 5, 2023 | Tablescapes

Fall Table Settings You Can Set in Minutes

Autumn means back to school. No real vacations until December (sigh), so time is of the essence! That’s why Von Gern Home is serving up 3 different styles you can set in mere minutes. From stealth elegance to bold and bright, these looks offer something for everyone, just like the season itself.

Simply Marvelous!

‘Tis the season of warmer hues, heavier fabrics, and earthier textures… or is it? Why not mix it up with a refreshing change of pace? Instead of the typical harvest palette, surprise guests with this nod to quiet luxury. Use uncommon colors like cool blue and silver (seen here in our Split Reversible Placemats and Rope Napkin Rings) as a base.

Set against a tonally similar tablecloth. Then sprinkle in accents in the vibrant hues of fall: shiny gold or green fruit, the warm browns of challah and herbs, or the rich reds, magentas, and purples of wild flowers. This creative take on Autumn is chic, unique, and utterly charming!

Weather Forecast: Fabulous!

The start of Fall is a delightful combination of sweet warm days and crisp, cool nights. Let’s celebrate that perfect contrast on the table as well! Start with your neutral. Focus on faded blues, for example, with gray and brown undertones to keep it from feeling summery. Then garnish your tablescape with foods, flowers, and glassware in the bold tones we love about this season: green, magenta, pumpkin, ochre.

The final touch? Our Pearl Placemats and Coasters. Crafted from layers of cracked shell, they offer a bold texture and multifaceted color, bringing the cool and warm tones together in perfect harmony.

Easy Autumn Elegance

Who says looking great has to take forever? Here’s how to turn the glam up to ten, in under five minutes! Choose pieces that perform a function and elevate your décor simultaneously; like our Celestial Placemats and Coasters. These stunners slay at double duty. Named for the luminous wonder of the heavens, they reflect brilliant color as the light hits them.

With one exquisite statement piece for your table, your prep time is slashed! Style with dark, sturdy plates, to ground the look in Autum. Then sprinkle in flowers and accents in deep reds, dark purples, and rich earth tones. Take it from us: your fall décor will be divine!

Life’s a Beach, With Our Destination-Inspired Tablescapes!

Jul 13, 2023 | Tablescapes

Create Easy Destination-Inspired Tablescapes

Summer Vacation is here! Yours may be an elegant jaunt to an exotic island, a quick day trip to the closest ocean, or a casual stroll to your toddler’s favorite sandbox. Whatever your summer looks like, you can travel from home, with Von Gern Home. With our Ibiza and Capri Placemats and Coasters, you can bring the beach right to your table. Without all that sand to clean up.

A Toast To The Spanish Coast!

Our Ibiza Placemats bring the reds, oranges, and yellows of the island sun to you! Our Quatro Napkin Rings play these tones against warm, earthy wood peekaboo corners to create a stunning tablescape. Mix with a bright, eclectic tablecloth for a fun fusion of pattern and texture. Style with colorful vases and juicy fresh fruit, and take your table from sunny lunch to sexy supper!

Stunning While Sunning: Serving Capri!

Celebrate the warmth and elegance of the smoldering Italian Coast with our Capri Placemats in yellow. Our 3 Ring Pearl Napkin Rings shout out the jewels of the sea, bringing the feel of the island right to your table. Make the tones pop against a bright ocean blue tablecloth. Double down on delicious with tart lemons as accessories! However you style them, these gorgeous pieces are a special delivery of sunshine.

The Italian Job: Bringing The Beach To You!

Dive into the stunning Mediterranean with these Capri Placemats in blue. The azure of the water meets the white of the sand, taking your tablescape straight to the sun-kissed islands! Nail nautical chic with our 3 Ring Pearl Napkin Rings. Pair with crisp white napkins serving saucy sea creatures! Dressed up or down, your beach day – or night – is sure to sizzle.

3 Ways to Embrace Organic Modern Decor

May 15, 2023 | Tablescapes

Learn How to Style Natural Materials and Create an Organic Modern Table Setting for Summer Entertaining

Spring and summer entertaining is all about enjoying the beautiful weather and incorporating nature’s beauty into your table decor. We share three ways to style table accessories made from natural materials to add a modern organic twist to your summer entertaining. Enjoy our take on incorporating warm neutral tones and rich textures into contenporary spaces for a nurturing yet elegant aesthetic.

Organic and Bold

Natural decor does not have to be subdued and mellow! We believe that mixing and matching organic elements with contemporary design features can result in a bold and sophisticated tablescape that provides you with desired warmth, comfort, and visual interest. The best way to design this kind of look is to play with geometric shapes and striking colors mingled with the natural materials.

Gaia Placemat is made from organic seagrass interwoven with thin colored strips of recycled plastic to create a lush elemental pattern. We paired these chic and easy placemats with the Flow Napkin Rings in blue for an additional pop of color. The natural wood and organic shape of the Flow Napkin Rings complement the Gaia Placemats‘ rich natural texture and warming hues, while offering a twist of modernity. Neutral linen napkins complete the perfect raw yet refined look.

Organic and Elegant

Less is more. At the root of our organic modern tablescape style is a minimalist approach with simple sihouettes and warm natural tonal hues all mixing together to bring in warmth and comforrt to entertaining at home.

In this tablescape with our black and white natural seagrass Terra Placemats , we brought in multiple tones to inject depth but kept them all in the same color scheme to ensure visual flow. To add unmistakable sophistication to these eco chic placemats, we offset a natural linen tablecloth with black matte plates and black napkins. Once that groundwork has been laid, we dressed the napkins with our Flow Napkin Rings in an organic shape with soft curved lines to warm things up and add visual interest.

Organic and Colorful

We love to introduce pops of vivid colors in creative ways for a fun and festive tablescape, inviting atmospehere brimming with character and soul while keeping its elegance intact.

The Woven Rattan Placemats and coordinating Woven Rattan Coasters are made with natural rattan and eye-catching colorful fringe in recycled plastic twine. We used the Woven Rattan Placemats in pink to start off our colorful table setting. From there, we played with color by combining multihued plates, cups, and flowers. Our only rule was to use bright and joyful shades. For an utterly delightful finishing touch, we turned to our favorite unexpected styling trick: using fresh fruits as table decor! Fresh lemons and limes create a naturally gorgeous, practical, and long lasting centerpiece.

Deck the Halls

Dec 14, 2021 | Tablescapes

Three color palettes for spreading Christmas cheer to your holiday tabletop design

Haul out the holly and, while trimming the tree and festooning your home, save some chic for a happy, holiday table! A mix of extra ornaments, garland, candy confections, and gingerbread, combined with winter’s best blooms—hello paperwhites and amaryllis—make deliciously chic centerpieces with endless color combinations!

Red and green décor is not the only option for a Christmas dinner! Experiment with table decorations and desserts alike, pulling out your favorite pieces and recipes for a party sure to delight. After all, we always advocate for using exactly what you have and having fun with the mix, and the holidays are no exception.

So, curate your favorite Christmas playlist and relax; we have holiday tabletop ideas for every kind of hostess.

Silver and Gold

For a sophisticated Christmas tabletop setting, try silver and gold décor. Start your table with a shimmering tablecloth in your metallic color of choice and layer our Graphic Sparkle Placemats (available in three styles!) or our Textured Metallic Reversible Placemats on top, for a dash of something dazzling. With these placemats as your base, select your favorite china—styles with metallic rims and motifs look extraordinary in the mix—and faceted glassware for place settings sure to shine. Even white dishes mixed with gleaming flatware pop against this metallic base, so work with what you have!

Napkins look stately cuffed in our Pearl Cluster Napkin Rings or Pearl Cuff Napkin Rings – a modern take on a style staple. Set out your centerpiece ahead of the holiday rush—surrounding vases of peonies and dusty miller, or scattered ranunculus and fir cuttings, with an assortment of your shiniest silver and gold baubles. Fill flutes with your favorite champagne and raise a toast to your loved ones.

Warm and Wonderful

There’s no place like home for the holidays. Relaxed evenings with a crackling fire, mulled wine, and cozy conversations around the Christmas tree are distinct joys of the season. To up your party’s homey appeal—with elegance enough to satisfy—incorporate rich red and brown tones and ample texture all around your table.

Lay out a crisp, white tablecloth for a bright foundation. Pull out our Splatter Placemats in shades of bronze or Splatter Placemats in vibrant red, and top these with classic, white lettuce ware or decorative china for welcome texture. With a classic base set, use floral and embroidered napkins freely. Create charming centerpieces with lots of texture, using fir branches and colorful ornaments or red-hued floral arrangements of peonies, Japanese maple cuttings, and plumosa. The overall effect is equally cozy and polished.

Holly and Ivy

Red and green never disappoint for a Christmas party. Nothing says Christmas quite like bunches of china berries, stems of holly, and sweetly cascading ivy adorning stoops, begging guests come calling.

Start your fresh take on this classic color pairing with a gleaming mahogany tabletop or floral tablecloth as your base. Add shimmer to your table with Reversible Metallic Placemats or a dose of sumptuous, red lacquer with these Ombre Placemats for a perfectly modern look. With a base of complementary colors set, get creative with your china. Classic patterns adorned with fancy florals and sleek, chromatic dishes work seamlessly here. Your favorite glassware will stand out atop these Ombre Lacquer Coasters. (Bonus: they make great Christmas gifts!)

Tie cloth napkins with red Sparkle Napkin Rings or red Horn Napkin Rings and turn your attention to the centerpiece. Continue your color scheme, placing potted amaryllis and bright, brass candlesticks down the table for an easy, festive finish.

Happy holidays to you and yours!

Explore our Christmas Collection

Christmas Table Setting Three Ways

Dec 8, 2020 | Tablescapes

There’s a Christmas table setting style for everyone—no matter the size of your gathering. Here’s how to get three looks.

With Thanksgiving behind us, there’s less than a month until Christmas. That means we’re approaching our favorite part of the holiday season: Setting the table. Although this Christmas might be different than in seasons past (we’re all for virtual celebrations and intimate gatherings), there’s no reason to overlook your Christmas table setting. In fact, we’d argue now is a better time than ever to celebrate the simple things. Your Christmas table setting is a great place to start. While thoughts of Christmas decor might conjure images of red and green tartan or candy cane stripes, the truth is there’s no one way to decorate for the season. Like all decor, it’s all about what you like—meaning the best table settings are the most personal. Looking for some inspiration to get you started? We’ve laid out three different styles, and outlined the items you’ll need to get each look. Consider these your jumping-off points, whether you want to completely recreate the look, or combine elements from one (or all three!) with your own style. Remember, at Von Gern Home we believe there’s no wrong way to set the table. Happy holidays! Cancelled festivities and virtual holiday meals may be putting a damper on your creative table setting efforts. But we’d encourage you to reconsider. In fact, there may be no better time to indulge in a thoughtfully-laid table. Here’s why …

Modern Metallic

styled - gold metallic reversible placemat

Red and green who? There’s no kitschy decor in sight on this sophisticated table. This Christmas table setting is perfect for the elegant host who appreciates modern style with a touch of celebratory glam (tastefully done, of course). Start by setting your base with a subtly textural backdrop—either in the form of a metallic tablecloth like this or even a natural wood table. Then, set a row of pine down the middle of the table. Next step? Layer in lightness. Here, that comes in the form of metallic touches on the brass ornaments nestled in the pine and VGH shimmer placemats (Bonus: They’re reversible, so you get two tablescapes for the price of one!). For the dinnerware, keep it clean with simple whites and clear glassware. Then, add softness with a few flowers in muted tones. Don’t have time to hit the florist? Grocery store blooms work just fine. Dinner—and elegance–is served.

Natural Layers

Looking to get back to nature this Christmas? This Christmas table setting is for all those who’ve taken refuge in a house in the country this year—or are stuck home pining for one.

First, set your base with a natural motif. This can be a floral tablecloth, fabric with a leaf or flower pattern, or even wrapping paper printed with branches or flowers! Then, set the table with colorful place settings that pull out the colors in the backdrop.

We love these beaded sparkle placemats, which have just the right amount of shimmer, and coordinating napkin rings, which dress up even the simplest linen napkin.

The final touch? The centerpiece, where the more the merrier. Set a base with pine branches (from your Christmas tree shop or foraged if you can!). Then, add in any and all colorful accents: berries (real or faux), ornaments, colorful leaves, flowers, or decorative birds.

Let the festivities begin.

Winter White

Because we know bold color isn’t for everyone, here’s our take on merry minimalism. For your base, find something textural, to add a bit of interest to the monochromatic look. A linen or woven tablecloth works, but kraft paper is another easy and budget-friendly option.

To up the elegance we love the Lacquer Shell Placemat, with Pearl Napkin Rings for additional texture. (Looking for a warmer palette? Try the Splatter Placemat in bronze, as seen here).

If you’ve got fine china, go for it, but with these glam accents, even the most basic white plates will look celebration ready. For your centerpiece, lay a base of winter branches (foraged or bought, fake or real—no judgment here!). Then, add in a handful of white flowers (remember, you can always buy an inexpensive bouquet at your grocery store!) and accent with clear glass ornaments.

Who said white was boring?

Celebrating Everyday Moments with a Creative Tablescape

Oct 26, 2020 | Tablescapes

We should be celebrating everyday moments now more than ever. A creative tablescape helps do just that.

2020 has been many things, but there’s never been a stronger contender for the Year of Staying In. Confined to our homes by something largely out of our control, we’ve spent more time than ever at our own dinner table (or kitchen island, or breakfast nook). We’ve turned to Seamless or easy weekend recipes when restaurant meals became distant memories.

Cancelled festivities and virtual holiday meals may be putting a damper on your creative table setting efforts. But we’d encourage you to reconsider. In fact, there may be no better time to indulge in a thoughtfully-laid table. Here’s why …

Styled - yellow and white fringe placemat

Turning Home Into a Destination

Like all the best creative pursuits, laying a special tablescape involves a certain amount of dreaming, pulling disparate sources of creative inspiration into one new story. In turn, a table laid with a deliberate array of linens, plates, glasses, and accessories invites its guests to dream. It transports them from the dining room, if only for a moment.

So, at a time when leaving the home may be a luxury, why not turn the table into a destination within its walls?

This doesn’t have to mean splurging on matching sets or dusting off your grandmother’s fine china. At Von Gern Home, we believe in mixing the tablescape with elements of fun. Scatter hints of seashells among blue-and-white plates for a visual trip to the beach. Conjure the deco era with graphic patterns. Brighten up the haze of a rainy day with kicky-colored placemats and floral accents (that won’t wilt!).

Make your table pretty enough that even the most banal takeout becomes an experience. Who needs Michelin stars anyway?

Establishing Routine

As anyone who entered a new state of working-from-home this year can attest, it’s easy for the lines between work and life (and school, and socializing, and so on and so on) to blur. Without the delineation of designated spaces, it all becomes tedious and dull.

Instead of pushing your laptop to one side of the dining table to make room for a paper plate of dinner atop a pile of papers, create an intentional experience out of your meals. You have to eat, after all—why not enjoy it? Pausing to set the table and purposefully engaging in a meal on its own (not while typing, skyping, or studying) creates a sense of routine in the day. It will also give you renewed energy for the work that remains afterwards.

Plus, if you opt for tabletop accessories you love, you don’t necessarily have to undertake the additional chore of stowing them away when mealtime is over. Stored in a bowl on the table, beaded napkin rings can make a permanent centerpiece. A stack of fringed coasters add a colorful accent to a coffee table while staying in easy reach for meals or cocktail hour.

Finding Gratefulness

When the world feels turned upside down, pausing for a meal might be the best way to remind ourselves of what we do have. If you’ve got a table—no matter the size or location—and food to eat on it, there’s certainly no better time to feel thankful for those simplicities.

Some may call the kitchen the heart of the home, but we say it’s the table. Ultimately, setting creative tablescapes for the ones you care about—whether it’s a family of eight or just yourself—might be the best way to show that gratitude.