Creative Table Decor: How to Use Citrus at your Next Party

I have mentioned it on an Instagram or two... but one of my favorite ways to surprise and delight guests is to create non-traditional tablescapes or centerpieces. I am a flower lover at heart, but mixing it up can sometimes be fun, not to mention a gift to your wallet! One of my favorite ways to do this is with citrus! I love integrating it into my tables and it makes the room smell so great. 

Chic tablescape (image from Architectural Digest)

This tablescape makes me want summer to come even faster. The idea of sitting by a pool at the beach with the sun shining sounds amazing compared to dreary New York City right now. You are probably not surprised to hear that I love the blue and white color scheme of this table, since I always love blue and white together. But more relevant today is the choice to put bowls of citrus fruits as the centerpieces as opposed to flowers. It's more functional because the oranges could also be eaten as snacks later and for the purpose of this tablescape, they inject a great pop of color. Its a low-maintenance, cost-effective alternative to flowers!

Casual citrus-filled tablescape (Image from)

This table runner full of lemons and limes makes me think of outdoor dining around the Mediterranean. It is beautiful and dramatic but doesn't seem too "done" or fussy. The contrast of the greenery and the bright citrus means that the table doesn't need much else to look really beautiful and I love that the runner spans the entire length of the table!

I saw this image on the Style Me Pretty Instagram and loved it so much I regrammed it!

Here's another example of citrus on tables. Here they chose not to use the citrus in the tablescape per se, but I love how they used oranges with the place cards. The pop of color and texture is so great and it keeps the event feeling natural and festive. 

My Chinese New Year Dinner Party

I have even used this concept myself recently at my Chinese New Year dinner party with kumquats and greenery and I thought it turned out really well. The bright green and orange combined for a really festive atmosphere. (You can see the rest of that blog post here!)

You should never feel limited by flowers for your table - they are often expensive and time consuming. You can balk expectations and show your creativity by incorporating citrus or other fruits and vegatables into your table with great results. Creativity is your best asset as a host or hostess - take advantage!