Casa Luxia's Ginger King Villavicencio Gets Your Home Holiday Ready With Her Tablescape Tips
'Tis the season to be jolly! And that includes your tablescapes too, which are bound to be the center of attraction in every gathering thrown in your home this time of year.
Here to help your tables become Christmas-ready (and Instagram-worthy!) is Ginger King Villavicencio, founder of tablescape design and dinnerware provider business, Casa Luxia.
"Polished" is what guides her eye when she whips up a tablescape for an event, be it an intimate home-based dinner for your closest and dearest, or a high-profile wedding catering for the country's well-heeled. Ginger settles for nothing but the best, and it's what her growing clientele has come to expect from Casa Luxia.
Hermès, Megan Hess, and Piero Fornasetti pieces are what anchor her luxe creations that she oversees herself, while crystal glassware and top-tier cutlery provide the finishing brushes of elegance. Once her choice of fresh blooms, one-of-a-kind decorative trinkets, personalized details, and other mood-setting touches are added to the mix, a masterpiece is what lays before her—one so pretty that it's often difficult to want to scoop food onto one's plate, but one she also assures is meant to be enjoyed as part of the festivities!
As an innately creative individual unafraid to experiment with varied elements of design, Ginger has discovered a set of foolproof tips for how to create the dreamiest, lushest, most awe-inspiring tablescapes. Despite only formalizing her intentions of becoming an entrepreneur some months ago, she has, in fact, been mastering this art form for years—she definitely knows a thing or two about how to make that tabletop vision come to life.
READ: Christmas Is Coming: Is Your Home Ready?
And so, read up, sit tight, and pay close attention, because here she is to share what you can do to take your holiday tables to the next level.
First and foremost, don't wait for The Queen to visit
Homeowners are all too familiar with the feeling of purchasing beautiful dining sets but not using them because of wanting to "preserve" them in one way or another. Years and years can go by while they wait for that extra special guest to arrive so their best plates, glasses, cutlery and whatnot can be brought out, but according to Ginger, this shouldn't be the case!
These purchases were meant to be used and enjoyed—do so. It'll make a world of a difference when your guests (and family, too!) are presented with a surprise special dining setup, and Christmas makes the perfect reason to try this out.
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Practicality plays a part
Now, onto the design aspects of the tablescape game.
Ginger warns against going overboard, especially when it comes to centerpieces. It's easy to believe that "the grander, the better" is the right way to go, but you must consider elements like height, purpose of the gathering, and even the profile of your guests attending.
Height considerations have a conversational purpose; you want guests to be able to see each other and speak easily from across the table without obstruction. Additionally, knowing who is coming over and what they're coming over for is crucial; a formal professional gathering of colleagues will require much less décor and fuss-free dining, whereas a baby shower that'll see a mommy's best gal pals, family members, and husband has much more leeway in what you can incorporate in your tablescape.
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Personalization + customization
Ginger points out the best way to make your gatherings stand out from the slew of events that are sure to take place this season: add personalized details, as it shows effort on you as a host and is an excellent way to establish a welcoming atmosphere.
Achieve this by incorporating placecards with names or even trinkets on your table that double as décor and a takeaway token. Something small and cute will do the trick, as well as anything that they can use to beautify their own homes.
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The art of the menu
When cooking up a feast at home to go with that stunning tablescape, don't forget to consider any food allergies or preferences. The last thing you want to happen is to be too excited for the main course to arrive, only to be informed by a disappointed guest that they have a serious food intolerance and can't consume it—and then leave you with no alternative to offer.
To prevent this entertaining faux pas, the best thing to do is ask guests for any allergies way beforehand your event. On the other hand, including a menu with choices as part of your tablescape (and turning it into one of its personalized elements) will also help achieve the same goal. Guests will have the opportunity to choose an entree (or even starter, soup, or dessert, depending on what you have lined up) with ease.
Continuity is key
Keeping to her promise of delivering polished tablescapes, Ginger suggests to use pieces right from your centerpiece to decorate the rest of your setup. For example, a Christmas pine-inspired centerpiece featuring lots of greenery and red berries can be extended by adding a little acorn or leaf and stem to your napkin ring or fold. It's very much still in line with your tablescape theme, and doesn't look random or out of place.
READ: Bringing Back The Lost Art Of Indulging At Home
Mixing and matching can still be done
Even when vying for a luxurious tablescape, it's definitely still acceptable to mix and match what you own. There's no such thing as using only plates from one collection, glasses from one brand, or cutlery of the same make and finish—be creative! Coming up with tablescapes is still a form of art, after all, and art is always meant to be an enjoyable process.
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Conversation starter
Last but not least, allow your tablescape to play a role in a gathering; don't just let it be a backdrop to the night's events. Make this happen by including statement pieces in a setup; beautiful plates, fragrant flowers, statement candles, or even unconventional cutlery are sure to get guests talking.
This is an especially handy tip when you're inviting guests who you might be meeting for the first time, or are simply acquainted with each other. Warm them up for a lovely night of good company ahead and new friendhips formed with this hosting secret.
READ: Meghan Markle Is Setting The Season's Tablescaping And Entertaining Trends
[photos]
Illustrating all her tips and techinuqes are two of Ginger's original tablescapes to inspire you this Christmas.
The first setup is traditionally Christmas and warm; it's everything you might imagine a holiday tabletop to look like, complete with a color motif of dark green, neutrals, reds, and metallics. You can never go wrong with a setup like this, and is perfect for family gatherings or parties with those closest to you.
The second is more contemporary and luxe, overall younger and more experimental. Mosaic plates and contrasting reds and whites make the tabletop pop, adding to the festive vibe of a holiday get-together.
Produced by Grace Libero-Cruz
Photography by Paola Aseron
Creative direction by Joan Ko
Table centerpieces by A-List Manila
Hair and makeup by Albert Kurniawan
Jewelry from JJ Jiao
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