Create a Professional Looking Buffet Table

Having a buffet dinner party or a potluck?  Not sure how to make it look great?  Let us help you make it look professional and most welcoming. It is simple enough to do with things you probably already have at home.  Here’s how:

 We have found that, with a very little bit of extra time, you can make your dining room table look really inviting and just as if the caterers have been in to set it up for you. Here’s what you will need:

Setting Up A Buffet Table from Two Chums on Vimeo.

• different sized boxes or books (you will need about 3 or 4 less than the amount of dishes you are serving)

• a long piece of fabric (8 to 10 yards) in a color that goes with your dining room and which is washable

• white platters and bowls

• place card holders

First, you are going to put the boxes or books around your table.  Put different heights next to each other and leave a lot of space in between.  Next, place your long, washable fabric over the boxes and books to cover them completely.  You can “squinch” up the fabric any way you like.  Do it loosely – it is all part of the appeal.  Let it hang down in places on the table.  We stress that you want washable fabric as it is bound to have food spilled on it through the course of your party and you want to just be able to pop it into the washing machine when the event wraps up.

Your platters and bowls will go, both on these boxes and books, and directly onto the table, creating a variety of heights.  We like the added touch of using cards that label the dishes, in place card holders, next to each platter or bowl.  It just lets your guests know exactly what they are enjoying.  You can either write these by hand or print them on your computer.

We suggest white platters as it offers a consistent look and also, food looks great on white.  You can pick up white platters and bowls, inexpensively, at a lot of places.   Some of the stores we suggest are Target, Marshalls, Ross, TJ Maax, and Crate and Barrel. Pick them up, one at a time, whenever you see them, to get your collection going.

We have served from a buffet with all types of foods – brunch, hors d’oeuvres, entrée dishes and desserts and they all work wonderfully well.

Once the yummy food has been put onto the platters and into the bowls, you are ready to welcome your guests.  Boy, they are in for a treat!