DIY Projects & Crafts Centerpieces Dress Up Your Dining Room Table with These Pretty Centerpieces—They're Perfect for Any Time of the Year By Lauren Wellbank Lauren Wellbank Lauren is a freelance writer for MarthaStewart.com. Editorial Guidelines Published on November 19, 2020 Share Tweet Pin Email Trending Videos You don't need to use the holidays as an excuse to dress up your dining room table. There are plenty of great tablescape ideas that can work year-round in your home. Do you typically reserve the creation of dining room table centerpieces for your end-of-the year celebrations? Though we love overflowing baskets of pumpkins at the start of harvest season, a cornucopia bursting with decorative ears of corn for Thanksgiving, and baskets of ornaments and candles at Christmas, we think you can (and should) dress up your dinner table any night of the year. After all, isn't sitting down to a meal with your family reason enough to celebrate? If you find yourself searching for a great centerpiece option that works across seasons, we can help. To that end, we rounded up an array of our very best ideas that'll look as good on your table at Thanksgiving as it will on Mother's Day. We actually think that some of these ideas are so perfect for year-round display that you'll ultimately decide to skip the seasonal swaps entirely. After all, when you find a design that you can keep on the table all year long, why would you trade it out? Choose between candlelight delights, floral-inspired sets, or unique vessels that can be filled with neutral-hued décor. Most of these easy centerpieces can easily be made in one afternoon at home, and you might already have everything you need on hand. And if you don't, a quick run to the crafts store, your favorite home improvement spot, or floral provider should have everything you need. 01 of 16 DIY Copper Glassware JOHNNY FOGG You can create your own spectacular centerpieces with a little copper electrical tape and a vase or jar of your choice. Pick up the tape from any home improvement store and wrap it around a vessel to create a vase or candle holder that is sure to catch the light (and your eye). Get the Copper Tape Glassware How-To 02 of 16 Colorful Candle Holders Courtesy of Rachel Mae Smith If you have a few near-empty cans of spray paint at home, this might be the perfect craft for you. All you need are glasses, a safe space for painting, and a little imagination. You can spray the entire jar or give it an ombré effect by focusing the paint towards the bottom of the jar and allowing the top part to get a lighter coating. Get the Colored Glass Candle Holders How-To 03 of 16 Leather Wrapped Vases Courtesy of West Elm The neutral hues of leather-wrapped vases are the perfect complement to your favorite flowers. Stage a few in the center of your table, focus on just one larger vase, or line them up on an oversized charger plate depending on the look you're going for. 04 of 16 Pampas Grass Courtesy of Anthropologie Pampas grass is easy to incorporate into your home's décor, but the trick is making sure that your vessel is tall enough to support the lengthy plumes while keeping the bulk of the arrangement out of your eye line. Tall, skinny vases work best for these designs. Choose a neutral glass like this one if you're opting for more colorful grasses. 05 of 16 A Candle in a Bottle KARA WHITTEN Don't toss out your travel-sized bottles until after you've taken a look at this centerpiece. Use a variety of shapes and textures as molds to create a mix of candles to place on your table—we suggest setting them on charger plate to make for easier clean up if you decide to light them, or else letting them serve as more decorative (rather than functional) pieces by keeping them dark. Get the Bottle Candles How-To 06 of 16 A Sprig of Green Lauren Pressey You don't need a whole lot of color to make a statement when the color you're using is a rich, verdant green. Pair sprigs of your favorite greenery with a natural vase to recreate the beauty of the great outdoors in the heart of your home. 07 of 16 Decoupage Décor Poppytalk To recreate this look you'll need a few floral-inspired images to decoupage onto your favorite set of up-cycled bottles (empty olive oil bottles work great). Paint the bottles different shades of the same color, place your design on them, and then coat the bottles in mod podge to seal them. Since the florals are on the exterior, you can save space by not having to add any blooms to the jar. Which means one less trip to the store (and one less thing to worry about changing). 08 of 16 Colored Glass Martyna Szczesna When the colorful part of your centerpieces is the glassware itself, you don't need a ton of blooms to make a statement. To create this look, you'll want to choose several glasses in various sizes that are similar in color yet varied enough to show off their hues. Stage them around each other while filling some with tea lights or single-stemmed flowers. 09 of 16 Citrus Blooms Joey Carman Photography Here's a fun alternative to flower: Pair bright, bold citrus with a leafy green backdrop. We like to display the setup in an elegant Grecian vase for a look that's both classic and timeless. 10 of 16 Birch Wrapped Vases Lisa Hubbard The simple beauty of unfinished birch bark makes whatever you display in these vases stand out. Choose vibrant blooms for contrast, or combine tall white amaryllis with ivy cuttings like in this display. Get the Birch Arrangement How-To 11 of 16 Candle Bowls James Merrell Bring the elegance of a meal by candlelight to your dining room by using shallow candle bowls as your centerpiece. Choose unscented varieties if you want them to be lit during your meal so that their fragrance doesn't interfere with the smells wafting from your plate. 12 of 16 Dried Hydrangea Blooms Aaron Dyer Hydrangeas are known for being big and fluffy, but after they've been spent on the stem you can save your favorites for centerpieces—all you need to do is dry them out first. "Mop head-style" varieties will work best for this type of centerpiece (Endless Summer Hydrangeas are a good option), and will produce dried flowers with subtle shades that range from green to lavender. 13 of 16 Upcycled China Ashley Poskin Don't keep your favorite pieces of China tucked away for special occasions. Instead, bring a piece or two out for year-round appreciation by incorporating it into your everyday centerpiece. Turn a saucer and teacup into a candle that you can light during mealtime. When it burns down, you can refill it with a new wax scent, or place a votive in its place. 14 of 16 Herb-Filled Aaron Dyer Cut fresh herbs from your garden and secure them to a small glass jar to create the perfect candleholder for tea lights and votive candles. Use a small bit of twine to hold the sprigs in place, then enjoy the way the smell fills your dining room as the leaves dry out. Just beware of any fire hazards the drying leaves and open flames may present. 15 of 16 Fruit Baskets Show off a plentiful harvest or inspire your family to eat more fresh fruit by having your centerpiece pull double duty. Add several pieces of the same fruit to a small decorative basket on your table to get this look. Refill it with seasonal fruits to update your table's look. 16 of 16 Floating Candles If you already have candles that are perfect for floating (those with flat bottoms that aren't too thick are best), you can create your own sea of light. You just need a shallow serving bowl, a bit of water, a handful of candles, and a flower for garnish. Just make sure your flower petals are far enough away from the flame so that it doesn't become a fire hazard. Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Tell us why! Other Submit