Holiday Dinner Party Decor Tips

With the holiday dinner party season starting, we all love to find out tips on how to set the perfect table, decorate for our guests and where to find inspiration and new brands. I’ve asked a local Vancouver designer, Jamie Banfield, to share his interior style inspiration and dinner party décor tips for this holiday season. He’s regularly featured in Western Living and participated at this years Dinner by Design.

If you are like me, you’d want to find where designers shops or gather inspiration from. But don’t stress about planning your holiday party, just relax and recycle décor from your home. And in the end I always believe fruit can be a great centerpiece for whatever season. At the end of the night, it can also turn into a healthy snack.

Lighting also plays a really important part in setting the mood for a dinner party. You should have several sources of light that are on dimmers (easy to install!). The goal is to distribute light evenly so that it casts a soft, ambient glow that’s soothing and not harsh. You know when you go to a restaurant, and the lighting is off and it’s either too bright or too dark. Yeah, you don’t want to have either at your party.

Anyways, Jamie has kindly shared some of his inspiration sources, décor tips and a few brands and designers on his radar below. He had a lovely table at the Vancouver Dinner by Design show this year. Be sure to check it out next year!

How did you get into the industry – were you always interested in styling & interiors?

I have never known anything else, while I was a child I would play with Legos, draw homes, re space plan my mothers and fathers home.

I always was a child that beat to his own drum as I cried at my 8th birthday as my parents purchased me power rangers toys and I really wanted stationary… So the next my mom took me to the post office and art store. When  I was in high school I apprenticed for a plumber, electrician and an industrial flooring company. After high school, I worked at Home Depot while I was studying at BCIT.

How and where do you source products for your clients – do you always choose things that you like?

I turned thirty this past December and have been asked for many years what my style is. My answer was always I do not have a style but find inspiration from my surroundings and pull the personality out from the customer and the customers family. I can say looking back on my body of work I totally have a style that is inspired by the customer and is inspired by my surroundings.

When I meet a customer. something excites me, triggers a thought and a path for a concept and we start working through the concept, space and design working down to the products. Myself and my team try to keep an eye open for new and exciting products and when we find the perfect client we connect the dots between those products and the perfect space.

What do you think is the key to successful interior styling?

Key to anything is having a plan and following a process and a purpose! The three “P”s. When we are working on a small bathroom renovation or a customer build home, or a dinner party at my house; I always think to those key things.

What is the overall purpose of this event, product or space? This is typically a feeling or an action. So for a bathroom the purpose might be to curl up in the tub, block out all noise from the growing family and have some me time and read a book.

The process is how to execute this, so have an idea, break it down to smaller segments, and always pull them back to the overall purse of the space. We keep in mine disconnecting the emotion while on the hunt for these products and things to create this space.

The plan is looking at timeline, budget, who is involved and what it will take to pull of this project. This approach can be applied to a DIY art project, a table setting and even a new home build.

What is your best piece advice for those looking to restyle their décor?

One size up! When selecting art, moldings, hardware, lighting and area rugs most buys purchase to small. Go one size bigger than expected.

How would you describe your own home style – and how often do you update your interior?

My own home style is relaxed sophistication. I want a space where I feel good and surrounded by great found objects, that someone can put their feet up and spill some wine on a Saturday night. I think every space should always be evolving, I change it up when I fall in love with a piece that I must have! My home style is never complete, I have lived with our bar stools for the last five years because I can not set my eyes on the perfect set! I guess its like a mechanics car is always in need of a tune up!

If you were looking for one luxury item to add to your home what would you invest in and why

I would always invest in art! Art is a great way to express yourself, it adds personality and can potentially be a great investment for the grandkids.

What trends do you love at the moment? Do you have any tips on how our readers can create this look in their home?

I tend to lean towards lots of texture, never been scared of mixing metals and woods. For the last few years I have been a fan of blocking and lettering from the Art Deco period. I love seeing all the geometrical shapes, contracting positive and negative patters and metals from the Art Deco period.

Where or how do you gather inspiration?

I gather inspiration from my surroundings. I was recently touring tunnels that were once used as railway tracks. The way the walls were formed has inspired me for a really fun detailed wall at a custom home we are currently working on.

Three favourite brands or designers on your radar?

These are my top three  I am creeping on Instagram

Architect: Bjarke Ingles, Principal at Bjarke Ingles Group www.big.dk

Product Designer: Phillippe Starck, www.starck.com

Photographer/ Artist: Rich Stapleton.com www/richstapleton.com

Lighting Designer: Matthew McCormick  http://www.matthewmccormick.ca

Artist/ Painter: Angie Crabtree www.angiecrabtree.com (I am so in love with these paintings)

Local Interior Designer, want to be a mentor one day:  (Robert Bailey, Director or Robert Bailey Interiors

What should one focus on when planning a party?

I would say people remember the details, so if you are going to create something it might be a table scape, DIY project, or even a drink… I think people enjoy and remember details.

Any holiday trends?

Pastel colours are big, and mixing textures and metals so this can be layering in to Christmas so easy… Creating a scape with all light pastel pinks, gold’s and browns and creating a white/cream overall setting.

Any budget friendly tips for the Christmas season?

Christmas can be so costly to purchase so many decorations. In my house we look at the basics that can be used all year round. So our Christmas lights can be used on the patio in the summer or wrapped around a tree for a festive fall dinner. So layer in things from your house to your seasonal settings.

We love shopping for Christmas Décor and have a basic of white, creams, green and brown (wood) and layer in colours so we had blue/chrome, teal and brown and this year going for a more white/cream/gold. This can make the space feel unique each year but not so costly. We then donate those colours to Goodwill in the start of the season.

Also when we are decorating the tree, we look for unique pieces. We might purchase 2-5 of the same possibly different sizes or textures, this make the tree look and feel layered and built over time. Do not purchase a box of “matchy matchy” décor.

If you were magically given 3 more hours per day, what would you do with them?

Three more hours… Hmm… I would get my self a puppy and probably make it to a beach, river or lake to watch the sunset each day.

If you had the day off right now what would you be doing?

Explore a bit of BC, I love exploring this province, one of my favourite things to-do.

Thanks Jamie! You can see more of his work here or follow him on Instagram.

I just want to add one tidbit, a clean home is always a great base for style. It seriously makes a difference and if it isn’t, it may be the one thing guests will notice instead of your badass centerpieces or delicious dishes. Just saying…