East Meets Elegance: How to Create a Chic Chinese Table Styling

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Welcome to Our Virtual Dinner Party

You may be asking yourself what a virtual dinner or supper club actually is.

Back in 2021, we started this club with our friends Stacy, Rachel, Jen, and Michele.

We share ideas and inspiration for entertaining at home.

Since we live in different parts of the country (Texas, Nebraska, New Jersey, and North Carolina), we can’t get together in person.

Our virtual supper club is the next best thing to being together.

One day we hope to be able to do this together in person!

Each month we choose a different theme and share beautiful tablescapes, party decor, entertaining ideas, and recipes on our blogs.

And even though we call ourselves a dinner club, we’ve shared ideas for breakfasts, brunches, luncheons, and cocktail parties too.

This month our virtual supper club is sharing a Chinese dinner party theme.

We share beautiful tablescapes, party ideas, and a delicious Chinese menu.

And just wait until you see all of our friend’s gorgeous tables at the end of this post!

Check out all of our virtual dinner club tablescapes and menus!

Some of the items used in this post include affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases at no added cost to you. You can read our full affiliate disclosure policy here.

Where to Host a Chinese Dinner Party

Now that you’ve decided to host a Chinese dinner party where should you have it?

The Lunar New Year is celebrated during the winter months of January or February so your event will most likely be held indoors.

However, if you’re throwing an Asian-inspired party for another occasion then you can set up your table wherever you have the space.

Your dining room, kitchen, or even backyard would make a wonderful spot for your guests.

Just be sure to have comfortable chairs so you can linger over the meal and enjoy each other’s company.

I like to entertain in my dining room when I’m having friends and family over for a meal.

Sometimes it’s nice to move out of the kitchen where the mess from preparing is and sit around the table for a while.

How to Style a Simple Chinese Dining Table Centerpiece

I loved the look of the floating candles that I used last summer for our tropical-themed cocktail party so wanted to use them again.

Several sets of simple cylinder glass vases create a minimalist yet chic display.

Each set of three vases includes a 5″, 8″, and 10″ tall glass vase with a 5″ opening at the top.

I used three sets of glass vases to style my table.

The varying heights of the vases create interest and keep your eye moving along the middle of the table.

It’s important to find vases that will allow space for the large floating candle and faux flowers.

These candles are 3″ wide so fit nicely in the 5″ wide vase.

This set of white floating candles provides approximately 8-10 hours of ambient light.

The white faux lotus blooms bring a bit of whimsy to the otherwise neutral table while maintaining a clean and modern centerpiece design.

The floating lotus flowers are 3.9″ wide so just like the candles, they fit perfectly in the round glass vase.

I added a variety of gold mercury glass votive candle holders in between the clear glass vases along the table centerpiece.

The touch of gold adds to the elegant feeling I was trying to create.

A few candle tealights in each votive holder provide even more sparkle on the table.

Three Essentials Every Asian-Themed Table Setting Must Have

Once the centerpiece of my table was complete I moved on to styling the place settings for my guests.

Bamboo placemats are the perfect accessory for this chic modern look and are the first essential for an Asian-themed dinner party.

These natural bamboo placemats bring some much-needed texture to my white table.

Can you use chopsticks?

Even if your guests won’t be able to manage eating their meal with chopsticks they are a must-have item for a Chinese dinner party.

You can always set your table with forks as well as chopsticks if you prefer.

I found some bamboo wood chopsticks in a classic style that coordinated with my table setting.

The plain black dinnerware with a crisp white cloth napkin is a clean and modern look.

Small black rice bowls placed on top of black plates need the white napkin to break up the dark colors.

The third essential for a Chinese dinner party is fortune cookies.

I mean seriously…you can’t thoroughly enjoy a Chinese dinner without a fortune cookie, am I right?!

If you want to make a healthy cookie option that still looks pretty, these GF Keto Chinese Almond Cookies are delicious!

How to Give a Modern Twist to Traditional Chinese Table Decorations

If you want to design a chic and modern table that goes beyond a traditional style then consider your color palate.

Red and gold would be perfect if you wanted a classic style.

However, if you pick vibrant colors in shades of pink, teal, and orange they would provide a more contemporary vibe.

Choose a single bold color like emerald green or sapphire blue for a monochromatic look.

Or style your table with neutrals like black, white, and tan as I did for a modern take on a classic design.

And the sleek black dinnerware gives a touch of modern style.

Using natural materials like linen napkins and bamboo placemats adds organic texture.

Where to Add More Chinese-themed Decor

Don’t forget to style the side buffet tables or other areas in your space where you’ll be dining.

Less is more so that you’re able to quickly move any decor off the surface to make room for food if needed.

My favorite gold candle sticks with flameless real wax candles are perfect to add a bit more ambiance to the room.

A beautiful basket full of fresh-cut bamboo adds so much texture and life to the dining experience.

Funny story…when Anne was a family photographer she often took photos at a local park that had a bamboo grove.

Well, when I was talking about how the faux bamboo I was looking to buy online didn’t look great she remembered the park and offered to cut some for me.

She showed up the next day with a huge armful of cut bamboo…now that’s a great friend!

I had so many fun ideas to use the fresh bamboo on my tablescape and couldn’t wait to get started styling it.

First, I had to hose all the bamboo clippings down outside because the stems were dusty and the leaves were moldy.

Then, I carefully stood each branch up in a plastic bin filled with water overnight.

But when I went outside the next day most of the bamboo leaves had curled up. ugh!

I went with plan b and was able to salvage a few of them to put them in this pretty basket on the buffet table.

I hope you found some fun ideas and inspiration to create a chic Chinese-themed tablescape.

We’d love for you to share your table designs with us!

Resource and Shopping Links:

Click on the image to shop items from this post

Sources: set of 3 cylinder vases | floating candles | faux floating lotus flower | bamboo placemats | black plates | black bowls | white cloth napkin | chopsticks | fortune cookies | gold mercury glass votive holders | gold candle sticks | flameless real wick candles

More Simply2Moms’ Tablescape Ideas:

Check out all of our virtual dinner club tablescapes and menus!

More Asian-Inspired Tablescape Ideas from Our Friends

Be sure to click each of the blog names below the photos to get even more inspiration for your Chinese dinner party table.

If you have any questions or suggestions, contact me or leave a comment!

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