The quickest way to make any table look coordinated is to settle on a colour palette before you buy anything. This guide covers how to choose a palette, plus some tried-and-tested combinations for different occasions.
1. How to choose a party colour scheme
Start with two or three colours, no more — typically one neutral (white, ivory or black), one accent colour, and optionally one metallic (gold or silver). Use the neutral for your base layer (tablecloth or plates), and bring in the accent and metallic through napkins, cutlery and smaller details.
2. Wedding colour palette ideas
Popular wedding palettes include white and gold, white and silver, and soft blush and ivory. For a full breakdown of how these work in practice, see our wedding table decoration ideas guide.
3. Birthday party colour ideas
Birthday palettes can be bolder and more playful — bright multicolour and confetti-inspired schemes work well for kids' parties, while gold, black and white suits adult milestone celebrations. See our birthday table decoration ideas for more.
4. Seasonal colour inspiration
Colour palettes can also follow the season: deep green and gold for a festive winter table, pastel tones for spring, or warm terracotta and rust shades for autumn gatherings.
5. Colour pairing guide for tableware
As a general rule, pair one bold or dark colour with one light neutral so the table does not feel overwhelming, and use a metallic (gold or silver) sparingly, through cutlery or napkin details, rather than across the whole table.
6. Building your palette around what you already have
If you already own plain white plates or glassware, you can build almost any colour scheme around them using napkins, a table runner or tablecloth, and a few smaller decorative details — without needing to replace everything.
Shop by colour
Explore our wedding table decor and birthday table decor collections to find napkins and table linen in your chosen palette, and see our table setting guide for how to bring it all together.