Make a splash at your next party: Below Deck's Bugsy Drake shares creative ways to decorate a 4th of July spread
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According to Bugsy Drake, now is not the time to resort to paper plates. According to the Below Deck star, any occasion provides the perfect opportunity to entertain — and what better way to entertain than with a gorgeous tablescape?
"It's an adventure on a table," she shared with Yahoo Life. "It tells a story."
The star has made the art of tablescaping so much more than just a hobby — it's a creative outlet and, frankly, an art form. She even wrote a book on it — The Art of Tablescaping — which was released in May. Plus, as we slowly begin to entertain again, there's no better way to treat your guests than with a gorgeous setup.
You don't have to be an entertainer at heart to have a gorgeous tablescape for your next shindig, however — all it takes are a few simple tools and a tiny bit of prep work.
"Start with a foundation," Drake advises. She recommends first getting some placemats appropriate for the theme of the party you're planning, but if you're on a budget, neutrals are totally fine. The star also suggests trying out a table runner — "they're really trending these days!" she shared.
One of Drake's favorite tricks is to fill vases of varying sizes with multicolored rocks — it's a really easy and inexpensive way to add texture to a tablescape. Having an event after sundown? Drake has you covered there, too. "If it's an evening, I love some form of light — like fairy lights," she suggested.
While not everyone gets to decorate gorgeous, luxury yachts like the Below Deck star, that doesn't mean she isn't comfortable creating a fetching layout on a budget. In fact, one of her favorite ways to both save a few bucks and stay sustainable, too, is to repurpose items you already have at home.
"I love to repurpose," she divulged. "I love to use empty wine bottles, fill them with fairy lights or rocks and candles...keep the corks, and put them in a fish bowl."
Have some pasta lying around? Dress it up in a glass vase or scatter it around the table. Even aluminum foil can be turned into fun origami. Plus, if you have a garden, you can use the foliage or flowers to spruce up the space even more.
Decorating for the 4th of July? "Use the American flag," Drake advises. "My theme would be red, white and blue. Tie them in with different napkins, alternate those colors around the table."
Read More from Yahoo Life:
Amazon's 4th of July sale is spectacular — shop these deals before they sell out
Happy birthday, America! Walmart just dropped incredible 4th of July sales — save up to 80 percent!
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