How to Add DIY Watercolor Details to a Tablescape

This post was sponsored by Consumer Crafts. All ideas and opinions are my own.
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Add DIY Watercolor Accents to Your Holiday Table

Looking for a way to add a touch of creativity and elegance to your holiday table? With just a few craft supplies and a little watercolor paint, you can transform simple printed cards into stunning, hand-painted details that will impress your guests.

For this formal holiday tablescape, I used watercolor techniques to add textural dimension to personalized printed pieces — the placecards and menu cards. These soft, painted details brought warmth and a bespoke look to the table, elevating the entire design.

DIY Watercolor Placecards & Menu Cards

Placecards are a simple but meaningful addition to any formal table setting. They make guests feel welcome and help create an organized, intentional dining experience. By adding watercolor details, you can turn these small accents into beautiful works of art.

Supplies You’ll Need

• Watercolor paper or bright white cardstock

• Watercolor paints

• Paintbrushes

• Small cup or bowl of water

• Drying rag or paper towel

Step-by-Step Instructions

1. Print Your Cards
   Print your desired placecards and menu cards on watercolor paper or heavy 100# cardstock.
   Pro Tip: Leave extra spacing between printed names to allow for watercolor paint bleed. Instead of printing 8 names per page, print 4 to give yourself plenty of room.

2. Apply Watercolor Paint
   Dip your brush into watercolor paint and apply a small amount to the printed card.

3. Blend with Water
   Rinse your brush, dip it into water, and lightly blend the paint using gentle strokes until you achieve your desired look.
   Pro Tip: To recreate our design, apply dry color in the center of the card and then blend outward with water for a soft, faded edge.

4. Dry and Trim
   Allow your cards to dry completely, then use a paper cutter to trim each one to size.

Creating Watercolor Menu Cards

Follow the same watercolor steps for your printed menus. For our DIY watercolor menu cards, we concentrated the color near the top and gradually diluted it downward for a soft ombré effect. The subtle wash of color adds elegance and visual interest to your formal holiday table.

Choosing the Perfect Color Palette

For this project, I chose a palette inspired by rich holiday hues: emerald green, navy blue, gold, and pops of burgundy. These tones balance formality with warmth, and the watercolor details add softness that ties everything together beautifully.

Whether your style leans modern, traditional, or boho, watercolor accents work seamlessly with almost any holiday table décor.

This project is:

• Simple and Affordable: You likely already have most of the supplies at home.

• Customizable: Choose colors that match your theme or event.

• Elegant and Personal: Hand-painted details make every place setting feel thoughtful and unique.

You can find everything you need for this DIY watercolor tablescape at ConsumerCrafts.com.

These DIY watercolor placecards and menu cards are a beautiful way to personalize your next gathering. With just a few brushstrokes, you can add a soft artistic touch that transforms your holiday table décor from simple to stunning.

We can’t wait to see how you incorporate these watercolor techniques into your own holiday entertaining — tag your creations with #ConsumerCraftsArt for a chance to be featured!