Make waves at your next gathering with this visually captivating seaside celebration of lazy beach days, salty breezes, and sunlit ocean waves.
Whether you’re hosting a maritime-themed dinner, a coastal holiday feast, or simply celebrating your love for the sea, this show-stopping centerpiece is a surefire way to make an unforgettable impression.
Royal blue satin mimics rolling ocean waves, adding fluid movement and dynamic energy with scrunched folds that make the setting feel alive.
A spiky, vibrant orange sunrise serves as a striking focal point bringing a dramatic burst of color that contrasts beautifully with the cool blues & natural tones.
Wooden whale tails, a vintage swimmer figurine, and a curious sandpiper create a layered, immersive coastal story, capturing the serenity of a day at sea with breaching marine life, resting shorebirds, and a drifting rowboat.
Products Featured with Links
Additional Supplies
- Craft foam ball - 3-inch
- Modge Podge
- Neon orange glitter
- Wood craft picks - 3-3/8" long
- Red spray paint
- 1/8" steel rod, 22 inches long*
- Red blossoms - hydrangea or similar
- Burlap for table cover
- Blue satin for runner
*Available at home improvement stores.
Paint Rays
- Creating the striking sunburst centerpiece is simple and fun, here's how...
- Start with 100 wooden picks (3-3/8" long) to create the sun's rays.
- Insert into a cardboard box and space out to allow for full coverage when painting.
- Coat the picks with red spray paint on all sides & let dry.
Make Sun
- Insert a wooden pick into a 3-inch diameter craft-foam ball.
- Apply Modge Podge evenly over the surface with a foam brush
- Roll the coated ball in neon orange glitter until it’s fully covered.
- Reposition wood pick as needed for even coverage.
- Insert the glitter-covered ball into a cardboard box to dry.
- When dry, randomly insert the painted picks into the foam ball to create a balanced, sunburst effect.
- Adjust placement for even spacing and a visually dynamic look.
Assemble Island
- Next, create an island from a birch wood slice, where the side resembles rugged rock & the top mimics sandy shores.
- Drill five 11/64" holes for the red hydrangea blooms (adjusting size as needed based on stem width).
- Insert the flower blossoms and secure in place with glue, if desired.
- Drill a 1/8" hole in the birch slice for the sun's steel rod support, ensuring the hole is straight.
- If you need to drill a new hole for better placement, no worries—it won’t be noticeable.
- Optionally, apply adhesive spray to the surface of the wood slice & sprinkle a layer of sand for a realistic sandy effect.
- Note: 1/8" diameter steel rods are available at home improvement stores.
Set the Scene
- For this table scene, start with a burlap or natural-fiber tablecloth to form your sandy foundation.
- Lay a vibrant blue silk or satin runner flat, down the center.
- Place wooden figures in a way that tells a story with the birch disc island in the center.
- Flank the island with the breaching whale tails on one side and boat riding the tide on the other.
- Add a little strategic scrunching and gentle folds to the satin runner to mimic ocean waves.
- Position the vintage swimmer woman and sandpiper facing each other to create a silent, but playful connection.
- Glue the sun's steel-rod support in the birch disc slice and top with the bold sunburst centerpiece.
Guest View
- Tie it all together with rolled, aqua napkins & red bead necklaces as napkin rings.
- Bead necklace napkin rings add another festive surprise for your guests as they take their seats.
Reverse View
- The reverse view continues the narrative where the swimmer, seabird, and breaching whales converge in the tranquil rhythm of the ocean at dawn.
Energize emotions and spark personal connections with centerpieces and focal points that tell a story, leaving lasting impressions.
Check out more beach & coastal themed decorations here...
Be bold!
Pinterest Sized Photo
