Jazz Up Your Buffet Table - 10 Ideas to Help

Do you want your food table to be different? Tired of just lining the food up and moving people through? Below are 10 ideas to jazz up and give some life to your buffet table.
In the catering industry we call it building a buffetscape.

Use risers.
Instead of lining up platters and bowl, add some interest by creating different heights.
Grab the phone book, a small, sturdy box or turn your stock pot upside down.
Now your need to cover your risers.
Assuming you have used a tablecloth, get a yard or so of a fabric in a color or design that will complement your party color scheme.
Use it to cover your risers.
Alternatively, use another tablecloth to cover your homemade risers.
Invest in a couple of 2 or 3 tiered serving stands.
You can use them for centerpieces, to hold plates or to hold platters of food.
Make use of Vertical space as well as giving the eye another direction to travel (up and down versus left to right).
Use unexpected items to showcase your food.
For example - use a nice glass to hold decorated pretzel rods or wafer sticks - use a basket for your vegetable tray - build a shrimp tree or waterfall - build an olive tree - use a larger platter on top of a pedestal cake plate - etc
Use LED candles sprinkled around your buffet table.
LED candles are much safer in an area where people reach across.
No open flames means no chance of someone getting burned.
Place flatware in a basket or divided clear acrylic pencil holder so they are organized and within reach for your guests.
Look around your home for figurines, silk plants or bushes, hat boxes, baskets, centerpieces, and such for use on your buffet.
Use garland, diamond-shaped table gems (glass), assorted colored glass flat stones, confetti, net (for tropical theme), and more to weave through your buffet offerings.
It adds depth and color to the display of food.
Use white strand lights under fabric to give a warm glow or to highlight a featured food or centerpiece.
Use a mirror as a base for a fruit display.
It reflects back and adds depth to the display.