Cheap Ideas for Decorative Table Centerpieces

You don't have to spend a fortune to create professional-looking table centerpiece decorations. As long as you own basic craft supplies, such as glue and ribbons, you can create a variety of centerpiece designs for less than you would pay to purchase a similar item at a store. It's also important to take your time and work carefully to ensure the resulting centerpiece looks professional.

Paper Flower Bouquet

Tissue paper, green floral wire and basic craft supplies are all you need to create a large bouquet filled with delicate flowers. Stack five rectangular tissue paper pieces, accordion fold the stack, pinch the middle, wrap with tape to secure and flute to create a flower shape. Use green floral tape to secure the pinched area to the top of a floral wire. Create several flowers using different paper colors and different wire lengths. Arrange the paper flowers in a rounded bouquet and slide it into a small vase. Add green tissue paper between the mouth of the vase and the stems if you want the look of lush foliage.

Fresh Fruit Vase

Turn a clear glass vase into a colorful table centerpiece with the help of cheap fresh fruit. Clean any large glass vase so that it's fingerprint-free and sparkling. Fill the vase with layers of assorted in-season fruit. Mix whole and cut fruits in the layering. For example, alternate layers of whole crab apples, large lemon wedges and whole grapes. Add cold water to the fruit-filled vase to keep the fruit fresh and increase the sparkle factor.

Glitter Pillar Candle

Get creative with glitter spray to turn a tacky tin can and a plain candle into an elegant table centerpiece. Select a clean, short tin can and a tall, white pillar candle with a base that fits snugly into the can. Cover the outside of the can with a light layer of glitter spray, let it dry, add a second glitter coat and let it dry again to make the can sparkle. Tie a thin, glittering, sheer white ribbon in a bow around the top of the can. Slide the pillar candle into the sparkling holder and place it in the middle of the table.

Harvest Bouquet

Wildflowers and plants growing in fallow fields are good for more than just decorating the side of the road. Gather those free materials to create your own earthy table centerpiece. Arrange the bouquet in an old water pitcher or wicker-covered vase to preserve the simple style. For example, arrange wheat stalks, wild grasses, sunflowers and wildflowers in a blue ceramic pitcher.

Painted Flowers

Give tacky plastic flowers a second life as an elegant and cheap table centerpiece with the help of spray paint. Select a large bouquet of faux flowers in good physical condition. Lightly spray the flowers with gold spray paint, let them dry, spray them again and let them dry again to cover the entire bouquet evenly. Slide the bouquet into a silver or gold colored vase and place the piece in the middle of the table.