Flat lays live or die on the gaps. Fill every space and it reads as clutter. Leave too much and it reads as unfinished. The spoons give you a repeating shape to build the rhythm around.
Shot straight down from a tripod arm, which is worth owning if you do this more than once. Handheld overhead work is never quite square and you will see it.
The dark surface is a sheet of slate from a garden centre. It cost less than a reflector.