BASIC STEPS FOR SETTING A TABLE
Thanksgiving has certainly crept up on me this year. Only 6 days away! In additional to all of the great foods that will cover the table, I most look forward to setting the table. I have a minor, ok fine, severe, obsession with a well-dressed table! Beautiful china, elegant flatware, linen napkins...it gives me a thrill. My husband teases me about my insistence on being so "fancy", but I see it as another outlet to express my style. One that is not permanent and can change year to year. I love an opportunity to "dress up" whether it be myself for a special event, or in this case, a holiday table.
There are many sources to find inspiring tablescapes, especially on Instagram. Some I find to be particularly fabulous are @casadeperrin | @kimseybert | @michaelaram | @mottahedehchina to name a few. See some of my favorite highlights from their Instagram feeds below.
The tiny gold salt cellars an spoons are so chic!
[photo courtesy of @casadeperrin via instagram]
I love how Casa de Perrin slays the table runner using foliage and vegetation rather than linens. Genius!
[photo courtesy of @casadeperrin via instagram]
The blue and gray combo is classic yet fresh. And can we talk about this charger? So good!
[photo courtesy of @kimseybert via instagram]
Feminine yet edgy at the same time. I am always a sucker for pops of black.
[photo courtesy of @kimseybert via instagram]
Dark and moody, I am loving this sophisticated color palette.
[photo courtesy of @michaelaram via instagram]
So, where to start? Protect the table. Though I can appreciate a beautiful table cloth, I tend to prefer placemats. I am especially fond of placemats with unexpected shapes or textures. They are like works of art for the table. If you are a lover of layering, or have a more is more attitude towards dressing your table, then, by all means, have both a tablecloth and a placemat! Here are some placemats I love.
From top left: Metallic Anaconda Placemat in Silver | Petrified Wood Placemat | Shagreen Placemat in Indigo| Sinamay Flower Placemat | Drift Placemat | Coral Placemat, White | Shadow Lines Placemat |Timber Placemat in Gold | Netta Placemat
Next, bring on the chargers! Like placemats, these will stay on the table for the duration of the meal. They are the perfect piece to create cohesion between your placemat and dinnerware. If you went all-out with the placemat, I would recommend a more simple charger, or vice versa. Keep it interesting by playing with shape, contrasting color, or texture.
From top left: Hammertone Charger, Black Nickelplate | Halo Glass Charger, Black | Carrara Charger | Chantilly Charger, Ivory | Brown Charger Plates | Timeless Charger | Rufolo Glass Gold Charger | Emerald Charger | Anna Weatherley Charger
OK, so I may have made it obvious that I favor Casa de Perrin, but it is all sooooo good! Their dinnerware is also top notch. When considering your dinnerware, sets are always a failsafe way to go. If you really want to get creative, however, something I really like to do is pick two different patterns that coordinate and mix and match them on the table. This concept will come particularly in handy when your family has grown (out-of-nowhere!) and your wedding china with only eight place settings is now discontinued. It can be as simple as selecting solid color plates that pick up a color in your existing pattern. If its a metallic, silver or gold, set then you'll have far more options to play with!
From top left: Black Orchid | Alchimie Black | Pink Plates | Coralina | Gien France Filets | Platinum Aura | Arcades | Trousdale | Mercer Drive
Next add in flatware, stemware, and of course linen napkins with napkin rings. Don't do all this hard work only to use paper napkins (I will make an exception for cocktail napkins)! I could go on about types of stemware, placement of flatware, etc., but we'll save that for another day. I think you've got the hang of it. Lastly, top off with some fun accents like salt and pepper shakers, and some flowers or foliage. Candlelight is also always a good idea!
From top left: Similie Crystal Glasses | Bistro Gold Flatware | Twin Leaf Napkin Ring | Goa Brushed Steel | Bird Napkin Rings | Chambray Dinner Napkins | Sea Urchin Salt Dish | Arya Black Taper Candelabra| Colleen Encore Stemware
"Fancy" or formal does not have to equate to stuffy. No matter your style - traditional, rustic, minimal - you can created a chic tablescape that is sure to WOW. Don't worry about getting it perfect, just make something it is uniquely you. Most importantly, have fun!
Lissette