Table Setting Ideas

Table Setting Ideas
How to Set a Table
Breakfast l Brunch l Lunch l Afternoon Tea
Dinner l Buffet l Parties l Holidays
Which Glasses go with which Drink

How to set a Table

A. Napkin
B. Service Plate
C. Soup Bowl
D. Butter Plate/Butter Knife
or Salad Plate
E. Water Glass
F. White Wine
G. Red Wine

H. Fish Fork
I. Dinner Fork
J. Salad Fork
K. Service Knife
L. Fish Knife
M. Soup Spoon
N. Dessert Fork/Spoon

BREAKFAST
Whether you are drinking hot cocoa from dark-color stoneware mugs or strawberry-pineapple juice from white porcelain cups, the best decoration for a breakfast table is fruit that may be eaten after the main course. Coordinate the colors of the fruits you use with the colors of your china or table linens. Also add seasonal flowers, pitchers or vases. Fresh daisies and oranges look great together, as well as lilacs and green seedless grapes.

BRUNCH
Use pedestal plates to decorate for your champagne brunch. Stack fruit, muffins, scones and tea biscuits. Drape lace table linens along the bottom of the pedestals with metal plates holding warm food such as bacon, sausage, home fries, crepes, pancakes, waffles, ham, etc. Use black white and silver for contrast along with brightly colored fruit such as raspberries, strawberries and grapes.

LUNCH
Use seashells, starfish and nautical-themed decorations to accent a striped table cloth, white napkins and clear glass plates and glasses.

AFTERNOON TEA
Use any color combination with lots of tea rose decorations. The pink scheme pictured at left is perfect for an afternoon tea table setting. Different flowered china patterns maybe used for the tea cups if you don't have4 matching cups. Make sure you have a china tea ball, creamer and sugar set, plate for lemon wedges, and tea pot.

DINNER
A romantic dinner for two at a round table with a gold table cloth and a black ice bucket will set the mood for an enchanting evening. Use gold-rimmed china and crystal and gold-plated flatware. A simple crystal vase with one long-stemmed white rose or orchid and a few votive candles will suffice as a centerpiece.

BUFFET
An outdoor country buffet looks great with a crisp white linen tablecloth, decorated with brightly colored earthenware and loads of bright, fresh flowers. Use solid color white china and stack at the beginning of the buffet. Wrap silver flatware in solid-color linen napkins in a variety of vibrant colors to match the earthenware and flowers. Also place solid-color linen napkins in a variety of vibrant colors underneath chafing dishes and serving bowls adding to the festive decor. Use white wicker baskets lined with the same colorful linen napkins. Use tin watering cans or containers to hold fresh flowers in addition to the earthenware to add more country charm. Serve fresh lemonade and sun tea in glass pitchers on the dessert table with assorted cookies and pastries, decorated with fresh strawberries and orange wedges.

PARTIES
Decorate your party buffets and tables according to the season. Punch with fresh fruit served in a clear crystal punch bowl is a refreshing site during spring and summer months. Clean and simple decorations with contrasting colors are perfect warm weather decorations, like the stark white tablecloth and clear punch bowl accented with bright fushia roses pictured at left. Earthy colors have a comforting appeal during autumn months. Decorate with gourds, wheat sheathes, dried autumn flowers, dried leaves, pumpkins and melons. Use beige, cream and chocolate colored stoneware. Use heavier looking dishes for autumn parties and try to be unique using burlap as a table cover for your buffet. Use red, green, blue or gold for winter holiday decorations. Elegant china and crystal patterns are recommended for formal parties. Decorate your winter buffet using a heavy green, gold, red, and blue plaid table cloth, lightly sprinkled with gold glitter. Contrast that table cloth with your most elegant china pattern - ivory with tiny red rosebuds and green leaves would be perfect. Use a crystal pattern that is simple not an overly decorative one that will clash with the rosebuds and tablecloth. Use gold plate chargers to accent your china and decorate your buffet table with your favorite holiday decoration, sprigs of holly, or small clippings of pine branches with pine cones. Use ornately folded, bright red or green linen napkins along with fancy gold-plated or silver flatware.

HOLIDAYS

CHRISTMAS
If you want your dishes to "look like Christmas" but don't want to invest in Christmas dishes.

Purchase red and/or green paper doilies in two sizes - small coaster size & a size slightly larger than a bread or salad plate.

Place a doily between the dinner plate and the bread or salad plate. This way there will be a green or red edge on plate. Use the small doily between the cup and saucer. Also, add red and/or green ribbon to the stems of your water glass and wine goblet.

These touches will add a holiday color theme to a table setting without purchasing new dishes that will only be used once a year.

THANKSGIVING
Use an orange tablecloth with multi-color napkins in autumn colors. Use earthenware dishes in different colors. For instance brown dinner plates, dark orange bowls and mustard colored salad plates. Scatter autumn leaves from your yard on the tablecloth. Decorate with dried gourds of different shapes, colors and sizes.

HALLOWEEN
Use a black tablecloth and orange napkins.
Scatter autumn leaves from your yard on the tablecloth.
Serve soup in hollowed miniature pumpkins.

VIOLETS
Use a white tablecloth with white napkins.
Pick wild violets from your yard.
Scatter the violets over the table.
Fill cordial glasses with water and fill with violets.

...from Natalie

EASTER
Use pastel plates in different colors - yellow, lilac, pink, blue on a white table cloth with a white basket filled with multi-color dyed hardboiled eggs for a centerpiece

ST. PATRICK'S DAY
Use heavy earthenware dishes giving your table a medieval look on a green tablecloth OR use kelly green dishes with a white tablecloth sprinkled with shamrock confetti for kids.

VALENTINE'S DAY
Use clear or white dishes, a white tablecloth and red linen napkins. Sprinkle metallic heart-shaped confetti on the tablecloth. Red candles and clear or white candle holders add a romantic touch.

Which Glasses go with which Drink