A Guide to Formal Dinner Table Setting

Who says that you have to be an interior designer or decorator so you can elegantly set your dining table for a special occasion?! The truth is that nowadays, you can achieve and have everything you see on those dazzling Instagram and Pinterest home décor profiles; you just have to stock on the right things and use them properly. By following some basic rules, you’ll be able to achieve the dreamy dining table look you’ve always wanted without compromising on anything.

Stock on the Essential Dinnerware

Dinnerware can play a huge role in how the table will look like. Ideally, it would be perfect for you to utilise plain tableware in a light colour since they look more elegant. But, in case you have several types of patterned dinnerware and don’t plan on investing in new, then it’d be best to choose the one with the simplest design.

Regarding the drinkware , it would be best to choose glasses that match the plates and the rest of the dinnerware. But according to the ‘rules’, water and tall wine glasses should be simple and elegant, preferably crystal.

Choose the Right Tablecloth

Wondering what material is best for dining tablecloth? Aside from dinnerware, the chosen table cloth can make or break the look of your table. Given that setting a formal table is your goal, you should pay more attention to the type of dinner table cloth you’ll go with. The proper dinner table cloth can make the table setting more sophisticated, so choosing a simple yet elegant model is always a good idea. Plain cotton tablecloths can go on every table setting, especially more formal ones.

For a more formal setting, you can choose a cotton tablecloth or a combination of cotton and polyester, which is considered more sophisticated and elegant. Although satin was the first choice in the past for special occasion tables, nowadays, more and more decorators are turning to the use of cotton and linen because they have proven as more convenient and practical. The best of all is that cotton tablecloths won’t compromise on style and elegance.

Cotton tablecloths come in a range of patterns, thicknesses, looks, and colours. Besides being practical, cotton tablecloths are considered the most durable and long-lasting, able to withstand numerous washings. Plus, linens made of cotton are also stain-resistant and absorbent, which adds to its list of excellent benefits. Even if it comes to spillage, you can have peace of mind that cotton can withstand the use of oxy cleaners. Hence, ideal for everyday use as well.

If you want the table to be set like a pro, don’t forget to invest in napkins. You can place and arrange them on the plate by being adorned with an elegant ring. If possible, choose a napkin of the same design and pattern as one of the chosen tablecloths. Regarding the colour, you can escape from the tablecloth’s white and add contrast by choosing napkins in ivory or some similar lighter colour.

Steps to Set the Table

First things first, you have to wash all your dinnerware and tablecloths so they can be clean and fresh. Once done, you can iron that tablecloth and the napkins and lay the tablecloth on the table. Set a charger at each seat and place a soup bowl in their centre. On this occasion, when using a soup bowl, you should put the napkin in a ring and lay it to the left of each charger. Now it’s time to place the utensils – start by placing the fork salad on the outside of the left side of the charger, and the dinner fork on the inside. The knife and the spoon go on the right side of the charger where the knife should be placed the closest to the charger and then the spoon. If the table is smaller and there is no space for placing the utensils on the side, you can always put them inside the napkin. If you’re placing them outside the napkin, make sure that all of them are aligned with the bottom of the charger.

The bread plate should be placed to the top left of the charger, while the butter knife should be on top of the bread plate with its blade facing inwards. The dessert spoon should be placed directly above the charger with the handle pointing to the right side. The water glass should be placed directly above the knife; the white wine glass should be placed next to it on the right side about 2cm downward. The red wine glass should be placed slightly above the white wine glass on its right side. And just like that, you’re all done.