Five table-setting-basics tips

Table-setting basics tip #1: How many can your table accommodate?

Also, that is pretty much the limit of my dining table and space.

There are some occasions where people expect and don’t mind being crowded, like a Christmas or family birthday dinner. It’s part of the whole tradition to squeeze in at every corner.

But for most dinner parties, you will want people to fit more comfortably around the table. If you want to have more people than your table fits comfortably, consider having a buffet instead.

Making your guests comfortable around the table means enough space so people can use their knives and forks without elbowing each other, hockey style. You want them to feel free to linger over coffee and good conversation. Crowded table conditions may cut short an enjoyable time.

Here’s what table sellers tell us about how many people your table accommodates comfortably. Remember this is only a guideline, so don’t get hung up if your table is slightly different in size.

Table Sizes for Seating Up To 10 People at a Dinner Party

• A rectangular 6’ by 30” table seats up to 8 people
• A rectangular 8’ by 30” table seats up to 10 people
• A 48 “ round table seats 6-8 people
• A 60” round table seats 8 to 10 people.

Table-setting basics Tip #2: placement guidelines for plates, cutlery, glasses

• Place the silverware and dinner plate about an inch or a thumb’s width in from the edge
• Remember the rule of eat to your left and drink to your right. This tells you that little dishes like a bread or salad plate go to the left of the dinner plate, and glasses go to the right
• Place the silverware in the order that you are eating the courses. If you serve salad before the main course, put the salad fork outside the dinner fork. If you serve soup, the soup spoon goes to the right of the dinner knife.
• Place the water glass above the knife, place the wine glass or glasses to the right.

Table-setting basics tip #3: setting a beautiful table

Start with simple white flowers and unscented candles. Just make sure your flower arrangements are low so that guests can see each other across the table. Aim for an arrangement that is not higher than about 5 inches.

With a white tablecloth and napkins, and white or pale colours for everything else, you can create a serene, elegant table-setting. Change the napkins and flowers to a deep colour, and you can create a dramatic table-setting with hardly any added expense or effort.

To see other suggestions for beautiful tables click here.

Table-setting basics tip #4; Set the table with convenience in mind

Savvy hosts and hostesses know that hot food gets cold really quickly when guests have to pass innumerable things back and forth. This is particularly true when you have more than four people at the table.You don’t want to create a hot masterpiece only to have it cooled off by the time guests take that first bite.

Here is a Table-Setting-Basics tip for minimizing the passing back and forth.

Set the table with as many doubles as you can of things that need to be passed. Here are some examples of doubles that save time if you have the table space:

• salts and peppers
• butter dishes
• sauce and gravy dishes
• vegetable serving dishes
• bread baskets
• salad bowls

Table-setting basics tip #5: Set your table well in advance of the dinner party

For your own sake, don’t be one of those people who is rushing about trying to find enough plates and dishes as the guests arrive. It’s stressful, and it sets you up for problems – like discovering that two of your dinner plates are in the frig with leftovers on them.

Besides, you have other last minute tasks that should be claiming your attention. You need to fill the water glasses, light the candles, put last minute dishes on the table. (Luckily these are great tasks for helpful guests who ask you what they can do.)

Convinced? We hope so. At our place we really get a lift out of passing a beautifully set table and feeling good because we got this important Table-Setting-Basics task out of the way 24 hours in advance.

Now that you have your Table-Setting-Basics down pat, happy table-setting.

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