How to Set a Table

Last November, I was inspired to write a post about how to be a good host or hostess, and how to be a good guest. I really was surprised by how popular that post was, especially since it had no pictures in it. One of the pieces of advice that I gave was “Learn how to set a proper table.” At the time, I referred to The Useful Book by David and Sharon Bowers for instructions because it had some good baseline graphics of the different major tablesettings. So, last week, when I discovered a new source of advance reader copies, and then learned that they would MAIL me a FREE copy of the latest book about tablesetting, entertaining, and etiquette, how could I say no?

The Book

So that’s how How to Set a Table fell into my hands. Now, anyone who has been to my house for one of the smaller (eight person) dinner parties knows that I already know how to set a proper table. It’s something that I learned through years of formal holiday dinners at my parents’ house. Ever since I was old enough not to break fragile things, I was pressed into service setting silverware, placing plates, arranging glasses, and even folding origami napkins. Sometimes I even enjoyed it. That was the time that all the sparkling silver and glittering crystal came out of their various hiding places and into full view. To this day, I am still amazed by how many different sets of dishes and glasses that my mother has in their house.

But the beauty of this book is that it is not really about setting a formal dining table. First, there was some introductory material about what kind of pieces one should choose, how one should choose them, and how one could creatively mix styles, colors, and patterns together. Then follows three or four suggestions as to how to set each of seven different types of tables: the dining table, the breakfast bar, the coffee table, the picnic blanket, the bistro table, the console, and the serving tray. Suggestions ranged from the obviously high effort special occasion seated dinner party at the dining table to the equally obvious low effort breakfast in bed on a serving tray, and included a wide number of scenarios in between. Personally, I think my favorite suggestion was the birthday party on a picnic blanket, because it was pretty ridiculous to think of hauling out a cake stand and champagne coupes for a sitting-on-the-ground picnic. (Come to think of it, I probably don’t even own a cake stand!)

The Project

What I wanted from the book was to learn how to make the most of the myriad of dishes, glasses, flatware, and table linens that I have stashed across my house. And I was definitely inspired by the suggestions and the photographs.

First, I hauled in the service for twelve that my mom had acquired from a local charity shop. It turned out to be a beautiful white porcelain with a little bit of gold trim. So I decided to keep the salad plate and dinner plate together, and break up the pure white with a brightly colored cotton napkin, which would also camouflage my disposition for ironing cotton napkins. I looked into extricating my “good” flatware from the horde cabinet, but it was too deeply embedded. So I just used my daily flatware. But the cherry on top were the etched glassware – that I pulled out of the dishwasher! I thought I did a halfway decent job arranging an elegant place setting.

After I safely stowed the porcelain and the glassware, I thought about the next “table” that I could set. I decided to go with the Afternoon Tea Tray, because I had a very spacious serving tray upstairs that I only occasionally used as a second nightstand. Of course, first step was to spread a linen napkin over the serving tray to hide the chipped paint! Then I looked into my tea cabinet, and quickly lost count of my teapot choices. In the end, I decided to go with the largest and easiest to reach teapot. On the opposite side of the cabinet were two of my favorite tea cups with matching saucers. Fortunately, I knew exactly where my copper cream pitcher and sugar jar were hiding. And they were sitting on the cutest set of stirring spoons to complete the scene!

I decided not to put away my tea things because I might want to take advantage of the set up over the upcoming long weekend. It has been forever since I’ve just been lazy with a pot of tea!!!

I leafed through the photos for more inspiration, and nothing was really striking me. I don’t have a coffee table or bistro table, and the other table like areas in my house were otherwise occupied. So I decided to try a more casual traditional dinner setting. I pulled an earthenware white dinner plate, and an earthenware black salad plate, which is the combination that I usually do at dinner parties. But then I noticed that I some really bright and decorative dessert plates, so I pulled those too. The result was kind of fun!

Of course, most of all, I’m thrilled that I get to keep the book to refer to it over and over again as I plan my dinner parties. And now comes the mandatory FTC disclaimer: I received this book from Blogging for Books in exchange for an honest review.

And I do promise that I will finally finish and publish my post about the cheesemaking class!!!