Table setting at home (50 photos): etiquette rules for all occasions. Setting a festive table at home: arrangement of dishes and design ideas Beautifully set table with food

Nowadays, every city has such a variety of restaurants, bars and cafes that inviting guests home has become a rarity. Despite this, the comfort of family dinners and home celebrations with close friends cannot be replaced by any fashionable restaurant. When a housewife is faced with the question of setting a table at home, many begin to panic, because they don’t want to “fall face down in the dirt.”

In fact, there is nothing wrong with setting the table at home. You just need to know the basic rules of etiquette, serving and proper serving of food.

Basic serving rules

When setting the table, special attention should be paid to certain details. Let's get acquainted with them in detail.

Tablecloth

Pay special attention to the tablecloth, even if you are serving a regular table rather than a festive one. Eating at a bare tabletop is not as pleasant as sitting at a clean, light tablecloth. Psychologists and nutritionists are confident that the correct color of this element will improve your mood, eat less, and also gain aesthetic pleasure.

  • You should not replace the tablecloth with cheap oilcloth, despite its availability and ease of care.
  • The color of the tablecloth is selected to match the interior, or a calm neutral color.
  • The tablecloth should fit the table in size - no more, no less. Otherwise, the furniture will look ridiculous and careless.
  • The shape of the fabric is selected based on the shape of the tabletop.

Dishes

Despite the high cost of good tableware, every housewife should have at least one quality set for 6 or 12 people, a set of identical cutlery, glasses, glasses, and napkin holders. We must not forget that there are separate dishes for cold, hot, appetizers, soups and desserts. Choose it to match the overall service so that there are no awkward combinations.

For everyday purposes, it is enough to have plain dishes from one set. It is much more pleasant when all family members are in harmony even at a home-cooked dinner.

For an anniversary or birthday, standard white tableware is suitable, which seems to never go out of style.

Casual serving

When serving a family lunch or dinner, there is no need to take out your entire “real housewife” arsenal. It is enough to look at the menu to determine the types of plates and cutlery that are needed for it. Decide whether there will be alcoholic drinks on the table and how many people will drink them. There is no need to give children the same glasses as adults.

Let's get acquainted with the nuances of everyday serving.

  • First place a decorative plate, then dishes for the main course. A deep bowl for soup is placed on it.
  • Decorative plate primarily serves to protect the tablecloth from contamination, since its edges protrude beyond the main elements. If you don’t have decorative dishes on hand, a large flat plate for hot dishes will do.
  • be careful: even for everyday serving, it is better to pour soup from a tureen at the table (into everyone’s plate) than to carry dishes from the stove, spilling at every step.
  • It can be exactly the same with hot– if a hot dish is already on the table, you can serve it from a common plate. If this is not possible, ask your children or spouse to help you bring hot food.

  • There should be devices for everyone– the “one knife for all” option will not work. Even when dining at home, each family member should feel comfortable.
  • Based on the rules of etiquette, the knife and tablespoon are to the right of the plate, the fork is to the left.
  • Glasses and glasses located on the right side of the serving plate diagonally.
  • At a normal lunch or dinner, it is more profitable to use simple paper napkins. Match their color to the color scheme of the entire table - white will still look great.

Festive table setting

Only small nuances appear.

  • So, when serving a holiday, in addition to a decorative plate, a plate for hot dishes, and a plate for soup, a snack plate is served.
  • For festive serving, in addition to a knife, a tablespoon and a fork, a dessert fork and a small spoon for coffee or tea should be placed above the decorative plate.
  • If a pie plate is placed when serving, you must place a knife on it.
  • The tallest glass should be placed first, and the spirit glass last.
  • Fabric napkins will not only add sophistication to your table, but will also become a basic necessity for guests. There is a large selection of folded napkins for serving with various accessories. You can also fold it beautifully yourself.

  • Sauces, salt and pepper are placed in the center of the table so that any guest can reach them without problems.
  • All drinks must be already opened and uncorked on the table.
  • With a large number of guests, we must not forget about the rule of serving dishes: the feast begins with the presentation of appetizers, canapés, and sandwiches.
  • Every dish placed on the table must have a spoon. This way, you make it clear to the guest that he can serve his own food.
  • The order in which plates of food are served to a person should correspond to his status and position. First, adult women are served, then men, and then children.

Features of festive serving

Knowing the basic rules of etiquette and the principles of basic serving, there is nothing easier than setting a festive table. Here your imagination, taste and small tricks that you need to know will help you.

Before preparing dishes and setting the table, think over the concept of the holiday. It will be very ridiculous if a children's birthday party is decorated in monotonous colors, and a business lunch is decorated with bright napkins with clowns or flowers.

It is important to remember that all guests are different: festive table setting involves a larger number of people - some may be tall, some may be short, some may be left-handed, some may be right-handed.

Consider the convenience of all guests.

If the table does not allow you to place all serving items in the required order and sequence, or there is not enough space to arrange appetizers, salads and other dishes, then use the idea of ​​a serving table. This can be a coffee table option or any other one, designed in the style of a common table. Match the tablecloth and decoration with napkins. It is important that the decor does not seem out of place.

Decorative elements can create a festive mood:

  • candlesticks;
  • Natural flowers;
  • accessories (including ribbons and bows).

So, when decorating a wedding banquet, a lot of voluminous accessories are always used - it doesn’t look vulgar.

It is important not to overload the table, not to clutter it with unnecessary things, and also to choose appropriate decor for the occasion.

Don't be afraid to use balloons or whole arches if it's someone's birthday or anniversary.

If the festive table setting is being prepared for a themed event, be it New Year or Christmas, complement the table with suitable decor: gingerbread cookies in Santa Claus hats, candy canes, gingerbread houses. Each thematic event has its own set of elements, which depends only on your imagination.

There will be many guests, but not enough identical dishes - and here there is a solution. Plates and cutlery can be combined with each other, even if they are of different shapes and colors. Determine the overall color scheme, experiment with placing dishes on top of each other, and complement them with napkins.

Do not use more than three colors for one table setting. Bright colors will distract the eye, or even kill your appetite. Calm, pastel colors can merge into one inconspicuous spot.

Your main assistant will be timing. Properly planned serving times for dishes and dessert will help you avoid putting all the dishes on the table at the same time, as well as correctly distribute your energy.

Another nuance of proper serving is the location of the guests. It’s unlikely that you want, instead of admiration for your table, dishes and comfort, to hear the barbs of the guests sitting next to you all evening.

Children's holiday

Celebrations attended only by adults or adults with children are much less hectic than children's birthdays.

Despite the fact that here you need to think through the space as much as possible, make it not only comfortable, but also safe for children, one can only envy the freedom of imagination.

  • Style and Unity- important elements at a children's birthday party, so take care of the harmonious combination of the holiday, the number of boys and girls with everything around: from the choice of tablecloth to decorative elements.
  • Refer to details of positive colors. There should be no dark fabrics or napkins on the table. Avoid gothic or vintage style decor. Use exclusively cheerful details.
  • It is useless to provide children with porcelain dishes. or a family heirloom (antique set). There is no point in scolding kids for breaking a cup if they accidentally knocked it over with their elbow while playing.

Now in stores you can find a huge variety of disposable colored cardboard tableware with faces, balls or characters from your favorite cartoons. Children will be happy with this serving.

Setting the holiday table is not just preparing it for a gala lunch or dinner party.

This is, first of all, creating a certain mood in which the final result is influenced by the tablecloth, the selected cutlery, napkins, and dishes.

Of course, there are some rules of etiquette, the observance of which is strictly necessary. But the decisive factor is taste and creativity, which ultimately determine the aesthetics of the served table.

Table decoration

Setting a festive table is the basis for any holiday and creating a festive mood among guests. Compliance with the rules of serving is necessary for any celebration. Beautiful festive table setting is the key to the success of the entire celebration. Over the years, a huge number of formulas and rules have been developed that must be followed when decorating a table. Hastily arranged plates and glasses, cutlery, appropriate only for certain occasions - this is the wrong approach. You need to know a lot of nuances, thanks to which you can take your event to the highest level.

First of all, the theme of the holiday is taken into account. A child's or adult's birthday, a wedding, a romantic dinner or just a get-together with friends - any occasion requires clear thinking about the future table. To make dinner unforgettable, simply delicious food will not be enough. You need to dress up the hall where the event is held, decorate the table and convey a festive mood to your guests. The main thing in this matter is not to overdo it, since a table cluttered with dishes and decorations can cause a completely opposite impression and show the hostess’s lack of taste. The main goal is to create a positive impression on the guests both about the holiday and about the hostess herself.

Classic - white plates and clear glass glasses. They are universal and harmoniously suitable for any serving.

If this is a party or business dinner, then you should stick to a neutral, rather restrained style. If among the guests there are only relatives or friends, then the table setting can be made less formal and free by using decorative elements. At the same time, the elements of decor and table setting should not only be combined with each other, but organically fit into the overall interior of the room.

Therefore, first you should decide on the style of the festive table. Firstly, you need to clearly know what kind of dishes will be present on the table. This fact can be used as a basis for choosing tablecloths and napkins. After this, decorative elements such as napkin holders, flower vases, etc. are selected.

Serving rules

There is a certain algorithm of actions when decorating a festive table:

  1. Tablecloth. Naturally, first you need to wash and iron it so that there is not the slightest hint of stains or wrinkles. Snow-white tablecloths look great - this is a classic option. Nowadays, several canvases of contrasting colors are increasingly used at once; they can be bright, or they can be pastel. Metallic fabric is in fashion.
  2. Placing the plates at such a distance from each other that guests can sit comfortably and not touch their neighbors.
  3. Laying out cutlery. How many there should be directly depends on the dishes offered and the number of guests. It is not necessary to lay out a full set of cutlery. For example, fish can be eaten without a special knife and fork.
  4. Arrangement of glassware - glasses, wine glasses and vases. Each of them is a table decoration and is very functional. It is very important that these devices are polished to a shine, without streaks.
  5. After the above steps, it’s time for the napkins. It is best to arrange them in special rings, display them on holders, or fold them individually for each guest. You can use both cloth and paper napkins.
  6. Spices must be in the correct location on the table, because everyone has their own taste and, perhaps, guests will want to make up for the lack of pepper, salt or vinegar in the served dish. Spices should be placed in several places on the table so that everyone can easily reach them.
  7. The last thing to put on the table is the appetizers.

Advice! Vases with flowers (low) will become a charming decoration for dinner, both family and business.

Dishes

Plates often set the tone for the entire table, so their choice is approached very responsibly. A formal reception requires the purchase of new dishes. There are special rules according to which plates should be placed on the table:

  1. The edge of the table is not the best place for a plate; you should move 2-5 centimeters away from it (a distance of two fingers)
  2. For a special occasion or business presentation, it is customary to use “double plates”, placing a napkin between them to prevent the dishes from slipping
  3. You can place a plate for pies near the main one. The distance between them should be no more than 5-12 cm
  4. The plates must be placed clearly on one line. This applies to both main and pie dishes.

You need to arrange the plates, immediately taking into account that you will need space for salad bowls, vases and cutlery.

Cutlery

During a regular lunch, each of us uses a minimum of cutlery, arranging them in random order. But the festive event requires a special layout and a certain number of forks and knives. When serving, the knife must be placed with the blade facing the plate and on the right side. As a rule, several knives are used, so their location near the plate is very important. The table knife should be closest, and the farthest one should be for appetizers, with a fish knife placed between them. The spoon turns upside down and lies between the knives. The fork is placed on the left side of the plate. The sequence of laying out forks is the same as for knives: table, fish and snack. They are placed with the cloves up at a distance of half a centimeter from the plate.

Dessert utensils may also be required. Place them in front of the plate in the following sequence: knife, fork and spoon.

Properly arranged cutlery on the holiday table is a very important point.

Glassware

Glassware plays a practical and decorative role. The shape of the glasses may be assessed by some guests as comfortable, while others will simply find it impossible to hold them in their hands. You also need to be able to arrange such dishes correctly:

  1. glasses for juice and mineral water are placed to the right of the plate or in front of it in the center;
  2. Fruit juice and kvass drink are consumed from a mug, the handle of which must be turned to the right;
  3. It is customary to drink alcoholic beverages from a glass or shot glass, depending on the type. It is necessary to maintain a distance between glassware of approximately 1 cm.

As mentioned earlier, all glassware must be polished to a shine.

Stained glass glasses on the “autumn” table

Using napkins for a holiday table

Snow-white, brightly decorated napkins will add special solemnity to the table. You can make some kind of figure out of them or simply fold them in four. You can choose napkins that are the same color as the tablecloth, or that contrast with it. It’s very good when napkins not only match the color of the tablecloth, but also match its texture. Now you can purchase special sets of kitchen textiles that include everything you need to set the table in the desired style.

Typically, a starched napkin is placed on top of the plate or to the right of it. Fabric napkins are created for decorative purposes; they are not used to blot your mouth. There are paper ones for this.

Should table settings be kept in one color?

Holiday tables made in the same color scheme are becoming increasingly popular. Very often lately you can hear: “What color will your wedding be?” or “I’ll have a raspberry birthday!”

The color of the holiday must be chosen, first of all, from your own preferences. Guests are guests, but you are the host of the holiday, and choosing the color of the decoration is one of the ways to express your “I” or convey your mood.

... Why not choose the color of the table setting to match the tone of your eyes?

Serving in one color scheme is perfect for a romantic dinner. As a rule, it is not possible to set the table in one “pure” color. But using several shades is always welcome. Red napkins, glasses and candles will perfectly support a duet with a snow-white tablecloth and the same plates.

A table in a marine style will look interesting. It is perfect for home lunches and outdoor gatherings with friends. In addition, a lot of this option is made with your own hands, for example, napkin holders with intricate shells.

Serving a festive table outdoors

The absolute lucky ones are those who have the opportunity to organize their own celebration in the fresh air. This can be done in your own yard, at your dacha or on a rented plot. It makes no sense to describe the benefits of such a holiday. After all, this means fresh air, stunning landscapes for photographs, and varied potential for organizing holiday leisure.

You can set a table outside in green tones to match the natural colors of nature, or, conversely, use contrast techniques. Both the first and second options will leave a lasting impression on your guests!

A blue linen tablecloth and napkins in the decoration of a festive table are suitable for a celebration in a summer garden

In addition, setting a table “in nature” does not require any special embellishment - all the beauty, as they say, is around. Here either a home style or a contrast of nature and the “artificiality” of complex decorative techniques is used. Each event is considered individually, and so is the choice of dishes and other attributes of the festive table.

Table decor with lanterns, candles and tablecloths with a Chevron pattern has not gone out of style for many seasons in a row.

Festive table for a child's holiday

A children's holiday is a topic in which the flight of imagination never stops. Children love to imagine, so you can involve the hero of the occasion in preparing the holiday. First you need to decide on the topic - the child will also tell you here. After all, you need to do it the way he likes. Ask him what cartoon or fairy tale he likes now, and then there shouldn’t be any problems with the design. At this point, professional animators distinguish three types of children's party themes:

  1. Themes of cartoons, books and films. These can be either the classic “Kolobok”, “Little Red Riding Hood”, or modern “Smeshariki”, “Minions” and other popular cartoons.
  2. Topics of interesting professions. Here every child can feel like what they want to become: a fireman or an astronaut, a singer or a cowboy.
  3. Historical topics. This is the design and setting of a children's table based on the theme of pirates, knights, princesses or other characters.

Regardless of the theme of the holiday, you need to clearly maintain the color scheme of the table - no more than 2-3 colors. It is very fashionable now to display a candy bar with sweets for guests. It can be placed away from the main table on a coffee table or chest of drawers. It will also need to provide the correct design, which does not go against the rest of the decor. You can set two tables - for children and for adults, so as not to interfere with each other.

For a children's party, you will also need cutlery, plates, glasses for drinks with straws, shelves for sweets, vases for sweets, a cake stand, dishes and trays for desserts and snacks. There is no need to overload the table; first, you can offer little guests a taste of the main course and salads, and only then let them eat plenty of sweets. You can change dishes while the kids are busy playing.

Advice! It is very convenient to use disposable bright tableware during a children's party. It doesn’t need to be washed, and children won’t be able to break it. In addition, the choice of themed dinnerware sets for children's events is huge.

Every holiday, even at home, can be raised to the proper level. To do this, you need to know the basic nuances of serving, observing which the guests will be satisfied with a wonderful evening and the excellent taste of the hostess.

Setting a table in our realities is not so much a tribute to etiquette as a desire to diversify an everyday dinner and please your loved ones. You don't necessarily need to know how many tines an oyster fork has, but why not learn the tricks to garnishing your dinner beautifully? Today I will share with you the rules for arranging cutlery and the secrets of unusual table decoration.

Serving rules for every day

Knowing at least the basic rules of serving will help you set the table effectively and stand out when guests arrive. After reading this material, you will learn how to turn the most everyday lunch into a small celebration.


For breakfast

What's the best way to serve breakfast at home? Don’t worry, for these purposes it is not at all necessary to acquire a starched snow-white tablecloth and expensive crystal. Knowledge of the correct arrangement of dishes and the use of imagination is enough.


To make breakfast memorable for every member of your family, follow these rules:

  1. First, cover the table with a tablecloth. It may not be snow-white, but it simply must be clean and well ironed. Make sure that the pattern fits into the overall interior of the kitchen or dining room.

Instead of standard and already slightly boring panels, you can use runners - strips of fabric that spread along the center of a square or rectangular table. They look interesting and beautiful.


  1. As the center of the composition, use a wide flat plate for hot food (fried eggs or omelet, for example). If you prefer cereal or porridge in the morning, place it in a deep bowl. Bright patterns on dishes will help ensure a good mood for the whole day.
  2. Arrange the plates according to the number of people having breakfast. Next up is the instruments. Table setting rules according to etiquette state that a knife is placed to the right of the plate with the blade facing it, behind it is a tablespoon with the convex side down, and a little further away is a teaspoon.

Place forks on the left side of the plates, tines facing up. The napkin is also located on the left, immediately behind the fork.

  1. Place the coffee cup on the saucer diagonally and to the right, and attach a spoon to it.
  2. Snack plates for sandwiches or pastries are placed a little higher and to the left of the main plates. It is good to attach an additional knife to the same plate, placing it with the blade to the left.

  1. For breakfast, it is better to serve refined sugar in a beautiful sugar bowl and with special tongs.
  2. Prepare cute rosettes with spoons for the jam, place the sliced ​​lemon on a separate saucer.

In principle, decorating in this way will already add a note of celebration, but if you want to make breakfast truly unforgettable, you can try a little more. Why not place a small bouquet in the center of the table?


If flowers are not to your liking, you can use other accessories. Time them to coincide with a holiday or memorable date. For example, for Valentine's Day, decorate the table with a decorative heart; for an anniversary, a joint photo would be perfect.

For lunch

Setting the table for dinner is in many ways similar to preparing for breakfast, but with minor differences.


  • It all starts as usual - with choosing a tablecloth on which your dishes will look even more appetizing.
  • Since most often lunch consists of at least two or three dishes, you will need to prepare a plate for each of them. The plates are placed close to the edge of the table (at a distance of several centimeters) - first shallow, then deep.
  • The knife and soup spoon are placed to the right of the plate, and the fork for the second course is placed to the left of it. Remember, hot utensils are always located as close to the plate as possible.

  • A glass for wine or water is placed next to the installed plate. Please note that if alcohol is provided during lunch (wine, champagne, etc.), the bottle is uncorked in advance and served to the table already open.
  • Oil must be served in a special oiler. If you don't have one, a small flat saucer will do just fine. You should also choose a knife with a wide blade for it.
  • If you want to serve dishes according to the rules, then you should get a good tureen. In most cases, it is placed not far from the place occupied by the hostess.

  • Another important element of good table setting is napkins. Their place is on the snack plate. Even using cloth or paper napkins can be turned into art by folding them into the shape of a swan, a flower, or something similar.

For greater effect, choose napkins that contrast with the tone of the tablecloth.


For dinner

And again, the beautiful dinner setting coincides in many ways with what I described above. I won’t write about the tablecloth anymore, I’ll look at other excellent nuances.


  • Plates for appetizers and the main course are placed side by side, with a bread plate to the left of them. This is a classic option; variations in serving are also available, it all depends on the number and type of dishes served.
  • Two or three forks are laid out on the left side, knives on the right. The process of eating begins from the outer cutlery (the outermost).
  • Glasses, shot glasses and wine glasses are placed in front of the plates and cutlery.

  • Paper or linen napkins must be placed on the plate (when talking about paper, I mean high-quality, at least three-layer options).

A successful addition to the dinner setting can be a small bouquet of flowers, which will benefit the atmosphere. In winter, you can do it differently - decorate the table with a spruce branch or pine cones, bunches of rowan or viburnum.

Table decoration ideas for holidays

Above I talked about how to decorate a Sunday or weekday breakfast, lunch or dinner, now it’s time to talk about holiday occasions. If you want to impress your guests and make the evening memorable for them for a long time, the following instructions will come in handy.


Preparing for the festival

As they say in a popular phrase floating around the Internet, “you can’t just go and...”. So, you can’t just go ahead and prepare a real holiday dinner in 30 minutes.


There are several nuances to consider:

  1. In the process of setting the date and time of the celebration, determining the list of guests and other little things, do not forget about conducting a kind of audit of the service. If you don’t have beautiful dishes, salad bowls, tureens or cutlery, you should start looking for them. You can ask your relatives or buy something for such cases. Yes, the price of current sets brings little pleasure, but it is worth considering it as an investment in the future.
  2. The table set for the holiday is distinguished by the presence of stands for cakes, dishes for sweets and fruits. Don't forget about candles (adhering to basic fire safety rules, of course).
  3. Prepare nameplates for each of the invited guests. They look very elegant.

  1. Think about table decorations. Tie it to the theme of the holiday.

Table decor

There are a lot of ideas for decorating a table, among them there are a lot of quite budget options. I will tell you about several of them, giving the example of decorating a table for a birthday.


Based on seasonality

Consider the seasonality of your birthday:

  1. Let the festive table setting for the summer birthday boy be filled with bright colors and flowers. There is no need to clutter the table with a huge bouquet; replace it with several small flower arrangements in miniature vases. And, of course, don’t forget about bowls with seasonal fruits.

  1. Autumn birthdays are a real haven for decoration. Collect fallen leaves, tie them into bouquets or distribute them around the perimeter of the table.

The color scheme for this decor seems to be inspired by nature itself - use more shades of yellow, orange and red.


  1. Table setting for a birthday in the winter month should be done in cool, restrained colors. For example, you can use a deep blue tablecloth and place openwork napkins resembling snowflakes on it. Complete the composition with silverware and porcelain.

You can also use white or silver candles, beads, pine cones or artificial snow as decoration.


  1. A spring birthday should be the epitome of light and warmth. It’s ideal if you manage to use the first greens and yellow napkins in the decoration - they will perfectly set off the white dishes.

Set the topic

Themed parties are one of the most popular European trends, gaining more and more fans in our country every year. I can give you some original ideas.



  1. Pirate Party. Decorating a table in a pirate style is as easy as shelling pears: use striped textiles reminiscent of vests, place personalized cards with the image of the Jolly Roger.

  1. Gangster party. For her, you can decorate the table as a platform for playing poker, decorate it with napkins with money print.
  2. Collection of dudes. One of the brightest and most colorful themes for framing a holiday table. Instead of standard stands for plates, use old vinyl records; let the dishes themselves have original, catchy ornaments.

  1. Hello Hawaii! Azure napkins and plates, lots of bright paper flowers, shells on the table - this is what will create the feeling of a holiday in a warm country. A very exotic option is to use coconut halves instead of cups.

As you can see, there are a lot of options for experimentation. All you have to do is decide what is closest to your spirit and get everything you need. You can find even more ideas for serving in the video in this article.

Instead of results

Now that you know the basic requirements for arranging cutlery and have picked up a few decorating ideas, any lunch or dinner you have can turn into a small celebration. How is the holiday table setting going at your home? Share your secrets in the comments.

Of course, there are some rules of etiquette, the observance of which is strictly necessary. But the decisive factor is taste and creativity, which ultimately determine aesthetics set table .

Table decoration

Setting a festive table is the basis for any holiday and creating a festive mood among guests. Compliance with the rules of serving is necessary for any celebration. Beautiful festive table setting is the key to the success of the entire celebration. Over the years, a huge number of formulas and rules have been developed that must be followed when decorating a table. Hastily arranged plates and glasses, cutlery, appropriate only for certain occasions - this is the wrong approach. You need to know a lot of nuances, thanks to which you can take your event to the highest level.



First of all, the theme of the holiday is taken into account. A child's or adult's birthday, a wedding, a romantic dinner or just a get-together with friends - any occasion requires clear thinking about the future table. To make dinner unforgettable, simply delicious food will not be enough. You need to dress up the hall where the event is held, decorate the table and convey a festive mood to your guests. The main thing in this matter is not to overdo it, since a table cluttered with dishes and decorations can cause a completely opposite impression and show the hostess’s lack of taste. The main goal is to create a positive impression on the guests both about the holiday and about the hostess herself.

  • Spices must be in the correct location on the table, because everyone has their own taste and, perhaps, guests will want to make up for the lack of pepper, salt or vinegar in the served dish. Spices should be placed in several places on the table so that everyone can easily reach them.
  • The last thing to put on the table is the appetizers.
  • Advice! Vases with flowers (low) will become a charming decoration for dinner, both family and business.

    Dishes

    Plates often set the tone for the entire table, so their choice is approached very responsibly. A formal reception requires the purchase of new dishes. There are special rules according to which plates should be placed on the table:


    You need to arrange the plates, immediately taking into account that you will need space for salad bowls, vases and cutlery.





    Cutlery

    During a regular lunch, each of us uses a minimum of cutlery, arranging them in random order. But the festive event requires a special layout and a certain number of forks and knives.

    When serving, the knife must be placed with the blade facing the plate and on the right side. As a rule, several knives are used, so their location near the plate is very important. The table knife should be closest, and the farthest one should be for appetizers, with a fish knife placed between them.

    The spoon turns upside down and lies between the knives. The fork is placed on the left side of the plate. The sequence of laying out forks is the same as for knives: table, fish and snack. They are placed with the cloves up at a distance of half a centimeter from the plate.

    Dessert utensils may also be required. Place them in front of the plate in the following sequence: knife, fork and spoon.

    Glassware

    Glassware plays a practical and decorative role. The shape of the glasses may be assessed by some guests as comfortable, while others will simply find it impossible to hold them in their hands. You also need to be able to arrange such dishes correctly:


    As mentioned earlier, all glassware must be polished to a shine.





    Using napkins for a holiday table

    Snow-white, brightly decorated napkins will add special solemnity to the table. You can make some kind of figure out of them or simply fold them in four. You can choose napkins that are the same color as the tablecloth, or that contrast with it. It’s very good when napkins not only match the color of the tablecloth, but also match its texture. Now you can purchase special sets of kitchen textiles that include everything you need to set the table in the desired style.

    Typically, a starched napkin is placed on top of the plate or to the right of it. Fabric napkins are created for decorative purposes; they are not used to blot your mouth. There are paper ones for this.

    Should table settings be kept in one color?

    ... Why not choose the color of the table setting to match the tone of your eyes?

    Serving in one color scheme is perfect for a romantic dinner. As a rule, it is not possible to set the table in one “pure” color. But using several shades is always welcome. Red napkins, glasses and candles will perfectly support a duet with a snow-white tablecloth and the same plates.


    The table will look interesting in. It is perfect for home lunches and outdoor gatherings with friends. In addition, a lot of this option is made with your own hands, for example, napkin holders with intricate shells.

    tones - to match the natural colors of nature, or, conversely, use contrast techniques. Both the first and second options will leave a lasting impression on your guests!

    In addition, setting a table “in nature” does not require any special embellishment - all the beauty, as they say, is around. Here either a home style or a contrast of nature and the “artificiality” of complex decorative techniques is used. Each event is considered individually, and so is the choice of dishes and other attributes of the festive table.

    An original and beautiful festive table setting is, first of all, the key to an excellent celebration of any celebration, a good mood and an excellent atmosphere of celebration and general fun.

    The festive table setting, first of all, consists of correctly arranged items for the meal: plates, cutlery, glasses, as well as original decor on the table, which set the desired “tone” for the entire holiday.

    The festive table setting depends on the special event itself and its nature, according to which you can choose decorations and decorations, as well as additional elements.

    An exquisite festive table setting at home requires, for starters, a competent selection of tablecloths, which can be in classic white or in another specific color that matches the theme of the holiday - red, green, turquoise, blue, brown.

    Dishes with unusual ornaments, drawings and other decor, which should be in harmony with the overall decor of the holiday table, look especially original.

    Special attention should be paid to napkins - paper or fabric, the beautiful design of which plays an important role in setting the festive table. You can see interesting ideas on how to design napkins for a festive table in the photos we selected in the review below.

    In addition to the most important and necessary elements, setting a festive table requires choosing stylish decorations and decor that will transform any festive table, giving it a mysterious and magical atmosphere of the best and unforgettable celebration.

    We offer you the most interesting ideas for festive table setting: beautiful festive table setting at home, photo options of which are presented in the selection below.

    Beautiful festive table setting: main stages of serving

    Festive table setting, as a rule, always begins with the selection of a tablecloth, which is one of the most important elements in serving.

    A win-win option is a white tablecloth, which you can always use in a variety of variations and styles for any celebration and event by choosing original colored decorative elements in a certain color.

    A tablecloth in a rich dark color looks very stylish - dark blue or dark brown, bright turquoise or a luxurious red tablecloth, with which the festive table setting will become exquisitely beautiful.

    The next step in serving is the choice of plates, which must certainly be in the same style and from the same set, otherwise it is bad form. The plates are placed from the substitution at the very bottom, then deep for the first courses.

    For salads and appetizers, additional plates are allowed, which are placed on the table to the side of the main plates.

    Festive table setting also involves the correct arrangement of glasses, goblets and shot glasses - from the largest in size to the smallest, located from right to left.

    The necessary cutlery for a meal is arranged as follows: the knife and spoon should lie to the right of the plate, and the fork to the left. Additional cutlery in the form of dessert forks and spoons is placed in front of the main plates.

    Festive table setting involves placing plates on the table at a distance of half a meter from each other, and a centimeter from the edge of the table.

    Beautiful festive table setting: original decorative elements

    A beautiful festive table setting is not complete without original napkins, which can be folded stylishly and perfectly decorated with them on the festive table. You can choose fabric or paper napkins in an unusual color for the celebration.

    Festive table setting involves beautifully folded napkins in various ways, which can rightfully be considered a work of art. You can create various shapes from paper napkins, roll them up beautifully and tie them with a ribbon, or simply put the napkin under a plate or in a glass.

    Among the wide variety of decor, take a closer look at the exquisite and original napkin rings, without which a beautiful festive table setting at home will not be complete.

    Lighted candles, exquisite fresh flowers, decorative balls, pine cones, twigs and many other decorations, without which a festive table setting is unthinkable, will help add more coziness to decorating the holiday table.

    The decor for the festive table looks especially harmonious in a rustic style, which provides a variety of different decorations for the festive table.

    A special respect and sign of attention for the guests will be a cute gift in the form of a box of goodies, which can be placed on each plate, with which the festive table setting will become even more original.

    Beautiful festive table setting: photos, ideas on how to decorate a festive table with your own hands

    We offer you the best photo ideas on the topic: Beautiful festive table setting with your own hands, which you can read in more detail below...