Serving festive table must be special. It is necessary to take into account all the rules for the arrangement of cutlery so that guests are convinced of your tact and knowledge of the rules of etiquette. Festive table setting not only beautiful, but also the most functional.

Peculiarities

The first point in organizing any celebration is the choice of dishes for the guests. I would like to celebrate the festive event in beautiful design. That is why the main object of attention of a good housewife will be not so much a careful approach to the choice of dishes, but rather the form in which these dishes will be presented to the eyes of those gathered. You can add aesthetics and specificity to the festive process through table setting.

Even a person who has no experience in organizing feasts will certainly come up with the idea that it is still more pleasant to celebrate a significant event in a cozy atmosphere.

In order for guests to truly feel at home or in a sophisticated cafe, the hostess should approach this issue creatively.

The tablecloth is the basis of any festive table setting. In order to celebrate an important event, under no circumstances should you use oilcloth fabric, against which even the most luxurious dishes will not look sophisticated, but just the opposite. When choosing the tone of the tablecloth, you need to start from the interior and the occasion of the celebration itself. The fabric must fit harmoniously into the design of the room.

A win-win option The color will be traditional white, suitable for almost any setting and emphasizing the significance of the occasion for which everyone has gathered at the table today. But an excellent alternative can also be pastel shades, not conspicuous and giving the feast a light atmosphere. The use of bright and picturesque colors on fabric is also acceptable.

A plain fabric will be universal, but there are festive occasions for which a patterned tablecloth is also suitable. The design on it can be done unobtrusively, or, on the contrary, it can be bright and contrasting.

It is worth remembering that the tablecloth is the basis, but the main attention of the guests will not be focused on it. The edge of the tablecloth should hang from the table on all sides by 20-25 cm.

Crockery is second important element table setting. It can be made from any material, but porcelain is a classic. From more budget materials, but with similar qualities, earthenware is suitable. Each person at the table should have dishes from one set or from several, but always matching in style. Its color can be either contrasting or matching the color of the tablecloth, but a contrasting combination will look more advantageous.

The more chromatic colors are used when setting the table, the more difficult it is to select them correctly.

If the tablecloth and dishes are the main colors, then the napkins play the role of accents. Their use is necessary for basic hygiene. They also wrap cutlery in them. It will be classic for them White color, but depending on the nature of the celebration, you can choose other colors for the dishes and tablecloth. Do not exclude napkins with a pattern.

It is important that the color scheme of the picture echoes them. By showing your imagination, napkins can be placed on the table in an original way, giving them a certain image that fits into the style of the feast.

For a themed celebration, you can use various decorative elements. Usually these are bouquets of plants or candles in beautiful candlesticks. Again, do not forget about the color combination with the tablecloth, dishes, and napkins. The main rule of decor is its moderation, because it’s very easy to overdo the decoration on the table.

Submission rules

When arranging cutlery, dishes and glasses, you should take into account the space for decorations. Decoration will take place after they are arranged, and this should not be forgotten.

The number of food plates should correspond to the number of guests. The plates are placed around the perimeter of the table at an equal distance from each other.

The very first place is the serving plate, which will play the role of a substitution plate. It should not be on the edge of the table. When installing it, you need to move 2-5 cm away from it. Smaller plates are placed on it, for example, for salad, soup or snacks. To prevent plates from sliding, you can place one napkin between them.

To the left of them, at a distance of 5-12 cm, a pie plate is placed - mainly bread is placed on it, but sometimes croutons and butter. Both plates - serving and pie - should be in such places as to form one line together.

Then cutlery is placed on the plates. It is better to use those made of stainless steel. When choosing them, you should pay attention to the list of dishes expected at the table, and use only those that the guests will really need.

In relation to the plate, cutlery is placed in the order in which certain dishes will be served. On the right, the arrangement occurs in this order: a bread knife, followed by a fish or first course knife, followed by a meat knife. On the left they follow in this order: a fork for fish or the first course, followed by a fork for the main course.

Remember that the herring and sweet utensils should not be located next to each other.

For all categories of devices, certain simple rules apply. Firstly, forks must be placed with their tines facing up, knives must be turned with the blade towards the plate, and spoons must be placed with their concave side up. Secondly, if there is dessert, the soup spoon is placed above the serving plate, otherwise, if dessert is planned, then it takes a position near the first knife.

The dessert utensils themselves should be laid out behind the plate and parallel to the edge of the table, the spoon should face the handle to the right, the fork should face to the left, the dessert knife should be on the pie plate.

After placing the cutlery, it’s time to arrange the glassware. For table setting, it must be designed in the same style. Each type of drink has its own corresponding glass, and this is no coincidence. Shot glasses, wine glasses, glasses, goblets are placed on the right, above the serving plate. Their order is determined by the order in which a particular drink is served.

Containers with drinks are located in the free space between the rows of plates. Juices and waters are served in large carafes, strong alcohol in smaller carafes, and wine directly in bottles. If there is wine on the table, you must place a corkscrew.

Napkins can be arranged in different ways. You can add originality by folding the napkins in a shape. They can be placed directly next to each guest or on a serving plate. But it is most convenient to display additional napkins on the table in special holders, positioned in such a way that they are accessible to everyone sitting at the table.

During meals, each guest should have the opportunity to add salt or add pepper and spices to the dish, so serving utensils for them should be correctly placed on the table. As a rule, toothpicks are placed in them. It is important that their number is sufficient. Serving utensils for salt, pepper and spices are placed between the rows of plates; their number should be such that when placed, they are enough for the number of people at the table and provide easy access to salt, pepper and spices for everyone.

Having made sure that everything necessary for eating is already on the table, you can proceed to decorative elements. The decorations are distributed evenly between the rows of plates, so as not to interfere with placing the dishes on the table.

Cold appetizers are served first, followed by salads. This is followed by hot dishes - the first, followed by the second. Empty dirty plates and glasses must be promptly removed from the table.

How to organize everything?

Shortly before the expected celebration, the hostess should check the availability of the required number of cutlery, plates and glasses. The time spent on serving will depend on the number of guests. This usually takes an hour, sometimes more, so the owners need to calculate the time before the guests arrive. The tablecloth must be ironed before covering the table.

You must place the dishes carefully, slowly, because they are made of fragile material. Places for serving plates must be chosen very carefully and placed on the same line, but so that guests do not interfere with each other during the celebration.

Before serving, cutlery must be rubbed, this will give it shine and get rid of unwanted darkening that appears from time to time. The material for rubbing can be a simple cotton towel or paper napkins. When serving, you should touch them very carefully, as they are very easy to stain with fingerprints. The presence of such stains will create an incorrect impression about the neatness of the housewife.

To make the holiday more sophisticated, the cutlery can be wrapped in a napkin and served like that, but this option is suitable for a small number of cutlery.

Glass containers for drinks must also be polished in advance, as their surface may become cloudy or dusty over time. To carry out this procedure, a special rolled microfiber towel or a glass cloth is suitable.

If you are unsure that the utensils for salt, pepper, spices and napkins will be easily accessible to guests, you just need to imagine yourself in their place in the literal sense of the word.

If you can reach what you could theoretically need, your table setting is successful.

Ideas for different occasions

The setting of the festive table depends on its theme and the occasion for which the celebration will take place. However different types feasts can be combined into groups and certain rules for their design can be derived.

New Year or Christmas is mainly celebrated with family. In this case, you can discard the strict conciseness and restraint of the decor. The tablecloth may be bright tone, with Christmas motifs.

As a bouquet of plants for just such an occasion, you can choose not flowers, but spruce branches, in the manner Christmas tree, decorated with small balls or toys.

You can place one large bouquet either in the middle of the table, or place it evenly across the entire area or in front of each of the guests. The surface of the table itself can be decorated with cones, which can be sprinkled with artificial silver glitter that imitates snow. A rich color of napkins, for example, red or green, will add even more positive notes to your New Year's interior, especially if you wrap cutlery in them before serving and decorate with a small spruce branch.

Atmosphere romantic dinner can be created through special serving. The ideal color scheme could be pastel, soft shades of red and pink. The bouquet can be placed either in the center of the table or near the girl, because the flowers are intended for her. The vase can have a symbolic shape of a heart. You can scatter rose petals and heart-shaped confetti on the surface of the tablecloth. Elements of romance can be conveyed even through dishes and cutlery - all of this can be decorated with hearts.

The main lighting can be dimmed or turned off completely, and the light source can be candles in elegant stands that match the theme of the dinner.

Decorating a children's holiday table includes bright colors, which can be used in absolutely any decorative elements.

Setting the table at home is a whole set of etiquette laws. Every housewife should be able to maneuver in this creative sea and distinguish aesthetic nuances. Not everyone can afford to have a butler on their staff. Therefore, you need to learn how to receive guests yourself.

Holidays differ in the level of public perception of this event. Let's start with small home joys: name day, homeland, christening, dates from family history. Serving a festive table at home depends on the number of guests.

Family celebration

Such events may imply a large number of invited guests and a quiet family dinner. If you plan to just have tea gatherings, warn your guests about this in advance. An invitation to “tea” implies the absence of a strict dress code.

The hostess is the heroine of the festive table, regardless of who is the hero of the occasion. You can lay a bright colored tablecloth on the table. The only personal utensils you can place are pie plates and dessert accessories.

The hostess, sitting at the head of the table, pours tea and passes it to the guests. In the center you can serve various desserts: berries and fruits, cakes, pastries, cookies or candies. In the middle there are also pots with jam and honey.

The table is decorated with fresh flowers. You can place a small low vase with a bouquet in the middle or flower arrangement on a wide platter. Original decoration tea table is a traditional samovar. Don't forget about brightly painted paper napkins. From alcohol, you can offer guests dessert wine or liqueur.

Children holidays

Children have a lot of events that can be celebrated: birthday, first time in first grade, sports achievements - you can’t list it all. How to please the youngest members of the household?

Setting a children's table at home implies maximum comfort and a minimum of constraining traditions. Children should laugh! Offer them lots of color and sweets.

Everyone loves sweets. Therefore, it is better to make the children's table dessert. Everything is very similar to “tea gatherings”. Just don't offer hot drinks. It is better to serve the table with juices or compotes.

You can prepare bright colored jellies for the children's table. It is not advisable to place fruits in large crystal vases. You can make individual chocolate baskets and put assorted berries and fruits there: strawberries, apricots, grapes, raspberries, plums. Don't forget about cakes and sweets!

Daily beauty

If you want your household to be energized and in a good mood every day, please them with gastronomic delights. Everyday table setting for dinner, lunch and breakfast is not much different from democratic tea drinking. Only there will be more individual devices. For breakfast, it is quite acceptable to serve the table “tea style.” But a family lunch or dinner is already a small event.

The tablecloth should be changed from multi-colored to plain. Ideally, a snow-white starch cloth. A tablecloth for dinner can be decorated with an ornament in the form of a wide strip along the edge.

The dining tablecloth should not hang more than 50-60 centimeters from the edge of the table. For lunch and dinner, you can serve linen napkins with each cutlery. If you practice traditional family dinners, you can use table accessories such as napkin rings, silver and gold plated cutlery.

The main courses are placed in the middle of the table. You can immediately put cold snacks and hot dishes. If the dinner is formal, then first the aperitif and appetizers are served, then the hostess’s signature dish.

The hostess is the queen of dinner. She must know with all the nuances how to properly set the table for dinner or a birthday party. Tureens and deep plates are placed on an additional table. Only small wide plates, cutlery, glasses and glasses are placed on the table personally. The hostess pours out the hot dish and passes it on to the household.

This traditional option can be replaced with a more democratic one: place the tureen in the middle of the table, and place deep plates in person. Everyone serves themselves.

Don't forget to decorate the dining table fresh flowers. Alcoholic drinks include table wine, sherry, and vodka. They don't drink cognac at dinner. Port wine and beer are also excluded. These drinks can be served with afternoon coffee or a pleasant conversation with fireplace .

Dinner is served in the same strict manner as lunch. Only fresh flowers can be replaced candles in high candlesticks. Instead of crystal, you can put silver dishes on the table: common dishes, gravy boats, salad bowls. Evening is a time of soft shadows. The table setting must be appropriate.

Be sure to place paper napkins on the table. But don’t forget about linen ones! Guests unwrap the napkin and place it on their laps.

If the wedding table setting at home is very dense, you should not place fresh flowers. Better decorate garlands room. It is advisable to invite service personnel to the wedding to change the dishes. It is difficult for the hostess to keep track of all the guests alone.

Whatever celebration is celebrated in your home, remember: the main thing is good mood and smile!

There is not a hostess who would not like to surprise her invited guests with her culinary dishes and feast. But in order for guests to be completely satisfied with the event, the hostess must be able to beautifully and correctly sort and prepare the home table. Properly placed cutlery and treats produce maximum effect on guests. What serving rules should any person know, as well as how to set the table?

Proper serving The table is not only about arranging tableware, but also about its decoration and design. The types of decorations and dishes mainly depend on the upcoming holiday (birthday, wedding, family breakfast, lunch, dinner, etc.).

Basic rules of etiquette:

To quickly and easily cover your home table with a tablecloth, you need to place the folded fabric on the surface of the table, and then, lifting it by the edges, quickly lower your hands. Thanks to these actions, the fabric will lie smoothly and beautifully.

Whether you are celebrating a birthday, or just going to have dinner with your family, in any case, the rules of etiquette are the same for all situations. Table setting must follow a certain order and rules:

Basic rules for placing cutlery

From the first minutes, it seems to any person that it is impossible to remember the placement of all the cutlery and dishes. In real life, all these rules are quite simple and were created to facilitate the serving process. Each cutlery is arranged in its own order. So, the most extreme of utensils are needed for first courses.

Most people often confuse the correct arrangement of cutlery, so before use you should carefully consider their arrangement.

Important elements in table decoration

Napkins are considered the most important items in table decoration. There are several types of napkins: linen and paper. The first type of napkins is used for plates with great depth, if there are no snack utensils on the table, or for feet. Paper napkins usually placed in the center of the table at arm's length from the guest. For a special look, the napkin can be rolled into some kind of beautiful shape, for example, a rose, a ship, a swan or any geometric figure. If napkins are used not only as additional table decor, then it is important that they easily and simply unfold into their usual shape.

Also, when serving, you need to remember about seasonings and additives in the form of spices. There must be salt and pepper on the table. In this case, you do not need to fill the spice container entirely; it will be enough if you pour the spices into half the container. If the banquet menu includes dishes made from meat products, then mustard and horseradish should also be present on the table.

Table setting at home

When the weekend comes, families usually gather in one common circle at home, and the housewife prepares many different dishes. During the meal, loved ones communicate with each other and tell interesting news or stories. This best time, to through decoration and table setting give the conversation a special coziness and comfort. So, even in a home environment you can easily create a feeling little holiday. If there are children in the family, then such a dinner, lunch or breakfast will serve as a good indicator of how to behave at the table, why various devices were created and how to use them correctly.

• Breakfast. Proper and cozy breakfast can give a good mood to the whole family for the whole day. In order for all dishes to look beautiful and aesthetically pleasing, you need to follow some rules and instructions. First, you should put plates with snacks and sandwiches on the table, and then cups with saucers and teaspoons. In this case, the cups are located in the middle of the table, at the optimal level from the person. If breakfast includes boiled eggs, they should be served in a special stand with a high leg. The porridge is placed in a bowl with a deep bottom and placed on a plate for snacks. It is customary to place dough products on a wide dish, and there should be honey, butter, jam or jam on the table. To use oil Each family member should have a small knife nearby. Also, the table must be decorated with napkins. It will be better if the napkins are made in the same style as the insulation for the kettle. Remember about salt and sugar on your home table.
• Dinner. For lunch, first and second courses are usually prepared, and sometimes dessert. So, to decorate the table for lunch you will need use a lot more partings than for breakfast. For general dishes you will need additional spoons, forks, and spatulas. Deep-bottomed plates and cups for broth are placed on top of the appetizers, and dessert plates are usually served at the end of the meal, when the main courses have been eaten and the dirty dishes have been put away. It is important to remember the knives you will need for fish or meat. For dishes such as zrazy, meatballs and cutlets, one fork will be enough.
• Dinner. Setting and decorating the table for dinner is similar to the morning. Pancakes, pancakes or pie are usually prepared for a common meal. The dessert plates are brought out immediately, and next to them, with right side, arrange forks and knives. If the dinner is romantic, then candles in special candlesticks are placed on the table or near it.

The hostess should prepare for the festive meal with special effort and take care of all the details that decorate the table. The main thing here is not only the classic rules of table setting, but also the combination of colors and the sense of style of the owners of the holiday.

What rules should be followed when setting a festive table?

• Napkins and tablecloth. The color and pattern of things can be chosen according to your choice, but it is important that both the napkins and the tablecloth match each other. In this case, you can use the common white color or light shades blue, cyan or green. For a romantic dinner, red, burgundy or pink color tablecloths and napkins. It’s better to construct unusual ones from napkins geometric figures or simply roll them into a tube and decorate them with a satin ribbon.
• Cutlery and crockery sets. The banquet table will go well with the dishes unusual shape: geometric shapes, beautiful curved handles. A set of snow-white porcelain dishes will look best on the table. If the tablecloth and napkins on the table are also white, then you should choose dishes decorated with a peculiar border.
• Candles. This table decor is well suited for wedding or romantic feasts; for birthdays, it is better to use candles only on the cake itself. It is also important to remember that candles must be placed in a special candlestick. It can have a narrow shape and a large height, or the candles can be in bowls filled with special water and flower petals.
• Bouquets of flowers. To harmoniously decorate the table with flowers, you need to choose vases correct form and type. Tall types of vases are best used for bouquets given for birthdays. For table setting, low vases that will not interfere with guests looking around will be more appropriate. You also need to take into account the smell emanating from the flowers; it should not be too strong and should not interrupt the smell of the dishes.
• Unusual compositions. Various fruit compositions will look beautiful and unusual on the holiday table. Depending on the time of year outside, you can decorate the table with branches of spruce, rowan, pine cones, sea ​​stones and sand. Such unusual compositions can later be used to decorate your home.
• Table setting for a birthday. For children's birthdays, you should choose plastic dishes and choose only those cutlery that do not have very pointed ends. The tablecloth for the table should be cheerful and colorful; you can choose one that depicts your favorite cartoon characters. You can put a small gift next to the unusual napkins. If a girl is celebrating her birthday, then you can place various bouquets of flowers on the table. However, you shouldn’t overdo it with flowers, it’s better to add more balloons or garlands. Also, near each chair there should be a sign with the name of each little guest, this will help to avoid various problems in the process of sitting at the table.

Wedding table setting

Table setting for a wedding takes place in a special way. The color of the tablecloth and napkins that will decorate the table can be of absolutely any color. The main thing is to keep the entire wedding table setting in the same style and color. You should also take care of signs with the names of the guests so that there are no difficulties with boarding. Such things should be prepared in advance: this could be a case with the guest’s name, embroidered napkin, a piece of paper or even a cookie decorated with an elegant inscription.

Also in a good way decorate the table interior and complement bouquets of flowers and the usual balloons t use beautiful ribbons . To do this, place the ribbons above the table or decorate the guests’ seats with them.

Today we will talk about how to set a table beautifully and correctly, giving as an example a photo of table setting for various holidays or everyday lunches. Proper table setting says a lot about the hostess, her education and taste, because one of the basic norms of ethics is the ability to set the table, know the purpose of all cutlery and use them correctly.

Choosing a tablecloth

First of all, a tablecloth is laid on the table, it would seem that this is already clear, however, this matter has its own subtleties. The tablecloth must be absolutely clean, smoothly ironed, otherwise it will only become an indicator of your untidiness. After you set the table with it, make sure that it is the same length everywhere and does not hang too low, as long edges can cause inconvenience for guests, and they can also be accidentally pulled, which will lead to an unpleasant end. holiday. Too much long ends can be secured using fabric latches, which most often have an interesting design.

Also, the tablecloth should not be too short, otherwise it will look as if the girl was wearing a dress several sizes too large. If you don’t have a tablecloth or want to set the table in an unusual way, you can use special large napkins for each person. Please note that these are not the ones that are placed on your knees or used to wipe your mouth; they are much denser in material and have big size, since plates, cutlery, and glasses should fit on them.

Serving rules

The next step is to arrange the plates; they are placed on top of each other depending on their size and purpose. Three types are most often used: soup, snack bar, and canteen. They are placed on the tabletop in the reverse order, since the guest will start with soup, then move on to appetizers, simply removing the already used plate from above.

Knives are placed to the right of the plate, followed by spoons in order of use. Today, the number of devices and their location are not determined as strictly as before. Since the design itself plays a huge role, based on which, according to the idea, the teaspoon can be placed not at all on the plate, but, for example, next to a saucer for cakes or served only with tea. The forks are placed on the left side with the teeth up, and the earlier it should be used, the closer it is to the plates. This arrangement of cutlery not only contributes to ease of use, but also helps guests avoid confusion.

Dessert cutlery is placed behind the plate, perpendicular to how all the others are laid out. There, on the right side, there are several glasses. A glass for non-alcoholic drinks: juice or mineral water must be present. Also about 2-3 glasses, each intended for a specific type of alcohol.

Types of glasses

Let's start with something simple, everyone knows what a flute glass is, since traditionally, especially on New Year's Day, champagne is poured into it. Although glasses of this shape are also suitable for sparkling wines. The main feature is the elongated upward shape, which allows the foam to rise and air bubbles to play inside the liquid.

Red wine glasses are also easily imaginable for most; they have a thin stem, a rounded bottom, are quite voluminous and taper towards the top. However, the type of glasses varies greatly depending on the type of wine, for example, wine glasses for “Burgundy” and “Montrachet” have a much larger volume, more reminiscent of a ball or pear, tapering less towards the top. However, it is quite rare that people at home and not even always in restaurants follow such subtleties.

A white wine glass has a more elongated shape, more like an oval. Typically, two types of wine glasses are placed side by side, a glass or glass for the chosen strong drink is added to them, and other glasses are brought as needed. Otherwise, the entire table will be filled exclusively with glasses of different types.

A glass for whiskey or cognac is low, with a thick bottom, widens towards the top, and has a simple, fairly spacious shape. The martini glass is shaped like an inverted triangle, so it's not at all difficult to recognize. For cocktails, straight glasses, shot glasses, or two-tiered glasses with complex shapes are used. If you are not decorating a bar separately, then it is better to place small saucers with lemon, lime, and olives next to the bottles.

Napkin placement options

When serving, three types of napkins are used:

• decorative;
• napkins spread across your lap;
• napkins designed for wiping hands or mouth.

Napkins that are placed on your lap can be placed on top of the soup plate, folded beautifully. Thus, when a person sits down at the table, he will immediately understand what it is intended for. On top of it you can put a small card with the guest's name or a sweet short wish. You can add a miniature flower or a piece of a spruce branch to the card.

Decorative napkins are usually placed under plates, sometimes additionally and between them. They can be folded into triangles, diamonds, or overlapping so that the colors intertwine with each other. In addition, you can also put small lace napkins under candles or glasses.

The most ordinary napkins are usually located under the cutlery, or behind the plates, but only one at a time. There should be a few more napkin holders in the center so guests can easily use whatever quantity they may need.

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Boho style decor

The “boho” style is distinguished by its brightness and abundance of various interior items and decor; it can combine dishes absolutely different styles, colors and shapes. The serving looks incredibly beautiful when all the glasses are made of different materials, some have Blue colour, some pink or green. In addition, this style is characterized by an abundance textile products, that is, under each plate there can be several napkins also from various materials, fringe and tassels are welcome, with which you can complement a monotonous tablecloth.

An important element is lighting; several lamps, lampshades, garlands can be placed around the table or above it, and candles can be placed on the tabletop itself different forms with unusual candlesticks or small lamps. Small frames and voluminous vases with flowers will fit interestingly into the decor. It is better to make bouquets from a mixture of wild and garden flowers, so that large heads of roses, lilies, and peonies can be seen among the abundance of greenery.

Easter table

Easter decor is truly one of the cutest, because decorating eggs, baking Easter cakes and creating little bunnies with your own hands is... favorite hobby both children and adults. The Easter table often looks stunning with baskets of colored eggs, candles and sprinkles on top of the Easter cakes. However, this is not all that you can think of to create a beautiful festive interior.

You can make a small basket from a bunch of branches, an egg carton or any other shape. Place napkins and lace inside (which goes very beautifully with canvas fabric and coarse craft thread). You can also complement the decor with grass and flowers, both natural and artificial. And eggs, or parts of their shells, are placed on top, from which toy chicks, hares, or again flowers can emerge.

The table can be decorated with candles of different diameters and colors; low, thick candles can be placed in shells or on varnished sections of wood. Napkins, tablecloth, color of plates and dishes are best matched to the overall decor. Below are photos of Easter table settings for inspiration.

New Year decoration

When decorating New Year's table The most commonly used colors are:

• red;
• green;
• white;
• gold.

However, it is better not to mix them together; only three colors should always be the main ones. It is better to combine gold only with white, for example, white tablecloths, beige napkins, white dishes, several of which may have a gold or black border, the pattern can also be in the form of specks. Transparent wine glasses can also be complemented with gold ribbons, white candles can be placed in golden candlesticks. You can add greenery to the bouquets; branches of lingonberries or spruce will suit the atmosphere perfectly.

Jewelry from spruce branches are especially popular when serving on winter days; the photo below shows an example of how best to do this. They can be placed on the table between dishes, you can use them to decorate candles, or create a wreath in which long white candles will be inserted, which can be lit closer to midnight.

New Year or Christmas, celebrated in a red and green theme, is a classic. Checkered napkins, red tablecloth, fir pine cones, striped candy canes, Santa socks and white candles. This design is considered one of the most stylish and is quite traditional in America, where the New Year can be called the main holiday. You can also create a more relaxed design by placing brightly colored decorations on a crisp white tablecloth.

Another stunning color combination, just more suitable for Russia: white, blue, silver. This is where you can again use glasses and napkins of different colors. You can place small ones on the table Christmas decorations with silver glitter, for example, deer or Christmas tree.

Holiday in nature

Perhaps one of the most beautiful views The table settings are a combination of boho, rustic and natural styles. The “rustic” style implies maximum closeness to nature, which is why it mostly uses natural materials, and dishes and decor are chosen in calm natural shades. Wedding tables are often decorated in a similar decor, on which there are always many bouquets made in delicate color variations, the main elements of which are again wildflowers.

Napkins are chosen from canvas fabric and white lace, cutlery can be tied with beige lace ribbons, and glasses can also be decorated with them. An abundance of lighting is also characteristic of all three styles, however, the color variations are no longer as bright and bold as in “boho”. Often, garlands with white or yellow light bulbs are chosen, which can be hung above the table or laid out on it; they can also be hung around trees or braided around trunks.

Candles or other lighting fixtures do not have to be exclusively white, but it is better to use pastel colors. It can be beige, light green, lilac, or soft pink - similar colors can be used throughout the interior. But again, make sure they match.

Table setting outdoors

Peculiarities

Serving is a clear arrangement of dishes and all the utensils necessary for eating on the table. A number of ordinary people are unaware that properly decorating a table takes time, although for savvy housewives this process will be quite simple. The entire table design process consists of several steps:

1. Choice beautiful tablecloth and suitable napkins.
2. Buying dishes.
3. Purchasing beautiful spoons, forks and special knives.
4. Buying glasses.
5. Choice of service for tea and coffee breaks.

When all the necessary items are at your disposal, then you can start planning your meal.

You should not forget that a tablecloth is considered a mandatory attribute of table decoration for a celebration at home.

You should know that it can be purchased for special occasions and everyday use. Experts recommend:

• For a festive feast, buy a tablecloth made of natural material.
• For frequent family tea parties, purchase a tablecloth made from more durable materials.

It is better that the shape of the product follows the shape of the tabletop. Please pay Special attention for the length of this important accessory. According to all the rules of etiquette, the tablecloth must completely hide the tabletop, and also hang down from its edge 20-25 cm.

The classic design of the table requires a special arrangement of dishes on it. First, earthenware and porcelain tableware is installed, then all kinds of cutlery are placed, then glasses, cups and shot glasses, crystal items, vases and glass candy dishes are taken out.

Napkins are important. Fabric products can perfectly complement the design of the table itself; they look elegant. Invitees place them on their laps so that their clothes do not get dirty. Paper analogues are simply used to wipe fingers or lips both during and after meals.

If you put different cups or plates on the table for a celebration, your guests will clearly consider such a move bad manners, so it is best to select all the dishes from the same set, then they will not only be stylish, but also of the same color.

Before serving dishes, the hostess should check the presence of spoons in all salad bowls, so that the guests have something to transfer the chosen salad to their plate.

For children, the table for a birthday or New Year is decorated in almost the same way as for adults, but these days most parents buy plastic dishes for their children. It allows you to avoid injuries and loss of expensive service items.

In addition, cups and plates made of plastic always delight with their attractive appearance, which will allow you to make a table at home for fun children as elegant as possible.

A couple of days before the holiday, you need to resolve all the issues related to its organization and prepare well: count the number of invited guests, think over the menu, determine whether the tablecloth is in order and whether there are napkins of the right color, take into account the availability in the house holiday sets dishes, come up with original decor. On the day of your celebration, wipe all items with a clean cloth until they squeak and shine, and then you can begin setting the festive table itself.

Location of items

First, all the plates are set out. The main place on the table is always occupied by a separate plate for decoration, which is placed no less than 2 cm from the edge of the tabletop. A dish for cool snacks is placed on top of it; its size should be medium. In addition, you can also place a soup product on the main plate if your menu includes puree soup. If you are going to treat your guests with broth, then it is best to serve a special broth for it. The bread plate should be on the left side of the main one.

For any kind of plates there is general rule –you need to place them 50 cm from one another so that the invitees do not feel crowded at the table. Cutlery is placed on either side of the plates or above them. The plugs are usually located on the left side of the main appliance. Knives should be placed on the right, with the blades facing directly towards the dish. A spoon for all kinds of soups is located on top of the main dish. The dessert spoon lies on the right and is considered the last in the line of cutlery.

Those items that are used first are placed closest. Furthest away will be the knives and forks for the latest dishes. When arranging devices, you need to remember that they should be easy and simple to reach.

You cannot hide the cutlery under the large edges of the guest plates; they must be clearly visible.

To set a table with food at home in an interesting way and according to all existing rules, you need to choose the right glasses. It is worth knowing that for any drink there must be a specific type of glass or glass. Experts suggest that:

• Pot-bellied glasses are used for red wines, aromatic cognac, and aged brandy.
• Small glasses will adequately preserve the bouquet of dry white wine.
• Narrow glasses are useful for champagne.
• Glasses will be needed for pouring juice and mineral water.

On the tabletop, all these items are placed to the right of the guest’s plate. Napkins should be interestingly combined with the main color of the selected table service. The napkins are folded so that when unfolded they look as neat as possible. These items are placed on the snack plate until it is in use. With these accessories you can decorate the table in any fashionable direction.

How to arrange ready-made dishes?

Any housewife will prepare many of the most incredible and delicious dishes to amaze guests with her cordiality and hospitality. But you need to take into account that excessive abundance will then be difficult to arrange in all its splendor on the table, which can lead to unpleasant moments:

• The guest will have nowhere to put his plate.
• There won't be enough space for all the food.
• You will not be able to reach certain dishes.
• The table may look cluttered.
• You will not be able to arrange all the devices correctly.

To avoid this, when planning a celebration, you need to immediately make a list of all the dishes that will need to be prepared.

If you dream of holding the most formal reception, then you will need to think about setting the table 3 times:

1. Serving hot dishes and arranging cutlery on the table for them;
2. Decorating a separate table with various snacks;
3. Final table preparation for dessert dishes.

You need to think about how to quickly and correctly set the festive table for all these stages. Special attention should be paid to the details of the arrangement of the main dishes.

Place the salt and pepper shakers in the very center of the table, leaving a small distance between them. Place a mustard pot and all kinds of gravy boats nearby. Serve the butter with a special knife, and put the smallest spoon into the mustard.

The bread is brought in on separate plates, which must be placed on different sides of the table so that any guest can reach it. You need to arrange cold appetizers correctly - they can be fish, meat and vegetables. If you need to serve the drink in a bottle, then bring an already opened vessel to the table.

Correctly serving various types of drinks should follow the following rules:

• It is better to place sweet water and mineral water separately; you should open them before the start of the celebration.
• Juices and fruit drinks are poured into glass jugs and placed around the table.
• Decanters are needed for vodka and various liqueurs.
• Cognac and wine are placed on the table only in original bottles.

If many people are invited to the celebration, then you need to know the correct order of serving dishes. The feast should begin with cold appetizers - delicious salads and small sandwiches. Afterwards, hot food is brought in - this can be soup and a variety of main courses. Sweet dishes are considered the end of the meal - they are served at the end of the holiday. Each dish brought in should have a separate spoon so that your guests can easily transfer the treat to their plates.

If you have introduced a number of main dishes to the menu, then before the next shift you need to change the dirty plates to clean ones.

You can place the main courses on the table in this order - first the fish ones, after them - the meat ones, and then under the “curtain” - the vegetable ones.

If you have prepared fried or stuffed fish, then the meat or poultry on your menu should be stewed or vice versa, and then your guests will be satisfied. Vegetable dishes are those that contain green peas or cabbage.

Before dessert, it is better to remove all unnecessary dishes from the table, with the exception of glasses. On the table there are small dessert plates with knives and forks, which are laid out according to the same principle as the usual cutlery for main courses.

Required elements

A serving plate is a flat product of large diameter. An ordinary hot plate can successfully play its role. It is used not only for decoration: such a product will protect the table from accidental splashes.

A snack plate is a small and flat saucer. It is needed for a salad or canapé and is removed from the table as soon as the appetizers are finished. A deep dish for hot dishes or a special cup for broth is placed on top of the appetizer and serving plates if you have soup on the menu.

The stand plate for sliced ​​bread is located at left hand and is individual for each invitee. In everyday serving, it is most often abandoned. Glasses are set according to height. They are placed diagonally on the right hand of the person sitting, the row begins with the tallest and largest glass or glass.

Usually all devices are divided into individual (for each of the invitees) and additional. These are special spoons, forks, tongs and scoops, etc. With these additional utensils, guests transfer food to their plates from a common dish.

A table setting cannot be complete without serving items such as fruit baskets, crystal bowls for berries, sweets or salads.