Creative Ideas for Table Setting

Dinner parties don’t always have to be at the dinner table. A coffee table can easily become the center of a celebration.

• Dinner plates, salad plates and soup bowls can serve double duty as entertaining necessities.
• A crystal compote can be used to display shrimp; a dinner plate is great for holding cheese and crackers, and salad-plates fit lap-size portions perfectly.
• Using sterling silver flatware to makes guests feel special.

Next time friends come over for a dinner party, think beyond the traditional way of presenting the food.

• Set up an assortment of forks holding prearranged appetizers to create delicious ready-to-eat bites and keep fingers clean.
• Use a combination of forks and spoons to serve appetizer bites or mix together a variety of flatware patterns for an eclectic look.

When entertaining family and friends, keep in mind that not all of your flatware (or dinnerware) pieces have to match. Consider using a unique piece for a different course; for example, a soup spoon with a different pattern can stand on its own.

Sometimes with larger parties you might not have all the pieces you need. NOt only can the flatware differ, but so can the serving items. Consider using coffee or café au lait cups for soup!