Master the Formula for Setting a Beautiful Table

Last month, during the Elevate the Everyday series, I challenged you to use cloth napkins on your table, even on weeknights.  You can read about it here. Not only will it elevate the meal and make it more special; it also reduces the waste we send to the landfill, it’s the “green” thing to do!  

I know what you’re thinking; you’re thinking, “I don’t have time to set a fancy table,” you’re thinking, “It’s too complicated,” you’re thinking, “Nobody is going to appreciate it anyway, so why should I even bother?”  

What if I told you that it’s not complicated, that it won’t take much more time than setting out paper plates and paper napkins, and whether they admit it or not, it will make a difference with your family.  Some of my fondest childhood memories are of my family sitting around the dinner table sharing a meal together at the end of the day.

What is the secret formula for setting a beautiful table?  How do you create a lovely table for any occasion?  What can you easily do that works equally well for a simple weeknight meal for your family, or something a bit fancier for when you are entertaining friends?  

The formula is the same, and the secret is in the layering!  Below is the list of the basics that every table should start out with.  You can add more layers to it to make your table as fancy as you like, but these 8 basic elements are where to start.   

• Placemat
• Plate
• Utensils
• Cloth napkin
• Napkin ring
• Water goblet
• Flowers 
• Candles

We are going to be working from the bottom up; starting with the base and layering on top of that.  Remember the more layers you add the fancier the table settings will be, but for family weeknight meals we are going to keep it simple and stick to the basics. 

Placemats:  For weeknight meals, placemats are easy and make sense.  They will protect your table from any hot foods that could damage your table.  A tablecloth can feel very formal and if it gets soiled the whole thing needs to be laundered instead of just one or two placemats.  Plus, there are so many fun placemats you can purchase to change up the look of your table.  Fabric one’s are great for weeknights, and can easily be laundered if they get soiled.  

Plate(s):  Set a plate on top of each placemat and top it with a bowl if you are serving a soup or stew for dinner.  When you are entertaining you might want to stack a salad plate on top of the dinner plate.  Maybe place a charger on the placemat and then top it with a dinner plate and then a salad plate.  The more layers you add the more focal it will look and feel.  But for a weeknight meal, stick to the one plate to keep it easy and manageable.

TIP:  Check out local thrift stores in your area for silverware, dishware, and glasses that you can sometimes pick up for a song.  I have found some of my loveliest, most unique pieces at thrift stores.  Run them through the dishwasher on the “sanitize” setting and they are good to go.

Utensils:  Set out utensils on either side of the plate.  The sharp edge of the knife blade should be facing in, towards the plate and be closest to the plate.  The spoon should be placed to the right of the knife.  The bottom of all the utensils should line up evenly with the bottom edge of the plate.  

TIP:  Can’t remember which side the forks and knives go on?  Fork has four letters just like left has four letters, and spoon and knife have five letters just like right has five letters.  You’re welcome ☺  

Cloth Napkin:  You can fold the napkin and either place it under the fork, to the left of the plate or lay it neatly on top of the plate.  If you are entertaining and want to get fancy and impress your guests, do a search on YouTube for hundreds of video’s that will teach you how to fold napkins in some of the most creative ways.  But for a weeknight meal, keep it simple so you don’t get overwhelmed with setting the table. 

Napkin Ring:  Instead of just folding the napkin and placing it next to the plates, place your napkin in a napkin ring.  You can roll it and slide it into a napkin ring and place it on the center of the plate.  For a super quick and simple idea unfold the napkin, grab it at the center and pull it through the napkin ring; takes 2 seconds to do this.  Place it on each plate.  This really makes the table look extra special!  

Water goblet:  A few years ago I purchased a set of matching stemmed water glasses.  Nothing fancy, I picked them up at the Dollar store.  They are durable and affordable but they look elegant because they are stemmed glasses.  If one breaks, no big deal, they only cost a dollar.  We should all drink more water, so setting out water at each meal is always a good idea.  The water goblet should be placed between the utensils and the plate (at about 1 o’clock).    

Flowers:  I adore fresh flowers in the house, and I usually have some on my kitchen island.  I take them and plunk them down at the center of the table and I have an instant centerpiece.  If I don’t happen to have any fresh flowers in the house, I will grab my hand clippers and go out in the garden and cut some flowers for the table.  If nothing is blooming, I will snip some greenery instead.  Place the flowers or greenery in a small vase or pitcher and you are good to go.  If you want to make it a little fancier, place a single blossom or sprig of greenery in a small vase and set one out at each place setting.

Candles:  I love candles!  Set a candle on either side of your vase of flowers and light them.  Instant ambiance!  Or set a votive at each place setting.  It will make each person at the table feel special!     

TIP:  Do you have votive candle holders with wax at the bottom that you can’t get out?  Don’t throw that votive holder away!  Place it in the freezer for several hours.  The wax will contract in the cold.  You should then be able to easily pop the wax out of the bottom of the votive using a butter knife.  If you open my freezer you will most likely find several votive holders with wax at the bottom, waiting for me to clean them out.    

That’s it!  I told you it was easy and would only take a few minutes!  

Get your kids to help you with this.  If you have a simple formula like this for setting the table, they can easily help out.  After they do this a few times they will easily know where to find everything for the table and know where everything needs to go.

Keep weeknight meals simple by having everyone bring their plate to the kitchen to help themselves, or dish up servings for your family.  Save the serving dishes and fancy platters for when you have more time and you are entertaining.  Nobody wants to sign up for extra dirty dishes on a weeknight if it’s not necessary!  Ain’t nobody got time for all that!!!  

The art of sitting down to dinner together every evening is becoming a lost art, and I am doing my small part to keep it alive.  There are numerous studies that demonstrate kids are better students, make friends easier, stay connected to family more, and become better communicators if they regularly sit down to a meal in the evenings with their family.  There is something about gathering around the table at the end of the day and breaking bread together that forms lasting bonds in a family.

You may not be able to have dinner around the table every night of the week, but I encourage you to make it a goal to try and get everyone at the table at least a couple times a week, more if you can manage it.  Believe me, take it from someone who knows, once your kids are grown and gone, you will be glad you made the effort to get everyone to the table for dinner when they were still at home.  You will have memories that will last you a lifetime.