Set Up Your Most Stylish Dinner Party
In prepping for guests coming over, the frantic, day of clean is practically a given at this point. Search for where the vacuum’s last been placed; dig into the back of the cupboard for the mop; wipe down each and every surface in your home; find a candle to light in the bathroom, as well as a suitable *guest* hand towel.
If you leave your dining table until the last minute though, it can be a bit more obvious. Good china that hasn’t been used in months and needs a quick rinse, the singular table runner taking its place on the table, and flowers you picked up in a rush, put into a vase and placed in the middle of the table.
Needless to say, it can look a bit haphazard.
That’s not to say you have to go all the way to the other end of the spectrum though, where there are multiple pieces of cutlery set in front of guests, that they end up with choice paralysis — and you end up leaving yourself with so much crockery to clean it takes days to complete.
There’s a nice middle ground when it comes to setting the table — modern dinner table setting ideas, that look like something you’d find on Pinterest. As we know, the trend of tablescaping is on the rise; the dinner party is quickly growing in popularity over on TikTok with over 885.5 million views and is said to “flourish” this year.
And why wouldn’t it? With a dinner party, you’ve got everyday dining made elevated, socialising with family, friends and loved ones, while eating delicious food. You’re bringing people together, focusing on the present, and you might even get a post for the ‘gram (not just a story).
Make it a feast for the eyes too, with some dinner table setting ideas. Sure, some can be set up the day of, but some of these are basics for a dinner party you should always have on hand — that make the idea of your dinner table set up a pleasure, as opposed to a pain.
Step One: Start With Table Linen
Whether you’re hosting a dinner party in your dining room (or general dining space these days, let’s be honest), or if you’re looking for outdoor dinner party table setting ideas, you should always start with table linen.
If the table you’re sitting at is a beautiful one, you can skip the tablecloth and show off the table itself. But, if you’re like most people, you may find gradual wear and tear on your table making a tablecloth the superior choice.
Linen makes for a rich textural choice for your tabletop, and it’s up to you which colourway you want to go with — something more neutral or a little bolder.
Now that you’ve got a beautiful base sorted, take pleasure playing with colour through cloth napkins — joyful colourways, with charming, contrast satin stitch edges.
One of the top interior trends this year are pieces that double as works of art, specifically including the use of “collage” effects. And when you go for mixed and matched bright hues, paired with more neutral prints, it lends to that collaged look. The dynamic contrasts between the two, alone.
Remember, it’s not about perfection — it’s about something *interesting*, starting a conversation. And who doesn’t want their dinner party ideas — specifically, their table settings — to bring people closer together?
Make your napkins the centre of attention by dressing them up separately — whether with napkin rings you have on hand, tying them up with ribbon or twine and a sprig of nature on hand, going for a simple loose knot or trying for full origami.
Step Two: The Crockery (& Cutlery)
Perhaps you have “good china” that you were given as a wedding gift that you’ve barely touched, or you have a set as a hand-me-down from a giving grandparent. If you don’t have something that’s suitable, look for dinnerware that reflects the theme your table linen has set out, or that just reflects your personality.
You can go laidback with more neutral shades — the whites, tans, creams — in beautiful materials, and striking craftsmanship. If you’re more maximalist, bring out bold colours, multi–hued patterns or some truly quirky design.
Stack bowls in one style atop plates of the other for a look that’s all your own; multiple colours that are more charming than you think.
If you don’t want to splash out on something fancy for sporadic use — well, first off, just host more dinner parties — or you could look for platters, side dishes, and jugs that act as talking points and bring the interest. Serving utensils fall into the same realm too; you’ve got your classic wooden, colours ops, clear with unique details.
Cutlery also needs to be considered when it comes to table setting ideas for your dinner party. Hopefully, you already have enough on hand for all of your guests, if not, gather a hodgepodge collection from charity shops for something with both kitsch and charm — and a story behind them.
And yes, we know it’s not crockery or cutlery, but if you’re planning to do a seating arrangement, then rope in your friend with the neatest handwriting — or anyone who’s mastered the art of calligraphy — and bribe them to do some fancy seating cards.
Step Three: Glassware
From Pinterest to TikTok to Tumblr to Insta, you’ve definitely noticed that the world of glassware has really stepped up its game over the past year or so — adding a modern touch to dinner table settings.
Ironic, considering some of the biggest trends in this realm are actually a bit retro — colourful, transparent glasses; old-school cocktail glasses, and of course, whatever can be found second-hand at op-shops, vintage stores, or markets.
If you want your dining table setting to look like an idea plucked straight from Pinterest, then let your glassware double as tabletop decor. Experiment with coloured glasses, transparent glasses with scallops, ridges or other interesting shapes and silhouettes.
Step Four: Finishing Touch(es)
By now, the table settings for your dinner party should be less of an idea and more of a reality. But there are still the final touches to be made, of course — the centrepieces. If you have a table runner, now’s the perfect time to place it, but it’s not a must-have if it doesn’t suit.
A centrepiece for your dinner table set-up may sound like an extravagant idea, but it’s up to you how much you want the vibe to go in each direction.
Florals
First, you can start with bouquets of flowers in any vases you may have in your home (once again, try out charity shops if you need more). It’s best to go for low blooms, as a tall setting could block out people from talking to one another.
Second, if you’re lucky enough to have a backyard, you can create a runner of greenery collected from there. It doesn’t have to just be flowers, you can bring in elegant branches, fronds, bundles of leaves, what have you. Keep it circular by returning it to the backyard for future mulch, or putting it in the compost.
And if the only green thing in your home is the vegetables in the fridge, never fear. Pick up a bouquet from your local florist, market or supermarket. Unwrap, untwine, what have you, trim what needs to be trimmed, and let the ends dry out. Then lay them along the middle of your table, for a deconstructed yet elegant strewn look.
Greenery
If you’re someone without a garden — but have plant babies galore — you can always use them as the table centrepiece. Even better when they have trailing vines or leaves, which you can drape and shape for a beautiful look. The same goes for potted succulents, placed every so often along the table for an “oh this? I just placed it here randomly!” vibe.
Candles
If you don’t have (or like) flowers at all — or you’ve just got hay fever — a collection of candles also works. It doesn’t need to be the old-school candelabra your parents or grandparents might’ve had lying around (unless you’re into that), but any grouping of candles you have around your home.
Different shapes and sizes, decorative options with twists, bubbles, tapered twirls, even those that look like sculptured figures. Height differences are key for a playful look, and there are no rules to how you space them out, or group them together, across the table. Just make sure to trim the wicks of any you’ve used beforehand.
