6 Delightful Everyday Table Setting Ideas

March 11, 2020

Australians love eating out!

Studies show that, on average, Aussies eat out two to three times a week. They don’t need a special occasion to eat out.

As a restaurant owner, you want to tap into this customer base. To do so, enhance your guests’ dining experiences by setting your tables daily.

You shouldn’t only set tables on special occasions. Any day is a good excuse to set tables.

Why?

It sets the atmosphere of your restaurant as warm and inviting. This attracts guests, and they keep them coming to your restaurant.
It makes mealtimes special. Guests enjoy dining when you put in extra effort for them.
It encourages guests to eat more. People eat with their eyes. Research shows that colour affects food choices at a restaurant. A colourful table causes guests to eat more. As a result, they spend more money at your restaurant.

Get inspired by these everyday table settings ideas. Your tables will look stylish all year round.

1. Mix and Match Table Setting

Break the rules!

People overate matching table settings. Let your restaurant stand out with a different look.

With a mix and match table setting, you need not have a complete set of china.

Turn your tables into a vibrant feast of the eyes with the use of bold patterns and colours. Limit your creativity to three hues: two bold and one neutral.

Be consistent with the mix and match table theme. You don’t want your setting to end up looking messy.

In the above setting, use three hues: red, orange and white. Don’t worry if the shades don’t match. That is the whole point of a mix and match theme.

Flaunt the mix of your plates with interesting patterns and in different sizes. Layer your charger, dinner plate and salad plate well on top of each other. Let their uniqueness pop.

Mix your metals, too. Who said gold and silver don’t go well together? Place a mix of flatware in gold and silver.

Match your napkins by colour. If your table has four place settings, match the napkins in pairs. This brings some cohesion to the table and is easy on the eye.

For your stemware, keep it simple and consistent. Place glasses of similar shapes and sizes. Not everything on the dinner table has to be a mix and match. Some uniformity won’t hurt.

2. White-on-White Table setting

white theme table settings Image from: Pxhere

Sometimes, less is more, and this table setting is proof.

Crisp white napkins and white tableware on a white tablecloth speak elegance.

Also, when guests walk into a white-on-white table setting, it conveys calmness. What’s not to love about dining in a calm atmosphere?

For this formal dining, set your dinner tables in these steps:

Drape your dinner tables with a white tablecloth. Place white tulips in a white vase as your centrepiece. Let the green buds of the flowers pop out. This brings some colour to your tables.
Next, place your plates. Stack a dinner plate, salad bowl and soup bowl per place setting. Let them all be white in colour.
Place folded white matching napkins. Use high-quality napkins to create a beautiful and crisp napkin fold. You can get these from Australian Linen Supply. They stock superior quality napkins.
Tuck in your cutlery. You don’t always have to place your cutlery on the dinner table. Tuck them in an envelope-folded napkin then tie it with a sprig of herb. It adds a fun statement to your setting.
Place your glasses. Water and wine glasses go to the upper right side of each place setting. Have different glasses for water, red wine and white wine.
Have visually appealing centrepieces. Complete your setting by placing candles of varying heights as centrepieces. These will add some visual elements to your tables.

3. Rustic Table Setting

party with a rustic theme with red roses wood chairs Image from: ProFlowers

A rustic table setting lets you have a nature-inspired table arrangement.

Use a bare wooden table for your setting. To bring the communal feel to your setting, use long rectangular tables.

Dress the tables with tree branches and flowers along the table to form a greenery table runner. Watch this video for some inspiration

Brighten your table setting using tea candles placed next to your table runner. Tea candles give your dinner table a touch of sophistication.

Place white round plates on each place setting. Using white plates for dining makes the food pop.

Wrap your cutlery in a napkin and tie with a sprig of rosemary for each place setting. Rosemary oozes a nice aroma and adds texture to your table setting.

4. Candlescape Table Setting

Candle table setting Image from: Unsplash

Let there be light!

Illuminate your tables with a beautiful display of candles in this setting.

Candles create a warm and romantic atmosphere. This setting is great for an evening dinner.

Bring some dimension to your dinner tables with candles of varying heights. Place the candles in a crystal candelabra. It makes your setting elegant.

Avoid blocking your guests’ line of sight with your candlescape setting. Place these at the edge of the table so guests will sit on one side.

To add more glamour to your tables, place red and pink flowers as centrepieces.

This setting is for fine dining. So, bring out your best china to the table.

5. Floral Table Setting

Floral Table Setting Image from: Pexels

Brighten your dinner tables by including fresh flowers as centrepieces in your setting. Use warm pastel colours. White and pink, for example, blend well.

A great idea is to use in-season flowers. You will find them affordable and available.

Place a pink lacy charger plate on the dinner table and a white dinner plate on it.

Bring some creativity to your setting with a green napkin. Place it on the dinner plate. The contrast of the green napkin on a white plate makes it stand out.

Create a napkin ring using fresh flowers. Use this to tie your napkin.

Don’t forget to match your stemware with the theme. Place pink goblets on your dinner table.

6. Matte Black Table Setting

Make heads turn with a black table setting. It brings a new, fresh look to your setup.

Matte Black Table Setting Image from: Didriks

Black is timeless and chic, yet it’s not the first colour that comes to mind when people are thinking of a table setting.

Use black bare tables with matching chairs for your dinner table. This forms a beautiful base for the setting.

Stack your charger, dinner plate and salad plate, all in black. Place a folded black and white tie-dye napkin. Tie it with a copper strand and place it on the salad plate.

Create visual interest with your copper flatware and stemware against black tables.

When it comes to your centrepiece, use natural elements. Make a bold statement by placing a bundle of greenery as your centrepiece.

With all these ideas, you are now set to impress your guests daily.

For more inspiration, watch this video:

Quick Facts on Table Setting

Pay attention to the following facts when setting tables:

When choosing tablecloths for your dinner tables, factor in the size of the drop. To calculate the drop, take the length of your tablecloth (L) and subtract your table’s height (H). Then divide by 2.
Drop = (L-H) ÷ 2
If you are using table runners on your tables, ensure you have the right size. The size of your table runners should be at least one-third of the width of your dinner table.
When placing cutlery, set out only what guests need during dining. If your guests are not using a salad plate, for example, then do not include it in your setting.
Do not overpower your tables with scents. When placing candles and flowers, avoid scented ones.