Our dinner party was a success Saturday night. Bringing old or new friends together for no reason other than to catch up with each other is the best excuse for a party.
Table for 10
I used orange as my accent color to go with black and white dinnerware. It’s not my favorite color, but it looked so fresh and spring-like, I had to have it. I purchased the table runner and orange dish towels from Crate and Barrel last week. The towels were big enough for two napkins. Just cut them in half and hemmed up the raw edges. $2.00 each!
Indvidual Place settiing
Seating arrangements are important for a sit-down dinner.
- Seating should be boy-girl-boy-girl whenever possible
- Spouses shouldn’t sit next to each other
- If there is a guest of honor, he should be seated next to the hostess and she should be seated next to the host
- Assigning seats allows the hostess to make sure all the talkers are not sitting next to each other while the quiet ones are left on their own
My guests are all long time friends. Since the napkin rings were numbered, the women drew an even number and the men picked from the odd sticks. I just made sure husbands and wives were sitting next to someone else. We had very lively conversations going all night long!
- 10 people is the maximum I would recommend for a sit-down dinner party. Any more than that, you better have help serving courses or decide to do a buffet
Flowers and candles are always a must. I love a cut bouquet and have them in my house even when it’s only for me. Tulips are my favorite and they are in season now.
Tulips in hot pink, purple and yellow/orange
- Avoid scented flowers and candles at the dinner table. You don’t want competing smells.
- Guests should be able to see each other over the floral arrangement. If it’s tall and dramatic, just be sure to remove it from the table before sitting.
It doesn’t matter what style of party you have. Invite friends for cards and appetizers or brunch or a cook-out. No one cares if you have the right dishes or chairs or if the living room needs painting. Life is short–entertain!
Tell me about your party style.
Merri, I love the colors you picked out! I wouldn’t have thought of using orange in a spring tablescape, but you pulled it off beautifully! And tulips are my favorite spring flower…
Thanks Shanna,
Orange has never been my favorite color. In fact the only other orange thing in my house is a beautiful painting of poppies painted by Scott Olson. I have a couple accessories in my wardrobe and that’s all. I guess it’s growing on me!
Merri
I LOVE this table. Orange IS my favorite color and it is hardly used anymore! Gorgeous. The flowers are exquisite!
What a beautiful table setting… I would love to sit at your table!
Please stop by today for lunch and a fashion show!
ENJOY!
Fifi
Thanks Ceekay,
Orange is slowing making a come back in the design world. If the retro 50’s – 60’s trend continues to grow, we will be seeing more of it in accessories and fabrics.
Merri
Wow what pretty vibrant table, the tulips are so pretty too!
Linda Q
Lovely tablescape, Merri! Great tips as well!
Those tulips look beautiful,too!
Have a fabulous weekend!
;-D
Happy Tablescape Thursday
Susan
Looks great! Our High School Colors!!!!
I liked the color combinations you used. The flowers truly added that spring time touch to pull the whole look together nicely!
Thanks! I guess orange and black aren’t just for Halloween anymore!
Merri
Thank you very much! The tulips are still blooming. One vase right here next to my desk. We should all surround ourselves with flowers. Who needs a reason?
Merri
Merri, that is a great looking table! I think the new square dishes add such a fun look to a tablescape. We didn’t have those options when I got married, but that never stopped me from picking up unsual dishes over time. I love to mix and match. Love how you mixed the dish towels in there with it. I like to do things like that, too. Pier I is also a good source for napkins when they put theirs on sale.
I love my fine china as much as I did when received pieces for wedding presents, though it is now discontinued. I have a service for 24+. I like to mix other patterns with it. It’s a very basic Royal Doulton white china with a decorative gold band. I love the design in the band.
To vary the look, I have salad plates in Tiffany Holiday, Royal Crown Derby Lombardy, Mottahedeh Duke of Gloucester, Royal Worcester Sandringham (the one with pinks), Haviland Winterthur, and some other Haviland patterns plus an antique Bernadaud pattern. I am a chinaholic, and I have several sets of china in addition to my fine. My Motto: A girl cannot have too much china. 😉
I find that even with large groups, people feel very special when they sit down to a beautiful table. Whether it is my blue and white (and I collect that, too… both Mottahedeh and also some kitchy plates) or some other pattern, it is just nice to feel special… and a beautiful table sets the tone.
I like eight people at a small dinner party. For larger ones, I like to put up round tables, skirt them to the floor and add a topper in a contrasting fabric. A friend of mine is a designer, and he has great remanants in Cowtan, Colefax & Fowler, etc… you can edge it in wide ribbon, tassel trim, or raffia, too… plus we get things from the fabric store that are on sale or even at Walmart.
I’ve had a lot of groups of 16-20 this year for various meetings and had 45 for dinner at Christmas. At Christmas for a crowd that size, I used my Lenox everyday holiday pattern called Winter Greetings (goes in the dishwasher, too!), and I supplemented with a pattern I bought from Dollar Tree that is blue with snowflakes. I used those blue plates in the library because there’s a lot of blue in there. I set that room up with a really cool table I found that has an octagon shaped glass top. The room is techincially supposed to be a formal living room, but we like to entertain so it made more sense to have that room used as a libary/dining room.
One thing I make a point of doing is buying extra napkins in a pattern if I like it. Invariblly someone will get something on a napkin that won’t come out, and it will ruin the set. If I want a set of 12 napkins, I will buy 15 of them.
I also like centerpieces that are fun, and while I adore flowers, I like to think outside the box. We did eight tables last spring for antique club, and we used everything from Herend figurines as centerpieces (the big ones) to pug dog figurines to a huge clear glass container of gorgeous shells to a ailver footed basket. The point is, you can have so much fun with a tablescape, and you don’t have to spend that much money. The main thing is to make everyone feel comfortable and welcome. The rest will fall into place after that.
Looks like you have a knack for doing just that!
Happy Foodie Friday…
XO,
Sheila 🙂
P.S. Oh, and I think the best dinner party includes a mix of ages and occupations, but that can get tricky with seating.
I didn’t realize how much I wrote till I posted. Sorry, Merri! I just got off the road from a four hour car ride, and I’m feeling free! LOL!
XO,
Sheila
Thanks for your comments about my blog. I just added a new post about the color purple. I see you like purple too.
I LOVE the black and red table setting. I think I’ll go copy it for my next dinner party!
It is the coolest site,keep so!
Great post! Just wanted to let you know you have a new subscriber- me!
Hi, good post. I have been wondering about this issue,so thanks for posting.
The best information i have found exactly here. Keep going Thank you
Great post! I’ll subscribe right now wth my feedreader software!