Add Color To Your Table Setting

My daughter Madeline and I start off with a simple placesetting: I used a cute beachy plastic dessert/salad plate (from Big Lots 4 for $4.99) stacked on top of a square white plate placed on an angle and then stacked on top of a large yellow plate used as a charger plate. It's o.k..... but it is just not popping for me so on to the next photo so you can see what we continue to add to make this really look great.
We have added a punch of color by using a plastic hot pink goblet with a little paper umbrella in it and we have taken the plain white napkin and put a silk flower around it for a napkin ring. I cut the flower off the long stem but left about 5 or 6 inches so I could bend it into a circle to wrap around the napkin.

More color!! I found some amazing blue tissue paper laying around the house and we decided to make a table runner from it!! We also set the other placesetting across from it and used an orange colored plastic goblet for fun. Just by adding a few simple colorful accessories, the table top now pops and it looks like a celebration is just about to happen. Have fun, be creative, try new things to make your dinner table come alive.

Use what you have to set the table

My daughter, Madeline and I got out lots of my dishes, napkins, tablecloths and fabrics and played around with them to come up with many different options of how to set the table. Madeline is a photographer and took many photos of the settings so you can see what what we did.Here is black and white plates on a white table cloth with a black fabric runner going down the center of the table. A red napkin folded in what is called the "The bird of paradise fold" with a fresh white daisy in the middle of it. We also used an old clock for the centerpiece. Use interesting things that you would not normally use.

Same placesetting only

we folded the

napkin into a "fan" and
once again used the white daisy.

Using the black and white plates but putting them on dark placemat and using a white napkin with a napkin ring, it looks more formal now.









Finally we put a large yellow dinner plate underneath the black and white plate and used a printed napkin and folded it into the "rose" look and put a small radish in the middle.

We will be posting more of our ideas on our other blog at www.thestylesisters.blogspot.com

Napkin Folding

Sometimes just a simple fold is all you need. Look at these gorgeous green plates on a light blue tablecloth with simple white napkins!



Or how about a brown napkin folded and tied with a white ribbon and a small stemmed flower tucked into the ribbon. So simple and yet it adds a nice touch to the table.




See more ideas on our website http://www.thestylesisters.net/ under entertaining ideas. These photos are from http://www.theknot.com/

Simple Centerpiece

Don't you just love simple things! This is a milk bottle carrier with old milk bottles filled with flowers from a garden. It has character, color and design. Sometimes we may fret about what to put on our tables for a centerpiece when all we have to do is look around the house for something unique to put some flowers in. You might have an old water pitcher, or a glass vase lost in the back of a cupboard somewhere...bring it out and breathe new life into it by putting it on display filled with flowers. So Simple and yet so beautiful and pleasing to the senses!

Lime Green Plates

I just love these cute lime green salad plates! I bought them last year at the after Christmas sale at Pier One Imports. They not only work for Christmas and the fall season but also spring time because they look so fresh!


Paired with simple white dishes and striped lime green and turquoise place mats this table is so fresh looking.

Personalized Plates at Swoozies

You really should take a look at these personalized plates at www.swoozies.com they are just so cute! Choose from a variety of colors and themes and then the best part is you can also choose from a vast array of icons or initials to go in the center plus you can also choose fonts and your own wording to really make it something special! Not only does Swoozies carry these cute plates but all kinds of tableware, partyware, kids stuff, invitations etc... We have highlighted some of these fun things on our website at www.thestylesisters.net check it out!!

The table is set!

Isnt' that a nice phrase..."the table is set" It means the food is about to brought to the table to be enjoyed by all. I remember growing up...my mom would usually set a nice table with colorful placemats and napkins. Mom always used some pretty dishes. and would find some colorful flowers to use for the centerpiece. It didn't have to be extravagant ...just some flowers from the backyard or a green plant from inside the house....it was just something to finish off the table. Looking at the table all set meant that dinner or breakfast was about to start! Eating together as a family was a part of our daily life. As we grew, mom would have either me or my brother set the table. Later on in life after my little sister was born, she also had the chance to set the table daily as well. Sitting around the table at the end of the day was nice way to hear about everyone's day. In my own home I have carried on that tradition.....it may not happen every night but I do try to make it happen most nights. What about you and your family?

MacKenzie-Childs Cake stands

Don't you just love these cake stands by MacKenzie-Childs!! I have always had a fondness for this line of pottery. I love the colors, patterns and childlike playfulness this line of pottery has. I don't own any of these dishes but one day I hope to have a few pieces. They are a little on the pricey side but with all the work that goes into them I think they are worth it.

My cute daughter and I were together over Easter break and we decided to play with a few things from her cupboards. We used this adorable large European square pillow case as a table cloth on her table...... We wanted to highlight the blue in the tablecloth so we scrounged around her house looking for some blue fabric and found some that worked perfectly! We then turned the fabric into some cute napkins! The woven placemats that she had added a nice texture. We also used her beautiful white dishes from Williams Sonoma and a clear glass wine goblet. This proves that you can use what you have in the house without going to the store and spending money to create a lovely table! Just be creative and use things you wouldn't normally think of using...like the pillow case for a tablecloth! We really want to hear from you....please send us ideas and photos of things that have worked for you in setting a nice table. admin@thestylesisters.com

How I love black and white plates!

I just love using black and white plates because they are so versatile! Tonight I used my black and white dishes that have black words all around the edges with some beautiful black and white toile salad plates (that the hubs bought me for Valentines day..Yea he is amazing!) then I set them all a top a very large yellow plate that used as a charger. I have all the plates sitting upon a textured dark dark brown placemat and it really looks nice.

I experimented a little bit with a few other ideas as you can see in the photos.

I just love using large white napkins rolled up and pushed through a cute napkin ring holder. This one is made of metal and has silverware criss-crossed..soo cute!

In this photo I used some lime green salad plates that I bought last year at the after Christmas sales from Pier 1 imports! I really love to play with fun colors and different glasses. Here I used a plain glass water goblet.

Here is our dinner table all set ready to go. Check out my other blog at www.thestylesisters.blogspot.com