Setting an elegant dinner table makes food look better and enhances your guests' eating experience. The effort makes guests feel cared for and appreciated. A casual dinner setup is ideal for more laid-back entertaining. Do not be afraid to use simple dinnerware and utensils - identical pieces that are clean and free of chips or cracks look beautiful. White or ivory flatware suits most decors and matches with stainless steel cutlery. Choose napkins that flatter your seat covers and tablecloth. Again, white is always an attractive, safe option.
A laid-back dinner party may include soup, salad and a main course. Each guest needs a soup bowl and spoon, a salad plate and fork, and a dinner plate with a fork and dinner knife. Etiquette experts recommend placing a cloth napkin on the extreme left of a place setting, but you can choose to present the napkin in other ways. Glassware looks gorgeous when clean and polished with a high shine. Ornate glassware may be pricey and hard to replace, so reserve your best drinking glasses for special occasions.