Formal Table Setting

Appropriate table setting will in a great way enhance the interior decorating in a dining room and so it is important to know where to place what to avoid disaster during dinner. A formal table setting is in many ways different from an informal table setting key among the differences being the cutlery used. A formal dinner should comprise of not less than five courses and the guests remain seated during the meal as they are served. When space permits, most formal table settings have the entire cutlery placed at the sides of the plate, including the dessert spoon and fork, with the napkin neatly folded on the left.

Rules for Formal Table Setting

A general rule of thumb is to place the cutlery to be used first, furthest from the plate, with the knives and spoons on the right and the forks on the left. Knife blades should face the plate and the fork prongs upwards. Serving cutlery should be on the table close to where the serving dishes are placed and condiment sets should be placed well on the table. Generally a formal setting demands different wines with different courses of the meal, so different glasses are set on the right hand side. White wine glasses are smaller in size than red wine glasses and dessert wine glasses are the smallest. These are set directly above the corresponding knife on the right.

Choice of china can greatly enhance a formal setting with white unpatterned ones being the most elegant. These have the advantage of displaying the food and not distracting from it, boosting the visual appreciation of the meal. The side plate goes to the left and matching place mats or chargers can be placed in between the knives and forks to complement the stylish décor. Tasteful table setting markedly harmonizes interior decorating.