Cutlery and its impact on a tablescape can’t be ignored. It is one of the smallest details but can make the biggest impact on the overall look and feel of your dinner party vision. We chat to the experts at Gold Cutlery Hire for some top table setting tips.
Choosing the right cutlery for your occasion.
First of all, it’s important to make sure your cutlery is good quality. This can be determined by its strength, thickness, style and most importantly, its weight. A standard setting comprises of an entree knife, entree fork, main knife, main fork and dessert spoon. You can add or take away items depending on your menu selection.
There is no ‘best’ style or pattern, it is all personal preference and determined by the overall look you are trying to achieve. Matte/brushed metal offers a more contemporary look, while mirror/polished metal is a more formal look. Mixing and matching can also work, as long as it’s either all gold or all silver.
The perfect table setting
Place dinner plates approximately 2cm from the edge of the table, this gives you an indication of spacing. Next, place the main knife on the right-hand side of the plate with the blade facing inwards, making sure the knife is beside the plate, not under the rim of the plate. The entree knife should follow the same guidelines, to the right of the main knife. The dessert spoon should then be placed 2cm from the table edge next to the knives, while the main fork belongs on the left-hand side of the dinner plate, 2cm from the edge of the table. Not under the plate, but to the side. The entree fork to follow, to the left-hand side of the main fork.
Glass wear should be placed directly above the knives and the napkin can either be folder and placed on the fork side or you can get creative and use it as a table feature.
Table setting tips
1. Set your table the night before
2. Sometimes less is best
3. Cutlery is placed in order of menu choices, beginning furthest away from the dinner plate and working your way towards the dinner plate.
4. Use white cotton gloves when placing cutlery to avoid fingerprint marks
5. Have fun!
South Australian Style Magazine 