How to Set a Table

Everything sits on top of your linen, so this goes down first. A tablecloth should hang evenly on all sides — about 30cm drop is the classic standard for a dinner party. Less for casual, more for formal.

If you're using a runner instead of a full cloth, centre it lengthways down the middle. Runners look best when they overhang about 15–20cm off each end of the table.

Charger plates are the large decorative base plates — they never hold food directly, they just anchor the place setting and add a layer of richness. Centre each charger about 2.5cm from the edge of the table.

Space place settings evenly — ideally at least 45cm between each centre point so guests aren't elbow to elbow. Step back and check the spacing looks even before you continue.

For a dinner party: dinner plate on top of the charger, a side plate to the upper left for bread, and if you're serving a starter at the table, a starter plate or bowl sits on top of the dinner plate.

For everyday dining, one dinner plate per person is perfect. The rule is simple: plates go in reverse order of use, so the first course sits on top.

The golden rule: work from the outside in as courses progress. Forks on the left, knives and spoons on the right, blade of the knife always facing the plate.

For a simple dinner: one fork left, one knife right, one spoon to the right of the knife. Dessert cutlery goes horizontally above the plate — fork pointing right, spoon pointing left.

Glasses sit above and to the right of the dinner knife. If you're serving both water and wine, the water glass goes directly above the knife and the wine glass sits to its right at a slight diagonal.

For a relaxed dinner party, one beautiful glass per person is completely fine — and often looks better than a crowded row of three. More glasses add visual drama but also more to wash.

Napkins can go on the plate, to the left of the forks, or folded into a glass for drama. For a dinner party, a simple fold placed on the plate looks effortlessly elegant — no elaborate origami needed.

For linen napkins: a loose rectangle fold or a simple organic tuck always looks better than a fancy swan. The slightly imperfect fold reads as intentional and relaxed.

The centrepiece goes in last so you can see how much room is left. The key rules: low enough to see over (keep it under 30cm tall for a dinner party) and odd numbers of vessels always look better than even.

Three small bud vases of different heights with a few stems each always beats one large arrangement. Place candles around the centrepiece — not in the middle — for the most photogenic result.

Stand at the end of the table and look down its length. Check that place settings are evenly spaced, that the centrepiece doesn't block sight lines between guests, and that nothing is too close to the edge.

Then check the practical things: is there butter on the table? A jug of water? Salt and pepper? These small functional details matter as much as the beautiful ones.

And then — the most important step of all — light the candles. Everything looks better by candlelight. Even a simple table becomes genuinely magical the moment the flames are lit.