With this year鈥檚 much-anticipated听听Cocktail Art and gala dinner quickly approaching, setting the stage for the ultimate dining experience is top of mind. Whether you鈥檙e planning an intimate dinner for two, or playing hostess-with-the-mostess for a group, nailing your tabletop style is key. Beyond the meal, entertaining in style is all about the little details.听
While in years past there were structured themes, palettes and overall directions that guided 鈥渨hat鈥檚 hot,鈥� this year we are seeing a much more creative flow with an overall eclectic vibe as we move into entertaining season. Colours, patterns and motifs are wildly mixed for the modern table, with the general feeling that 鈥渁nything goes,鈥� as long as you go for it. It鈥檚 all about playing with vibrancy and textiles to tell your own dinnertime story, and if you normally shy away from bold choices, we鈥檝e created a cheat sheet to help you tackle the essentials for today鈥檚 designed dinners.
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1. Cover Your Bases
A stellar tabletop starts from the bottom up: while a bare table can be chic, a big impact begins with a statement tablecloth. With nearly every imaginable palette and pattern available, this is an easy way to add some dinner drama. This moody textile from听鈥櫶齊ocky Road Collection instantly adds personality to the table with its saturated palette, yet keeps it casual with its 100 per cent linen makeup. The bonus of opting for a linen or cotton cloth is cleanup 鈥� it鈥檚 a no-fuss, 鈥渢hrow it in the wash when guests leave鈥� scenario. Yes, please.
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2. Go Natural
While the usual dinnerware go-to is porcelain or stoneware, amp up your style by choosing unexpected materials for your dishes, creating an extra layer of intention to your table setting. Options like these teak carved plates from听听are an ideal choice as we move into the cooler months, as the warmth and natural heaviness of the wood starts to set the mood for a seasonal gathering.听
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3. Horse (or, Monkey鈥�) Around
Just when it鈥檚 starting to feel a little serious, throw in an element of surprise. I love including mismatched dinnerware sets to spark a conversation, and this Dapper Animal series听 fits the bill perfectly, using a bold colourway or motif for side plates to contrast your main setting. It also introduces vibrancy and personality without committing to purchasing a full set of dishes that you may want to swap out down the road. As with decor, keep your main pieces more neutral and let your (easily interchangeable) accessories take a walk on the wild side.听
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4. Go For Gold, Baby
Even flatware is an opportunity. Gone are the days of basic brushed nickel 鈥� today鈥檚 cutlery ranges from a full colour spectrum to all the metallics. I usually like to stick to golds, as they add an upscale element to even the most playful table, but, for a softer twist, the rose gold or copper, like this set from听, is a beautiful addition to almost any tablescape.听
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5. Soften Up
While cloth napkins may seem like a thing of generations past, nothing puts a rough edge on a stellar meal like a paper napkin. Choosing proper, soft textiles for your serviettes allows your guests to have an elevated dining experience, and also provides you with an opportunity to play with even more styles. Again, look for a pattern that is uncoordinated with your dinnerware set to keep the mood fresh. A tried and true go-to is a black and white stripe, like these Wheaton Stripe Napkins from听.听
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6. Drink Up to Double Duty
The rules for stemware are seemingly out the window these days (seriously, even some high-end spots are serving expensive vino in a basics rocks glass), so it opens the door for some seriously playful drinking. Using unexpected vessels for beverages not only takes the pressure off whether you鈥檝e correctly selected your stemware for the occasion, but it also allows for that mix-and-match principle to come back into play. These artistic porcelain cups from听听鈥� available in a variety of stunning motifs 鈥� are sold as both votive cups for candles as well as distinct drinkware collections to further the wild side of your tabletop design, however you choose to incorporate them.听
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鈥� Dinner By Design runs Nov. 16-17 at the Harbour Event Centre, featuring a ticketed Cocktail Art mingler, a gala dinner and a public viewing of the designer dining installations. Tickets at .听
