Arizona Foothills Magazine - March 2003
In Good Taste – Table Talk
By Kathryn Eastlick
The main dish is cooking in the oven, the wine is breathing on the counter and the guests are due to arrive in five minutes. You’re glancing around your spick-and-span house when your eyes fall on the dining-room table. Stained place mats, paper napkins and wilted flowers in an old vase? It simply won’t do. A successful dinner party isn’t complete without a beautiful table. From tabletop know-how to table manners, learn how to pull off your next dinner party with style and panache.
In the Center of it All
There’s nothing worse than having to peek around a tall centerpiece to have a conversation, which is why Joni Oltrogge, owner of Bella Dimora, suggests keeping centerpieces low enough to allow lively dinner banter. Flowers paired with fruit or berries are very popular, but keep the effect subtle. On either side of the flowers, place items with weight and substance like chunky candleholders. Oltrogge likes to set her table with two pewter candelabras and then use stunning serving pieces as alternatives to a traditional centerpiece. Many serving pieces have “feet” like Arte Italica’s ceramic-and-pewter dishes, which create different heights on the table. Keep it simple, but don’t be afraid to take risks. Exploring trends is more important than following standard decorating styles. “The more fun you have with your table,” Oltrogge likes to remind her customers, “the more fun people will have sitting there.”
Run With It
You wouldn’t wear the same outfit to every party, so why should your table look the same every time? When it comes to dressing your table, create a wardrobe. The best way to get different looks is to mix and match different place mats, napkins and table runners. “You don’t see the formal tablecloth look s much as you used to,” says Greg Harper of The Linen Tree.
Joni Oltrogge, owner of Bella Dimora, agrees. “When you walk into a dining room with a typical white tablecloth,” she says, “you feel like you’re in a restaurant. You don’t feel the warmth of the home.” These days, using place mats isn’t just a casual alternative to tablecloths. Colorful Italian vinyl place mats look charming paired with patterned silk napkins and eye-catching dinnerware, while black beaded place mats make a bold statement when set alongside gold-and-white china.
Runners complete the theme of the table. Oltrogge suggests having a year-round runner and then purchasing other runners to match certain occasions. Velvet and leopard prints are very popular, and most runners incorporate beading, fringe or tassels. You may also want to consider a custom-made runner to match your décor and draperies.
Charging Ahead
Chargers are one of the trendiest items in dinnerware today, often usurping place mats. Oltrogge says that while chargers should coordinate with your dinnerware, they don’t need to match exactly.
Everything is now sold by the piece, Harper points out. “Don’t fall for the idea that you buy your five-piece set of china and that’s what you have for the rest of your life,” he says. “Enjoy the opportunity to be creative.” It’s common to see five different colors on a 10-person table, Oltrogge says. For a dramatic effect, use a brightly colored charger underneath lighter colored dinnerware. For an elegant affair, use Anniglass chargers with platinum-infused borders.
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