Holiday Tablesettings

Textured Topper

The pattern of this tablecloth gives the table a feeling of depth.

Exquisitely Embroidered

The crisp detail of the tablecloth ties in with the surrounding wall and curtain decor.

Casually Refined

The fluid tablecloth from Saffron Marigold is simple enough to go with any decor while also adding an edge of class.

Tablecloth From the Tropics

Themed for an island party, this tablecloth unites the wood-themed setting and chairs.

Bubbly Tabletop

In an exciting green, this tablecloth is sure to invigorate dinner conversation.

Holiday/Game/Fun Tablesettings

DOUBLE YOUR LUCK



Score big at your next game night with these fun appetizer plates. Use two at each setting to replace a normal-sized plate. Continue the casino and gaming theme with matching geometric napkins. Not all casinos are created equal: Make sure yours is five stars with small votives and reed place mats.

CUPPA SOUP

Spice up your soup with fun, oversized teacups and matching salad plates. Mismatch colors and styles for a cheerful look or set each place with a different pattern. These whimsical oversized mugs and teacups are available at discount retailers and some craft stores. Some ceramic shops sell blank mugs and plates: Paint it yourself and have them fire it for you for a one-of-a-kind design.

PLASTIC PICNIC

"Glass in the grass" is a phrase you want to avoid hearing during summer picnic fun. For a much better guest, invite plastic trays to your next outdoor meal. Durable and easy to clean, they're also inexpensive. Lipped trays help contain silverware and condiments as well as provide a clean, flat surface to rest forks in between bites. Bright colors and festive patterns create a retro-chic feel; find melamine if you want a real blast from the past. Once you have a color scheme, flowers and even grass can be handy setting decorations.

TABLE TALK

Everyone has a few spoons or forks of unknown origin. Celebrate these mismatched mystery pieces at your next fete: Try to give each place setting a different set of silverware. To fill out your own collection, try estate sales, thrift stores, and yard sales; often you can buy large quantities cheaply. Personality counts: The right find can be a real conversation starter. Complement the look with antique and vintage linens, or older cloth napkins. Whether it's sterling or real silver, the easiest way to prevent tarnish is frequent use, so invite your friends for dinner tonight.

HOME FOR THE HOLIDAYS

"Yule" love spreading holiday cheer by doing your table up in festive hues. Go for the full range of red and green: crimson, scarlet, sage, evergreen, hunter, and more. For an added touch, slide a candy cane in each napkin ring as a favor, and use large, peppermint-striped candles at the table. Be sure to get unscented candles, as you don't want a scented candle competing with the tasty aromas of the meal. Individual dessert dishes of chocolate kisses complete the look.

Entertaining/Centerpieces

Got a Light?

No matter what you're serving or what your table looks like, simple votive candles add elegance and instantly dress things up. Also try this simple row of lights on a buffet.
Purchase unscented votives in bulk, and place a candle in the bottom of each glass. When one burns out, simply replace it with another.
Champagne flutes and evergreen sprigs form a centerpiece when interspersed with forest green tea lights in clear votive holders.
Prunings from some junipers stay fresh for a month or more in water. Other short-needled conifers for this use include Arizona cypress, Atlas cedar, Douglas fir, and noble fir.

Firmly Planted

When you want something a little more than just candlelight, add a few topiaries. These, planted with succulents, can be transferred to the garden after the party. Potted plants and herbs also add instant interest to a table.

In a Box

When you’re tight on time, take advantage of what’s plentiful. Simply gather small wrapped presents, a tiered pedestal, and some holly or other greenery. Within minutes, you'll have a centerpiece that will last the entire season (or at least until the gifts are opened). I love the elegance of this centerpiece idea.

Budding Idea

You're sure to have potted poinsettias around the house this time of year. Take a few clippings and place them in bud vases or glass bottles to quickly dress up a table. Set the vases in a row or in clusters on either end of your table.

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Decorative Napkin Rings

Linen Lessons

A simple, ruffled red ribbon makes a holiday setting even more festive. Roll the napkins, secure them with ribbon, and place them on a simple cake stand so that guests can help themselves.

Natural Sparkle

On a plain linen napkin, tie a bow with sheer metallic ribbon and attach "bells" of milk chocolate kisses. This will give family and friends a sweet treat to remember the gathering.

Bright Bows

Fold your napkin in a square, and tie it like a package with pretty silk ribbon.
Tip: Make the bows really pop by using wire ribbon. It's available at crafts stores and is inexpensive when you buy it by the roll.

Festive Finery

An embellished napkin deserves a refined ribbon.
Tip: Be sure to use extra-sharp scissors so that your cuts are crisp and clean. Save the ribbons and reuse them for all your holiday entertaining.

Stocking Stuff

A miniature stocking filled with sprigs of fresh herbs makes an unexpected napkin ring. Other holiday stocking stuffers include candy canes, cinnamon sticks, or swizzle sticks.

Simple Sprig

Dress up your table with this no-brainer idea: Tie a sprig of a pine branch onto the napkin with a red satin ribbon.

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Entertaining/Recipes/Green Design

Spinach Tagliarelle with Pesto and Cream


Homemade pesto is simmered with heavy cream, then garnished with pine nuts and basil. Italian plate by Match.
 
SPINACH TAGLIARELLE WITH PESTO AND CREAM


Serves 4 to 6

2 cups fresh basil leaves
2/3 cup pine nuts, toasted
2 cloves garlic, peeled
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
salt and pepper
1 pound Cipriani spinach tagliarelle (spinach linguine or spinach fettuccine may be substituted)
1 cup heavy cream



In food processor, pulse basil, 1/3 cup pine nuts and garlic 8-10 times until coarsely chopped. With processor running, slowly, add olive oil in a stream until smooth. Add cheese and pulse a few more times. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Cook tagliarelle in large pot of boiling water according to package directions.

In small saucepan, mix pesto and cream, and simmer. Pour over drained, cooked pasta and garnish with remaining pine nuts and cheese. Serve immediately.

Green Table Decor


Hydrangeas and green spider mums accompany salads of dressed field greens. Antique English leaf plates and green and off-white ticking tablecloth complement the setting.
 
No, this is not Carolyne's version of how we help to save the planet and be responsible conservationists. While I am a strong believer in those worthy endeavors and am becoming better informed in my choices, this green story is about the color green in food and decor. I love green. This wonderful color is one of Mother Nature's impeccable choices for a neutral. Think about how every flower, regardless of color, has green stems and foliage to frame it. Think of how green grass is the foundation and carpet to garden and home, and how truly beautiful a tree is with its canopy of green leaves.

Bruschetta with Arugula Pesto

Marinated tomatoes and Parmigiano-Reggiano top the homemade pesto bruschetta. Leaf plate by Christian Tortu.

BRUSCHETTA WITH ARUGULA PESTO AND MARINATED TOMATOES


Serves 4 to 6

FOR PESTO


2 cups arugula leaves
2 cloves garlic, peeled
1/2 cup walnuts
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
salt and pepper

In food processor, combine arugula, garlic, walnuts and lemon juice and pulse 8-10 times or until coarsely chopped. With processor running, slowly add olive oil in a stream and process until smooth. Remove from processor and stir in cheese. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Yuuummm!!!! Plus pretty decor and tablesetting will always add to the ambiance to make these dishes even more delectable.

Holiday Ambiance

The holiday season, especially Christmas, is known as time for family and friends to gather. Table Ambiance offers a variety of Holiday table settings ideas to entertain your guests while they dine.

Creating a festive holiday ambiance for your holiday feast can be as fun as wrapping and unwrapping the gifts.

Are you planning a Christmas feast? If so, you know how important it is to create a festive atmosphere for your guests.

Yet, with all of the hustle and bustle associated with the holidays, searching for the perfect Christmas table setting ideas can seem nearly impossible.

Even worse, once you do find the perfect table setting, gathering all the elements necessary to pull off the ideal table layout can be difficult and quite time consuming.

But, with the help of TableAmbiance, you don't have to worry about driving store to store, searching through numerous websites, or scanning multiple magazines for the right holiday table setting ideas.

TableAmbiance.com strives to offer the best Christmas table setting ideas while making it easy for you to put it all together. This is because they offer…

· A variety of different table setting ideas for you to select from
· Easy access to all of the elements needed to put together the ideal table setting
· Simple design ideas that are easy to duplicate at home

Whether you want to create your own design with the help of their a la carte system, or you want to take one of their holiday table setting ideas and recreate it at home, you can purchase all of the design elements you need right from their site!

Elegant Entertaining/Colin Cowie

Feature Article
Colin Cowie

Colin was born in Kitwe, Zambia, but educated in South Africa. He moved to the United States in 1985. Colin is recognized around the world as an arbiter of style and known for designing and producing the most spectacular parties and celebrations across the globe.

Colin is also an acclaimed interior designer with projects around the world including the Mira hotel in Hong Kong with 600 rooms, two signature restaurants and a ballroom. Ongoing projects include private residences in New York, Los Angeles and Miami, a banquet space in Los Angeles, a bar/nightclub in Myconos, a restaurant and nightclub in Panama and a beach club in Cartagena.

Colin regularly appears on the Today Show and the Ellen Degeneres Show. He was a contributing family member to the CBS Early Show for 8 years and is currently host of the daily wedding planning show Get Married on Lifetime TV where he shares his professional expertise with brides-to-be on fashion, decorating, and other wedding related topics. Colin has been profiled and quoted extensively in periodicals ranging from The New York Times Magazine, O The Oprah Magazine, O at Home, People Magazine, Architectural Digest, Bon Appetit, In Style, Town & Country, US Weekly, Readers’ Digest, New York, Elle Décor, House Beautiful, Travel & Leisure, USA Today, Women’s Day, TV Guide, The Los Angeles Times, The Los Angeles Times Magazine, Biography Magazine, The Daily News, Bride’s Magazine, Modern Bride, The New York Post, and The Chicago Daily Herald.

Colin's website, ColinCowie.com offers style advise, recipes, decorating tips and lifestyle guidance for those seeking to live a life filled with passion; without spending to much time or money. As an advocate of "only the best will do, but nothing needs to be perfect" ColinCowie.com is an excellent resource for anyone looking to live with grace and style.
Colin is the author of eight best-selling books including five wedding books (Colin Cowie Weddings, For The Bride, For The Groom, Extraordinary Weddings, Colin Cowie Wedding Chic), two entertaining cookbooks (Effortless Elegance and Dinner After Dark) and a book on living with style (Colin Cowie Chic).

Watch his talents by clicking the link below:

http://www.colincowie.com/video