Mixing It Up
  A Timeless Table
  Table Matters
  A Formal Affair
  Seven Tips for Setting the Perfect Table
Set a Fabulous Table
You don't need matching china to set your table with style. Try these four strategies for shaking up the look
Designer Martha Reeves, whose china is photographed here, grew up loving her collection. "When I would visit my grandmother, we'd set the table with her china and silver for fun. That was how she'd entertain me," she laughs.
(Photo: Lauren Rubinstein)
by Beaty Coleman

Whether you have a matching set of china or an assortment of inherited patterns, a little creativity can make a formal setting fun or vice versa. Here, expert hostesses reveal tips for entertaining with any style of tableware, from classic gold-trimmed white teacups to wooden chargers.

1. Stockpile simple white dinner plates.

“A bone white plate with a simple gold or silver trim works with anything. You can mix it with a formal patterned accent plate or something casual,” says bridal consultant Janice Bowman of Bromberg’s in Birmingham. “Most couples don’t want to be stuck with one formal look.”


RESOURCES: Bromberg’s, 205/871-3276, www.brombergs.com; Silver Anniversary teacups by Haviland, Replacements, Ltd., 800/737-5223, www.replacements.com; Red Aves saucer by Royal Crown Derby, 011-44-133-271-2800, www.royal-crown-derby.co.uk.
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