With Thanksgiving just around the corner, we’ve reached out to one of our favorite home and interiors experts to get some tips on how to properly set the table. While many of us won’t be reuniting with all of our family members this year, why not make the day extra festive for you and your bubble by sprucing up the table? Whether you are Zooming-in with extended family members, or doing an intimate dinner for two with roast chicken instead of the traditional turkey, Ajiri Aki of Madame de la Maison is here to help us curate the perfect festive table and in an effort to make this holiday season as special as possible.
Aki suggests setting the table the night before or on the morning so that it’s checked off your To Do List well in advance of having guests over so as to avoid one less step before meal time. Below, more advice and Aki’s favorite Madame de la Maison items from our shop:
How do you set your table for a casual meal vs. a formal dinner?
I personally treat casual and formal table settings pretty similarly. I love a beautiful table whenever I eat!
What is your favorite centerpiece to use for entertaining?
I love low floral arrangements in the center clustered together, so you can see your guests across from you. If I can use some different antiques from the shop to put the flowers in, even better!
We’re all preparing for a holiday season that will inevitably feel different. Any interesting plans for Thanksgiving or Christmas this year? Do you have any traditions for these holidays?
Well, this year will be different from others with the pandemic; however, for Thanksgiving, I plan to add some seasonal vibes to my table with one of our tablecloths and adding gourds, pumpkins, and greenery running down the center. For Christmas, I will probably do one of our table runners with little glass jars full of greenery and berries. I don’t have table setting traditions because I like to change it up every year!
Any additional tips to share?
Something that is widely overlooked and something I highly advise when it comes to setting the table are knife rests. They are the perfect way for guests to set their utensils down between courses and when chatting without soiling the tablecloth. You can also use them to set the serving utensils down next to the dishes on the table. I think they are absolutely essential!
