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Add Flavour and Style to Your Dining Experience
(ARA) - There's just something about gathering for a meal that invites
conversation and evokes laughter. From dinner parties to family celebrations to
even the simplest family meal, the dining table is the heart of the home and
redecorating your tabletop can add an inviting flavour and style to dining.
"Dining areas are fun to decorate because you can express something personal
about your family," says Robert Zollweg, corporate creative director for Libbey,
a prominent tableware producer. "The most important thing to remember when
decorating is to make your decor a true reflection of you."
Your tabletop accessories can add personality and pizzazz to your family's own
gathering place on a reasonable budget. According to Zollweg, some of today's
most popular tabletop themes include:
Seasonal -- Fall brings a wealth of new colours for decorating. Create the
ambiance of a crisp fall evening using the colours of the season, along with
hand-gathered or silk leaves for decoration.
Patriotic -- Never has Old Glory been more inspiring than she is now. Extend
your patriotism to the tabletop with red, white and blue accessories, along with
flag-inspired dinnerware and glassware.
Classic Gourmet -- Create an upscale tabletop with crisp white dinnerware
featuring clean lines, coupled with classically designed flatware. Continue the
look with a simple fruit bowl as a centrepiece.
Here are other tips and ideas to enhance your dining experience:
Grin and bare it. Many times, beautiful tabletops are hidden under dated
tablecloths. If you have a wooden table, consider getting it restored to its
natural beauty.
Stack it up. To give your tabletop a modern look, stack all dinnerware to be
used during the meal. Stacking largest to smallest -- dinner plate, salad plate
and bowl on top -- adds a festive look.
Creative presentations. Consider alternative uses for everyday items to give a
new twist to your tabletop. Don't limit your glassware to beverages only. Serve
a sweet treat in your favourite goblet, martini or margarita glass. Or arrange
several patterned glasses for impromptu vases, creating a simple, yet elegant
centrepiece using an assortment of styles and sizes.
Create a fiery ambiance. Decorating and lighting in the dining area play a large
role in achieving the ambiance you want for entertaining. Since most of us
aren't lucky enough to have a fireplace, create a warm, fiery atmosphere by
placing votives and pillar candles around the table, as well as around the room
on shelves or other small furniture.
Less is more. If your style is simple, accent your place settings with one focal
point at the middle of the table. This could be a large vase of flowers,
three-wick candle or hand-crafted centrepiece.
City sophistication. If you love the night-life attitude, add a little drama to
your dining room. Black and white accents used in conjunction with bold flatware
gives the feeling your décor is straight out of a Parisian restaurant.
Mix and match. Who said all your place settings had to match? If you have a
collection of different styles, use them together to create a fun, casual
atmosphere.
Accessibility. When rearranging, it's important to be able to bring food in and
clear it away easily. Place your furniture so that doorways are free and clear,
preventing accidents and making serving and clearing more efficient.
Comfort. For even your most formal meals, family and guests must be comfortable
in their surroundings. Many people prefer their dining areas dimly lit to ensure
a relaxing atmosphere. Comfortable furniture is also a must, so "test" chairs
before buying them, or add decorative cushions to the ones you already own.
This season, take time to celebrate life with family and friends. Make sitting
down to dinner together a priority and create memories for years to come. Libbey,
America's leading glassware producer, can help. Libbey offers a complete line of
tableware, both festive and functional, for all of your dining experiences. To
receive a free guide to home entertaining or for more ideas on decorating your
home, visit www.libbey.com.
Courtesy of ARA Content |
