With just a little preparation, you can make the people at your table feel loved and special. It’s like your wardrobe…it’s good to have a few basics and then rotate in seasonal items for

12 Months Of Table Setting Ideas!

These make GREAT gifts, too.

I have a few sets of glassware and table linens up my sleeve…but I don’t have a lot of storage space. So the trick is to mix things up and to have things like:

• quilts for tablecloths
• runners, scarves, leftover fabric
• flowers from the garden
• flowers from the grocery store and in my case, the SF Flower Mart
• dish towels as napkins
• napkins tied different ways
• seasonal fruit
• potted plants
• textured placemats for layering
• candles (tapered and I love votives in glass…so easy)
• colorful glasses (hopefully that stack)

So here we go. You will see that several of the items are repeated in different ways…

January

For this table setting in the mountains, I used leftover fabric for a table cloth and my favorite rattan placemats (that you will see repeated often as an extra layer).

For this table setting, we used my sister’s “crop” of Mexican limes for the table…they are a winter fruit here in San Diego.

February

Here for my mom’s winter birthday, we used a piece of plaid fabric that she bought years ago in Ireland. And we all wore plaid to the dinner. You can find lots of plaid table accessories at Pottery Barn.

This was an easy Valentine’s Day table with grocery store roses and sprinkled petals.

March

We had a “Casual French themed Dinner Party” for friends. Including French product party favors. I found those turquoise, stackable glasses at Home Goods. Try to buy at least eight to twelve glasses and/or plates when shopping.

April

   

When my blogging friends came to lunch, I used a freshly laundered quilt as a table cloth, heirloom hand made lace napkins, and home-made sugar scrub party favors.

This is an easy centerpiece that you can leave out all year long. It’s just two small orchid plants (Trader Joe’s) , a fern and florist moss in soup tureen (or you could use a bowl or other container).

May

We had the Salade Nicoise as the centerpiece and tucked fragrant lavender in the napkin rings… for a Provençal feel.

For this Bridal shower, lots of votives (my favorite) in glass for easy clean-up. Masses of a single flower, like purple tulips, add impact.

June

While renting a house in Provence, my friends cut roses from the garden and placed them bowls. So simple, yet gorgeous.

For this small birthday party, I used turquoise glasses and a table cloth from Home Goods. I always check out the linen section when I can. The fish plates were a souvenir from another Mexico trip.

July

For this dinner al fresco in San Diego, we used the whitewashed rattan placemats again with an Indian block print table cloth and napkins…and flowers and rosemary (from the garden) tucked into the napkins for a fragrant scent.

Ever check out IKEA for their inexpensive dishtowels, which I used as napkins here? The enameled pitchers were also from IKEA

August

The centerpiece here consists of seasonal fruit on a tray surrounding a hurricane candle. This was for a summer evening party. Look for what you have around the house to see how you can use things together. There are my favorite votives again.

September

This was for a recent Autumn Party (with a menu that everyone loved!).

For this Fall tablescape, I just placed a single flower type in glass vases that I already had.

October

Those pumpkin bowls like for this Fall Tablescape post, make an appearance every year. I used an indigo patchwork quilt as a table cloth.

November

Here you can see how I used a linen napkin and napkin ring to form a bow. 

Orange and mixed with ivory and tan velvet pumpkins make a colorful tablescape.

December

This red and green holiday tablescape from last year was one of my favorites. I made herbed sea salt party favors and tied the napkins in a simple knot.

I hope this gave you some inspiration…you can pin this next photo to remind you which post to come back to for all the other links for 12 Months Of Table Setting Ideas!

Hey, and since it’s that time of year…here are some gift ideas for you or someone you love. I will be setting the Christmas table at my sister’s house in San Diego this year…and I’ve already shipped the glass votives to her.

Merry Christmas and happy holidays!