David Turner of tabletopjournal.com shares his viewpoint on the topic and it's importance.

Tabletop Matters

We know that the tabletop items we choose to set our table with can help make the meal more memorable. But, since we’ve always used the traditional place setting or maybe we’ve only used round white plates….we’re not quite sure where to begin in making our tabletop more interesting – and, hopefully, the meal more memorable.

When just starting out changing the serving pieces, a good place to start is “around the edges” of the meal…..the beginning and the end. Try, for instance, bringing the bread out on a board. It can be something as simple as a cutting board with homemade bread or several types of rolls on it. If you have a salad course, you can change up the salad plate to an antique, glass, or even metal plate. The dessert course is another place where you can easily begin your tabletop creativity by using a wine glass to serve an ice cream parfait while using a colorful disposable spoon. Changing the texture of the serving pieces you use helps to also to change the tone of the overall experience.

Creative doesn’t necessarily mean complicated. In the beginning, keeping it simple will allow you to experiment. Once you are comfortable serving your guests in something a little “unexpected” you can move on to more adventurous serving pieces. A great meal is all about the dining experience and tabletop helps in elevating that experience.

 

Be creative with your tabletop….and, most importantly – have fun!

 

Remember, tabletop matters!