Pretty Place Settings: Romantic

February 1, 2011

Valentine’s Day is the perfect opportunity for entertaining. Whether you’re setting up a special meal for two or inviting over a dozen friends for a dinner party, we have easy, inspired ideas for dressing your table in sweet style.

Rules for Stunning Settings

Opt for Colour: If you’re working with neutral dishes, you can still create a look that’s bursting with colour. Choose accents such as napkins and flowers in bright shades of red and pink—just a small dose will make your table appear drenched in colour.

Use Ordinary Objects: From candy hearts and paper cones to tiny antique toys and ceramic shapes, everyday objects add a wink to your setting.

Make a Statement: Whether it’s a simple love note tucked into the napkin or a handmade name card perched on the plate, use your table setting as a chance to say something special.

4 Romantic Place Settings

pretty place setting

1. Lovebirds’ Breakfast: Cook up something special for your sweetheart or the whole family. Use a cookie cutter to cut a heart in buttered bread, then place it on a skillet and crack an egg in the center. Cook on medium-low heat for 1-2 minutes on each side and season with salt and pepper. Complete each setting with a bud vase of Gerber daisies and a few red accents.

2. Sugar & Spice: Not too serious, not too sweet—this setting hits the perfect note for a romantic meal. Stick to a saturated colour palette of deep reds, pinks and oranges using items like red hot candies, flowers and handmade paper cones. Add more spicy notes with a bundle of fragrant cinnamon sticks.

Tip: Give your place settings extra glint when you add a few touches of gilded décor, like candlesticks or tiny picture frames.

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3. Lovely Lace: Create an elegant Victorian feel when you dress your table in lace—look for a large tablecloth or pick up doilies at a fabric store and repurpose them as placemats. Stack up antique white plates in various sizes, then surround them with old-fashioned glassware, teacups and napkins in shades of red and purple. It’s perfect for a meal shared with close friends!

4. Sweet Sayings: Speak from the heart with this easy look. Start with plates, linens and flowers in bright shades of pink, then let the kids help you fill small dishes with candy hearts. Polish off each plate with a handmade valentine—you can even ask each family member to create a card for someone different at the table.

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