Set with Style - 9780307395559

Whether using heirloom china or a hot designer's latest tableware collection–for an intimate dinner for two or a family feast for ten–set a table to impress.

Faced with thousands of inspiring choices for table settings and decorations to fit every occasion, hosts and hostesses have never been more enticed to turn out both a great meal and an equally appealing stage on which to serve it.

Author Caroline Clifton-Mogg knows that creating a table setting, no matter how simple or instinctive, is a form of interior decoration and design; so she has put together a masterful list of internationally acclaimed designers and decorators (such as John Saladino and Vicente Wolf), all of whom have showcased their signature styles for table settings. Set with Style offers an unprecedented cache of ideas that will ensure that entertaining your favorite guests is a pleasure instead of an overwhelming challenge; if your taste tends toward delicate crystal romance or even whimsical flea-market flair, you can achieve the most breathtaking visual treat on your tabletop.

Illustrated with more than 300 lavish photos, Set with Style highlights:
• The history of dining etiquette and traditions (from time-honored rituals to quirky customs)
• Table-setting styles (from contemporary style with Peri Wolfman and Reed Krakoff to retro style with Glen Senk and Keith Johnson of Anthropologie)
• Practical tips (from the creative use of accessories to what to look for when buying china, glass, flatware, and linen) from designers such as Sally Sirkin Lewis
• A resource guide (featuring a directory of china and glass suppliers and table-accessory manufacturers)
Whether you just want to spruce up an ordinary family supper or pull out all the stops for a high-class event, Set with Style will ensure that every occasion will be a beautiful one.