Set a beautiful table for everyday meals and special occasions
Table setting is not only a practical part of mealtimes, but also a way to shape the atmosphere around the table. Whether you are setting the table for an ordinary weekday meal or a festive dinner, the combination of tableware, serving pieces and decorative details makes a clear difference. On this page, you can start with the broad elements and then narrow your choice by category, so it becomes easier to build a table setting that suits the occasion.
Everyday table setting is simple and functional
For everyday use, a practical way to choose is to focus on pieces that are easy to use again and again. Plates that stack neatly, glasses that suit regular meals and cutlery that works across different dishes all help create a straightforward table setting. If you want to vary the look without changing everything, smaller details can make a visible difference from one meal to the next.
You can, for example, start with plates and then add matching flatware and cutlery and everyday glassware. To refresh the table, details such as serving pieces from bowls and dishes and smaller finishing elements from table accessories help you change the expression without changing the whole setup.
Create the right mood for celebrations with an elegant table setting
For festive occasions, table setting becomes more than placing out the basics. This is where you can work more carefully with the full composition of the table. Your favourite tableware can take centre stage, and you can combine it with coloured glasses, stoneware plates or more refined cutlery depending on the look you want to create.
For most situations, it helps to decide on the overall mood first and then choose the individual elements. A tablecloth creates the base, plates and glasses shape the place setting, and serving items complete the table when food and drinks are brought in. This makes it easier to compare products by role. What belongs at each place setting, what is used for serving, and what adds the final detail.
How to set the table correctly
Creativity is always welcome, but there are also classic guidelines for placing the different items on the table. If you want a traditional setup, it helps to think through the order in which the meal will be served and then place each item accordingly.
Where should the plate go?
The largest plate, usually the dinner plate, is placed centrally in front of the seat. If you are serving a starter, a smaller plate or a deep plate can be placed on top of the main plate. A side plate for bread is placed to the left of the forks. When browsing online, this is often the easiest place to begin, because the plate size helps define the rest of the place setting.
Where should the glasses go?
The first glass the guest will use is placed furthest to the right. This is often the water glass, followed by a champagne glass or a white wine glass. The exact order depends on the menu, so the choice of glasses is closely linked to what you plan to serve. If you are comparing different options, it can help to start with the main types in glassware and then match them to the sequence of courses.
Where should the cutlery go?
Forks are placed to the left of the plate and knives to the right. If soup is being served, the spoon is placed to the right of the knives. Dessert cutlery is placed above the plate. When serving several courses, more cutlery is added, and guests work from the outside in as the meal progresses. If you are comparing styles, shapes or individual pieces, the full range of flatware and cutlery helps you choose what fits the meal.
Seasonal and occasion-based table settings
Some table settings are tied to specific moments in the year or to particular celebrations. In those cases, many people start with the occasion and then choose pieces that suit the mood. Christmas tables, New Year tables, Easter tables, coffee tables and birthday tables all call for slightly different combinations of textiles, tableware and details.
For a festive coffee table, you may want to focus on mugs and cups together with items from jugs and carafes. For other occasions, the starting point may be a base from tablecloths, followed by serving pieces and smaller accessories. If you also want to look beyond the dining table, you can explore related inspiration in home decor, trends and the wider selection on all products.
Explore the main categories within table setting
This category is designed to help you move from a broad overview to more specific choices. If you are building a complete setup, you can begin with the surface and place setting, then continue with serving pieces and finishing details. In everyday use, that gives a clearer overview of what is missing and what already matches.
Start with tablecloths if you want to define the base of the table. Continue to plates, glassware and flatware and cutlery for the individual place settings. Then look at bowls and dishes and jugs and carafes for serving. Smaller details can be found under table accessories, while bar accessories are useful if drinks are part of the table setting.
If you want to compare brands before choosing, you can also browse brands. For a broader introduction to the company, see about us. From the wider site, you can continue to homepage, explore related categories in kitchenware and outdoor, or view the main entry point at Kitchen Living Dining.
More ways to explore the range
If you are looking through the webshop by campaign pages or themed collections, you can also visit new arrivals, offers, outlet, Black Friday and French Days. Other sections of the site include member prices, newsletter, Your Gift, replacement parts, responsibility, Kitchen Living Dining liveshopping, Kitchen Living Dining x Aarhus Food Festival and price match. You can use these pages as additional routes through the site while narrowing down the table setting pieces that match your needs.
Frequently asked questions
How do I choose a table setting for everyday meals?
A practical starting point is to focus on pieces that are easy to use again and again, such as stackable plates, glasses for regular meals and cutlery that suits different dishes. In everyday use, this means that your table setting stays simple and functional while still being easy to vary with smaller details.
What is the easiest way to build a complete table setting?
It helps to begin with the broad elements and then move into narrower options based on their role on the table. In practice, this makes it easier to start with a tablecloth or plates, then add glassware, cutlery, serving pieces and smaller accessories in a clear order.
How should I set the table correctly for a traditional place setting?
A traditional place setting follows the order in which the meal will be served. In practice, this means placing the dinner plate in the centre, forks on the left, knives on the right, the spoon to the right of the knives if needed, and dessert cutlery above the plate.
Where should glasses be placed in a table setting?
The first glass the guest will use is placed furthest to the right. This makes it easier to arrange water, champagne or wine glasses in a sequence that matches the menu you plan to serve.
How do I choose table setting pieces for a celebration?
For celebrations, it helps to decide on the overall mood first and then choose the individual elements to match it. In practice, this helps you use the tablecloth as a base, let plates and glasses shape each place setting, and finish with serving items and decorative details.
What changes between an everyday table setting and a festive one?
An everyday table setting is usually simpler and more focused on practical use, while a festive one involves more attention to the full composition of the table. This makes it easier to choose straightforward pieces for daily meals or combine tableware, coloured glasses and refined cutlery for a more formal occasion.
How can I choose table setting items for seasonal occasions?
For seasonal occasions, many people start with the event itself and then choose pieces that suit the mood. In practice, this helps you select combinations of textiles, tableware and details differently for Christmas, New Year, Easter, birthdays or a coffee table.
How can I browse table setting products more easily on a webshop?
A useful approach is to compare products by what they are used for at the table rather than looking at everything at once. This makes it easier to separate what belongs in each place setting, what is mainly for serving, and what adds the final detail.