"Tablescapes"

I'll admit...it's a stupid word, but it's the way most people are talking about table settings for dinners or parties. And something you can't forget about as you're getting ready to entertain. So, after you've invited your guests, figured out your menu and have your shopping lists and timelines, its time to start thinking about how you're going to serve your wonderful food.

For the Halloween party, we go all out. I've scoured party stores and department stores over the years for great plates, bowls and trays with anything Halloweenish on them. As a result, the dining room table--the main buffet--has skeletons and skulls all over it. A side buffet is in a spider motif. And the "kid's table" with desserts in the breakfast nook includes ghosts and pumpkins.

Other parties call for other serving pieces. None of us have enough storage space for all we would want, so it's best to keep it simple and determine one or a few looks you want to use. I search for black dishes to supplement the Halloween stuff and to use when basic elegance is called for. I have some silver pieces and "crystal" bowls and platters to use when things are a little fancier (like our black-tie optional Academy Awards party). Of course, a few red and green dishes for the holidays. And some plain old blue stoneware when the family is over for a nibble or two.

So, what's in your china cabinet? All of us have a few favorite things that are easy to build around. Maybe your color is purple. Maybe it's teal. Maybe you have some great earthy-looking pottery bowls. Of course, you can never go wrong with basic white. Once you see what you already have (and love) it's easy to supplement those things with others. You'll want an assortment of types: bowls, plates, trays. An assortment of sizes and a variety of shapes--some round, some square, some oval. Having a sufficient "stash" of serving pieces on hand makes your parties, whether planned or more impromptu, a lot easier.

And you don't have to spend a fortune to build up your collection. Once I determined the "sets" (black, silver/crystal, blue, etc.) I was looking to build, I simply kept my eyes open as I was out and about. Tuesday Morning. Crate and Barrel. Even outlet stores and department store clearance racks. (I'm not ashamed to say that I've found several wonderful things at garage and estate sales.) If I find something great, I buy it (even if a party is not just around the corner) and put it into storage with my other serving pieces. Buying in advance like that just means I don't have to shop for those kinds of things in the rush of party week.

Here's another tip: "practice" your tablescape before the day of the party. Right now, it's Wednesday night before our Saturday night party and I have already laid serving pieces out on the various buffet tables we'll be using. I also stick labels (Post It Notes work well.) on each dish for the food I'll be serving in it. Helps makes sure there's enough room for all the food we'll have...and also that I have the right serving piece for each thing. (All it takes is a quick wipe for dust on Saturday and I'm ready to serve.)

Since we encourage people to bring things to contribute to this particular party, I have also set aside several "extra" serving pieces for those folks to use when they arrive. Helps keeps things looking unified and in the "theme" I've planned out.

So, figure out the two or three "place settings" you want to use for your parties and start the hunt to build your collections. You'll have fun finding things to add, and, with a little forethought, will set a table that will dazzle your guests.