White dishware never goes out of style and is so versatile. These tablescapes below show how a white plate can be a simple building block for a beautiful table. It doesn’t take much to make the white pop — many times just a bright leaf, a patterned tablecloth, or a beautiful napkin does the trick perfectly.

design by Phoebe Howard, featured on House Beautiful

design by Victoria Amory, featured on House Beautiful

design by Martha Angus, featured on House Beautiful

A fall leaf provides a pop of color to white dinnerware; featured on Celebrations.com

this fall tablescape featured in Country Living uses white dinnerware as a foundation

a vintage brooch dresses up a menu card (rentals pictured are from DC Rental)

I tied satin pink ribbon to a vintage brooch and attached it to the menu card to give it a little interest. I love the idea of re-using items that you already have in new and interesting ways when entertaining. Apparently, I am not the only one!

I absolutely adore this tablescape featured on 100 Layer Cake that uses second-hand clip on earrings as place cards. Gorgeous!

clip on earrings as place card holders (via 100 Layer Cake)

Baubled place cards via 100 Layer Cake

Another clever way to dress up one’s table is to drape costume jewelry necklaces — rhinestones or pearls work great — on a chandelier, candelabra, or vase or to weave them strategically through votives on a runner. The key is taking time to arrange the pieces until they complement and blend in with the existing setting.

Rhinestones draped on candlesticks create an elegant table (via Better Homes & Gardens)

What ways have you dressed up your table using uncommon goods in your home?

Stores are carrying double placemats more and more these days, but if you don’t see them in stock, you can always take a regular runner and turn it crosswise on the table.

I made double placemats for my Thanksgiving table last week. So easy! Standard runners are 16″ wide, but I made mine 18″ to make sure they covered the width of the charger.

Easy DIY double placemats for my Thanksgiving table

These neutral double placemats from CB2 are fabulous and would work with almost any decor.

duo linen placemat for two, from CB2

A votive wrapped with vibrant fall leaves and tied with twine can make a nice addition to a buffet or dining table this Thanksgiving.

lovely leaf votives, from Better Homes & Gardens

So I was tickled pink when I saw this clever idea on the LA Style Unveiled Blog recently for Scrabble Tile Placecards. Are they not fabulous? Perfect for a game night dinner, engagement party, or a rehearsal dinner, the placecards would be a whimsical addition to any table setting.

Scrabble Tile Placecards as seen on Los Angeles Style Unveiled

Scrabble tiles and trays can be purchased as replacement pieces so you don’t have to buy the full game itself ten times over. For a large event where you’re using lots of the Scrabble placecards, I’d suggest affixing the tiles to the tray with double-sided tape to keep them secure, otherwise they are bound to get bumped off.

Everyone takes their coffee a slightly different way and I find it helpful to offer guests a variety of choices and allow them to fix their coffee they way that they prefer.

I generally offer half and half, as well as skim milk. This requires two creamers, of course, and for this I look for creamer sets in graduated sizes. I use a smaller one for cream and a larger one for milk. (Williams-Sonoma used to carry a perfect set of creamers in three sizes; the stores carry only one size now but the Williams-Sonoma Outlets may still carry the graduated set.)

Personally, I am not a fan of flavored creams and do not serve those. Nor do I serve powdered cream, but do keep some on hand for guests who may request it.

And then, there is the sugar. An entire post could be dedicated to this but I am not sure we want the series to go on interminably! So here are a few ideas with respect to sugar and sweetener.

For sugar, I like to serve demerara (also called turbinado) sugar. Most grocery stores will sell it but if yours does not, check a gourmet grocer like Dean & Deluca or Balducci’s. I also have regular sugar on hand for guests who don’t like raw sugar, though recently I have only been stocking organic sugar in my cupboard so that will have to do!

Many of my friends are very calorie conscious and often prefer sugar substitute to sugar itself. Because of that, I usually offer Splenda and other sugar substitutes along with the sugar. My husband prefers Splenda so we buy it buy the bagful and regularly fill a sugar container full of it. For other sweeteners, I like to buy the packets in bulk and serve them in a container like what you might see at a restaurant. This one from Container Store has worked well for me.

Glass Sugar Packet Holder from Container Store

What follows is an assortment of cream and sugar sets which represent both modern and more traditional options.

Be sure to stay tuned for additional posts in this coffee series where we’ll focus on coffee accessories, machines, and more!

Cream and Sugar Sets

For informal entertaining the cream and sugar set is a particularly nice way to insert color and personality into your tablescape. This one from NOVICA is made by Thai artists using traditional Thai ceramic processes.

Celadon ceramic sugar bowl and creamer, 'Botanical Heaven' from NOVICA

This artful set from HORNE would add a modern twist to any table.

Milky Major & Sugary Soldier Set by Jorine Oosterhoff, available at HORNE

This embossed cream and sugar set would make a nice addition to a family’s everyday table.

Crate & Barrel Embossed Cream and Sugar Set

For more formal occasions, Waterford and Arte Italica offer lovely options.

Waterford Footed Crystal Cream and Sugar Set

Arte Italica Caffe Cream & Sugar Set with Tray available at Geary's

A standard cocktail or tea napkin is 12″ x 12″ before folding. There are some lovely choices for a host to consider, all available through a variety of stores. Here are a few that I like:

Leontine Linens RIley Cocktail Napkins

Williams-Sonoma White Monogrammed Hotel Cocktail Napkins

Set of Six Toasts Cocktail Napkins from Geary's

Crochet tea napkins available at Neiman Marcus

Roxie Print Cocktail Napkins from Crate & Barrel

As a general practice, using cloth napkins at home not just when entertaining is an important way to limit trash/waste generated in the house. Be sure to check out part one of this post that discussed using napkin rings and cloth napkins as one eco-chic way to entertain.

Many a day when working in corporate america, I would pack a set of flatware and a linen napkin in my lunch bag. Doing so reminded me of the importance of pausing and enjoying a meal (which is so hard to do with the hurried pace at which so many of us live) and made even a modest sandwich or salad taste like a treat.

I also prefer using fabric napkins to paper ones at home for weeknight dinners and often keep them in napkin rings. I am not always a fan of napkin rings, but there are some beautiful ones out there and they actually serve a very practical purpose — one that is rooted in history.

Suzanne Von Drachenfels, author of The Art of the Table: A Complete Guide to Table Setting, Table Manners, and Tableware, writes of napkin rings:

“Before the washing machine and dryer eased and enhanced our lives, fabric napkins were laundered by hand. To conserve time and energy, at family meals napkins were enclosed in a personal ring, often made of silver, an accessory that identified the napkin for reuse.”

With increasing attention on sustainable living and eco-sensitive practices, even the smallest change we make in our household can have a big effect on our world at large. Why not consider using fabric rather than paper napkins for dinner? Select a unique napkin ring for each family member to help distinguish whose napkin is whose. (Just don’t forget to wash the napkins regularly!)

Use a mixed-and-matched set of napkin rings or have a set monogrammed with the initials of each family member.

These are perfect for identifying whose napkin is whose; I adore the chalkboard element!

Chalkboard Napkin Rings from MoMA Store

For the luxurious home table, incorporate these into your mix-and-match napkin set.

Villa Palladio Napkin Rings from Geary's

Inspired by nature, these pearl shell napkin rings from Crate & Barrel come in three different colors, making it easier to assign one napkin ring to each family member.

Pearl Shell Napkin Rings from Crate & Barrel

I love Kim Seybert’s designs and these coral napkin rings (available in a variety of colors) are a perfect way to reflect the popular coral trend:

Kim Seybert's Coral Branch Napkin Rings

Let’s face it, any of the choices from L’Objet would be a fabulous addition to any table, but here’s a sampling available through Neiman Marcus:

Gold-plated napkin rings from L'Objet, available at Neiman Marcus