A Modern Guide to Setting a Table

A beautifully set TRASA Home table is more than just tradition — it’s a quiet form of hospitality, a reflection of intention. Whether you’re preparing a moody, intimate dinner party or simply elevating your weeknight ritual, knowing how to properly set a table is essential to creating an experience that feels as good as it looks.

Here’s your go-to guide for setting the table with confidence, care, and a sense of understated luxury.

Start with the Foundation

Before we get to placement, start by creating a clean, layered base. A textured linen or a soft-toned placemat sets the tone. Add a charger plate or dinner plate at the center of each setting — this is your anchor.

Flatware Placement: The Basics, Elevated

Flatware should be placed in the order it will be used — working from the outside in. Placement is precise, yet effortlessly elegant.

• Forks: Left Side
• Dinner fork: Placed to the left of the plate, closest to it
• Salad fork: Positioned to the left of the dinner fork

TRASA Tip: If you’re serving the salad before the main, the salad fork belongs on the outermost left. If serving after, reverse the order.

• Knives and Spoons: Right Side
• Dinner knife: Placed to the right of the plate, blade facing inward toward the plate
• Soup spoon: If soup is being served, it sits to the right of the knife

TRASA Tip: Visual balance matters. Make sure all handles are aligned at the base for a clean, editorial feel.

Stemware: Right and Elevated

Your glassware should be placed just above the knives, on the upper right side of the plate.

• Water glass: Slightly above the knife, closest to the plate
• Wine glass: Just to the right and slightly above the water glass
  (If you’re serving both red and white wine, place the white wine glass slightly below and to the right of the red)

TRASA Tip: Crystal-clear crystalline stemware adds an instant sense of occasion — and catches candlelight beautifully.

Napkin Placement: Style Meets Function

Napkins can be styled in multiple ways depending on the mood:

• Classic: Folded neatly and placed on the plate
• Relaxed: Draped casually under the forks or off the side of the charger
• Refined: Wrapped in a moody, sculptural napkin ring

Choose a placement that complements your tablescape — structure adds formality, softness adds intimacy.

Salad Bowl: Left Side Accent

If using a salad bowl or side plate, place it to the upper left of the forks — mirroring the placement of stemware on the right. It should sit just above the fork line.

TRASA Tip: Want to break convention slightly? Use a handmade bowl with organic edges to add character and subtle contrast.

The Final Touch: A Table Worth Remembering

A proper table setting may follow a format, but it's anything but rigid. Within structure lies style — the chance to layer in mood, tone, and personal aesthetic. Add candles for drama, a single floral stem for sculptural softness, or artisanal salt dishes to heighten the sense of thoughtfulness.

When every element has its place, your guests feel it — in the beauty, the balance, and the effortless flow of the evening.

Be bold. TRASA Home