When you buy through links on our articles, Future and its syndication partners may earn a commission. Credit: Mary Hollis Huddleston Setting a perfectly laid table is an essential part of hosting.

The intricacies of table settings have gone the way of butlers and parasol flirtations, calling cards and dressing for dinner. But that may be changing. After all, Downton Abbey was wildly popular for ...

Dining habits have changed drastically over the years. And while dining etiquette is still just as valuable as good table manners, some more traditional expectations have fallen by the wayside, ...

A comfortable table setting, especially a formal one with a variety of glassware and flatware, should allow about 2 feet of space between the center of one plate and the center of the next. The formal ...

Dinner parties with family and friends are a lot of fun. Although it is the scrumptious food everyone looks forward to, the way it is served helps set the tone for the evening. Formal table settings ...

Setting a gorgeous dinner table is an art—and a science, according to the pros—which actually makes it a lot easier to understand and action yourself. While there is creative freedom in putting ...

Napkins on the right or the left? Which way does the knife face, anyway? Sometimes it’s just plain hard to remember. Follow this guide and your table will look picture perfect, whether you're going ...

Have you ever wondered how to set a table? The holidays are here, and with it, dinner parties as well as formal family meals that finally put grandma’s silver to use. Laying them out, however, can be ...

The biggest eating holiday of the year is upon us. You’ve brainstormed the menu, shopped for sweet potatoes and Brussels sprouts, and thawed the turkey. (You have thawed the turkey, right?) With all ...

It seems like Americans are becoming more casual with each generation that comes of age. We’ve found formal living and dining rooms to be unnecessary, wearing jeans at the office has become the norm, ...