What would you suggest for tablecloths, place mats, etc, when the dinnerware is clear glass? It's got a pattern, but it's completely clear glass. The pattern is like a leaf. Would you choose a solid color, or something with a pattern, or a texture? How do you make clear glass plates stand out? I'm afraid they'll look invisible? Would you use a tablecloth and contrasting place mats? I'd love to hear opinions from anyone with a sense of decorating style!
If you are having a dinner party, I'd suggest chargers. Go to Target or Pier 1. They are relatively cheap. They will add lots of pop to the table. So a white tablecloth with blue chargers and a clear plate - pretty. Or tey a blue table cloth with white or silver chargers. Also, put a cloth napkin with a pretty napkin ring on top of the plate.
I love this kind of stuff!! Decorating my Thanksgiving and Christmas tables for dinner are some of my favorite holiday activities!!
I would get a solid-colored tablecloth and napkins to accent one of the colors in the pattern on the plates. Then if you're going really fancy and/or formal, go with crystal candle holders. It will look beautiful!!!
And NO placemats!! Just my opinion!!
Good luck!!!
You could try layering the dishes with on that has some color. Or buy chargers. Think winter wonderland. White/silver/glass, branches instead of flowers, berries, or evergreen branches, small fake birds.
Chargers are great, you can set the whole table with them out and still have the actual plates to serve the food on in the kitchen. The table looks set but you don't have to collect the plates to serve the food.
Using a smaller plate on top of the clear would look cute too or even put a larger solid plate under the clear to act as a charger.
I don't think you should use a pattern table cloth under the clear plates without chargers or something between. I also wouldn't use table cloth AND place mats. If you have place mats that look good with your table cloth you can use them to make a table runner on top of the table cloth down the middle for your centerpiece. If you over lap them slightly you can use candles, greenery, natural elements or flowers to mask the lines where they come together.
Look around your kitchen and yard for things to make the centerpiece. Be creative. If you have little serving dishes, candle holders, bowls you can put candles in and on them. Pine cones (you can even spray paint them), branches and flowers all look great down the middle of the table just keep them low so people can see over and place them randomly, not too arranged. Layering is the key and put groupings in uneven numbers like 3,5, 7 or 9.
You can just google table setting ideas and look under google images.
The possibilities are endless. Have fun!
You could go for the tone-on-tone look, using all whites, silvers, crystals, and other glass to make quite a stunning statement. Or, if you want color, go for a solid placemat. The focus will not be on the plates (not necessary for the plate to be the focal point!) If you aren't using placemats, either a solid tablecloth or a big floral pattern would look stunning. Placing a fancy folded napkin on the plate or a placecard are ways to add interest and color. One year for Christmas I make a big gingerbread man/woman for each person as a placecard. I wrote their name on the cookie and added boy/girl decorations. You could do this for other holiday themes as well.
No need to sped a lot of money on table decor. I've used scarves from my wardrobe as runners or as bows on vases. I've used all sorts of containers for vases. A big clear vase can be filled with almost anything to add color or texture. Fruit, rocks, sand, candles, beads, crumpled up tissue paper, colored water, etc. I've used rafia to tie napkins as well as wire stemmed flowers. Or a piece of ribbon with a few beadeds threaded through.
Get some cool chargers!
Silver and black. Very elegant, very classic. Black table cloth, silver accessories or silver table cloth, black placemats to highlite dishes. Go with deeper colors when highlighting glass.
