Lenox China expert Alice Kolator compares formal and casual china place settings and offers tips on mixing the two for a look of casual elegance. For many of us, creating a formal place setting can be confusing (figure A). A formal setting includes a dinner plate on a service plate, with the salad plate positioned to the left . A bread-and-butter plate sits at the top left, above the forks and napkin, and a cup and saucer are positioned to the right of the dinner plate. Crystal stemware is arranged in a triangle above the knife. The knife and spoon are positioned at the right of the plate, with the dinner and salad forks at left, usually placed on a cloth napkin. Flatware is laid out in the order it is used, from the outside in--a good tip to remember if all that flatware causes bewilderment. The dessert knife and spoon, for the final course of the meal, are placed above the plate.
A basic casual place setting features fewer plates and utensils than a formal setting because not as many courses are served (figure B). The china pattern is usually casual, and only a dinner plate and salad plate are typically used. A beverage glass and coffee mug complete the setting. This is the way most of us dine from day to day.
A happy balance may be found between formal and casual. A beautiful yet tailored china pattern may be used in a formal setting or in a more casual setting, as shown here (figure C). Soup bowls may be used more casually as pasta bowls. Many of today's fine china patterns feature a mug instead of a cup and saucer, which tones down the formality. Beautiful crystal can accompany your place setting or more casual barware.
Incomplete collections of china--pieces collected at tag sales or family favorites--may be used to decorate a casual table or incorporated throughout your home in creative ways. A pretty platter loaded with bath items is a nice touch in a guest bathroom. Fill a sugar bowl and creamer with cotton balls, and load on pretty towels and soaps (figure D).
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