Instructions
1. Purchase a length of beautiful fabric (about 2 1/2 yards for a 54- to 60-inch-long table), tuck the cut ends under the main body of fabric, and scrunch it into an abstract series of billows and pockets on the tabletop. Fill the pockets with bric-a-brac such as beautiful votives, several candlesticks or china figurines.
2. Set up a minimalist tabletop vignette with a large platter (ideally ceramic or metal) and a couple of pieces of fruit. Two pears, one lying down and touching its upright mate, look pleasing when placed off center on the platter.
3. Place Grandma's silver tea service in the center of the dining table in a formal room. The silver will look best if put on a big tray or small tablecloth centered on the table.
4. Buy a flowering plant - chrysanthemums look casual, orchids look formal - and nestle it in a companionable cachepot.
5. Install candle sconces or electric sconces on the wall. Use the lights to increase drama in the room during special meals.
6. Hang a mirror on the wall opposite a pretty chandelier to reflect its beauty and its light.
7. Decorate the tabletop seasonally for holidays you observe. A crystal bowl is pretty when filled with Easter eggs or colored Christmas tree ornaments; a pumpkin and colorful fall leaves (artificial or real) look terrific for Halloween and Thanksgiving.
8. Place a lamp on a small table near a window, and team it with items such as a vase of fresh flowers and decorative whatnot box for a pleasing vignette. Turn on the lamp during meals; a chandelier often doesn't give off adequate light.
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