It’s the time of year when we turn our focus onto gatherings around the table. We start to spend our time planning menus, decorating our homes, and preparing for company. To help get you ready for the holiday season, we chatted with our local entertaining expert, the one and only Lauren Chesley Miller, for her top tips for making holiday meals special. Lauren is the owner of Paper Circus Design, a collection of beautifully-designed napkin rings, napkins, and other special additions for the dinner table. Any time we are gathered around the table with those we love—even on a random week day—is something special that should be celebrated, so Lauren has shared some pointers for making even a week day meal something to remember.
As she gets ready for the holiday dinner party season, Lauren says that she likes to spend less time in the kitchen, looking for shortcuts where she can. “I don’t press garlic any more,” she says, instead opting for the jars of it pre-minced, to the horror of her foodie daughter. Her meals, though, are not any less special. She likes to put her focus on the table and ambiance, setting the stage for a gathering that everyone will remember. For some, she admits, preparing a table for a dinner party or special gathering can be overwhelming, but it doesn’t have to be complicated. “It can be easy to set a memorable table, and you can do it yourself,” she says, encouragingly.
Lauren’s top tips for setting a special occasion table include:
Mix old and new. Pull out your grandmother’s candlesticks and your mother’s china and pair with new napkins and placemats.
Don’t be afraid to buy simple bud vases from a craft or discount store and fill them with flowers for an easy centerpiece.
Even grocery store flowers can become extra special when put into a beautiful vase, or even an unexpected, repurposed bowl or vessel you already have.
Make your old dishes and glassware new again by freshening them up with coordinating napkin rings and napkins.
Mix patterns for a fun table. Pick a color theme and then have fun with patterns. Everything doesn't have to match.
Polish the silver and use it!
Use natural or edible elements to make your centerpieces, like a bowl filled with mini pumpkins, or evergreen swag with pinecones.
Invest in linen cocktail napkins. Just wash and lay flat to dry in between uses.
Lighting is everything, but go for dripless candles to save yourself the clean up.
Think beyond the table and add a special hand towel, soap, and a candle to your powder room, paying attention to other spaces where your guests will be.
An elegant table does not have to be expensive or fancy. Don’t be afraid to mix new and old, colors and patterns.
Photo: Lauren Chesley Miller
A little planning goes a long way when it comes to dinner party prep. For her own gatherings, Lauren likes to think about the meal first and then what tablescapes will be the best match. For a Sunday family dinner, for example, she likes to use pottery for a more rustic, homey feel. Of course, when it comes to holiday dinners, there are no shortage of places to buy your holiday themed dishes and serving pieces locally in Cincinnati, like Goldsmith Cardel in Hyde Park, Elizabeth Grace Home in Montgomery, and Camargo Trading in Madeira. Lauren suggests collecting throughout the year for a table that looks effortless and elegant any season of the year. “You don’t want to run around the week before Thanksgiving looking for thematic plates,” she says. She recommends collecting as you see things you like throughout the year, seeking beautiful things at local boutiques and even thrift shops, to create a curated table that looks effortless.
A table style can be instant and easy. She recommends picking a color scheme to start and building around that. Lauren says she sees a lot of people pairing down to a set of white dishes, which are a great foundation to creating a tablescape for any occasion. With white dishware as the backdrop, Lauren says to pick one thing for inspiration. “I look at napkins, napkins rings, candles, and flowers at easy ways to add some colorful style to any table, any season of the year,” she says. You can’t go wrong with pairing any of her Paper Circus Design creations with your set of every day white dishes—or your very best china—for a look that is nothing short of spectacular.
Why wait for a special occasion to set your table? Lauren loves any time she has people gathered around her table and is sharing some of her every day tips as well.
Don't be afraid to use the good stuff! Don't save the good china just for special occasions.
Let the kids set the table--it's a good time to teach them about dining out.
Find a reason to celebrate! It doesn't just have to be about holidays. Celebrate a good grade at school, the first lacrosse goal, or other achievements that might be special to your family.
Grocery store flowers are great for a special occasion, but why not throw some in a simple vase for week day family dinners, too?
Upgrade to simple cloth napkins in your favorite color.
Go for a theme. Take taco Tuesday to the next level by dressing up your table with a Mexican theme. Get creative to make mealtime fun.
Mix it up. Try breakfast for dinner night. Or have dessert first.
A table style can be instant and easy. She recommends picking a color scheme to start and building around that. Lauren says she sees a lot of people pairing down to a set of white dishes, which are a great foundation to creating a tablescape for any occasion. With white dishware as the backdrop, Lauren says to pick one thing for inspiration. “I look at napkins, napkins rings, candles, and flowers at easy ways to add some colorful style to any table, any season of the year,” she says. You can’t go wrong with pairing any of her Paper Circus Design creations with your set of every day white dishes—or your very best china—for a look that is nothing short of spectacular.
Why wait for a special occasion to set your table? Lauren loves any time she has people gathered around her table and is sharing some of her every day tips as well.
Don't be afraid to use the good stuff! Don't save the good china just for special occasions.
Let the kids set the table--it's a good time to teach them about dining out.
Find a reason to celebrate! It doesn't just have to be about holidays. Celebrate a good grade at school, the first lacrosse goal, or other achievements that might be special to your family.
Grocery store flowers are great for a special occasion, but why not throw some in a simple vase for week day family dinners, too?
Upgrade to simple cloth napkins in your favorite color.
Go for a theme. Take taco Tuesday to the next level by dressing up your table with a Mexican theme. Get creative to make mealtime fun.
Mix it up. Try breakfast for dinner night. Or have dessert first.
Ready to set the table but don’t know where to start? Lauren recommend starting with a favorite color.
Photo: Kathryn Hayden Photography
