Table Talk

I got to wondering what you are all thinking about as regards table layout, colour and design. You know all that christmas parties and romantic dinners that you have been all engrossed in over the festive season. Should one be looking at keeping things simple yet sophisticated or trying to obtain the wow factor in some other way.
Do we need to let the table linen do the talking or is au natural much better so that you have the ability to show off that expensive bit of kit that hunkers down in the dining room. Or is it the decor, all that nice frippery that cascades itself lovingly over each place setting and central axis to highlight but is a demarcation of your table into zones or indeed should the cutlery and crockery be the talking point so to speak. How can you go wrong with nice shiny stainless steel or fine silver and gleaming shaped crystal?
You see these are all the problems we have at every dinner party or wedding we attend. It would be nice to hear what your basic thought are on this matter. Also, should you hire certain aspects of your dinning decor so as to give a bit of vibrant freshness to friends and family or invest in good quality pieces that withstand the test of time but kind of put you into the cul de sac of entertaining.

We have not yet got onto the food/wine/topics of conversation/ etiquette/ lighting/heating/room fragrance etc.

I will be adding some other table talk topics in the future so go ahead and make your viewpoints clear and concise.

Hear from you soon.

Rod