Jamie,
I have been thinking of these questions also. I was playing with setting a halloween table last night and when we were ready to have dinner, DH just went to the couch because he didnt want to disturb my settings! LOL .. that defeats the purpose there!

We only have one table and eat at the table almost everyday and I have breakfast there as well so it gets a lot of use. And I like to read something while having breakfast so the dishes get in the way. I think the answer for me is that I cant have the dishes out until dinner time. Although I do like how it looks with the dishes. :)
Mo

Jamie, and Mo, I don't leave the table set. I set it, we eat at the table, and then it is cleared away. I set them to enjoy, and we do.
And I sure wouldn't want to dust a set table, LOL...
My table settings were all done at my round table in the breakfast area, so we need to use it for other meals.

I don't set my dining room table till I am going to use it.. Just my preference though..

Jamie/Mo what I do for dinner parties, is set the table a few days in advance and I DO dust everything off just prior to the dinner (tried putting a sheet over it once, but I like to keep working and tweaking it).
When I set the dinning room table for fun usually it is for a holiday, eg. Valentine's or St. Pat' Day, etc, so I usually leave it up for a few weeks to enjoy as part of my decorations around the house. Because I am storing my dishes/glasses in so many different areas around the house, I usually have to wash a lot of them up before using anyway.

DH and I have many areas where we can eat, the kitchen table, our "window" table, sometimes the dining room table and of course, on the couch in front of the News! He is used to my "playing" and has actually come to appreciate my efforts. (That is funny, Mo that your DH automatically went to the couch - you will have to "train" him which is what I have done over the past 26 years with mine!)

One bad thing though is that I keep looking at the Harley table now thinking....hmmmmm, maybe we should have another dinner party this wknd with some other guests who ride, since it is all set ready to go...I must be CRAZY!!! I need a break!

DD

Interesting - thanks for the input, ladies. :-)

I always have a seasonal or "themed" centerpiece on my table, but the only time I really set it with dishes for a meal (like the tablescapes here) are when we have guests (so a few times a year, tops). Hubby and I used to eat lunch there (we go home for lunch daily), but hubby generally prefers to eat in his living room chair (due to his laptop being handy there). And dinner is generally around 7pm, which is when the good TV shows start, so we're always in our easy chairs eating dinner. Comfy and casual (or lazy, depending on how you look at it). When I'm on my own for lunch, I do sit at the table then. We only have the one table for eating - I have another table in our living room, but it functions more as an end/lamp table. My kitchen is a galley kitchen, so no room for a table there.

I'm always pushing hubby to entertain more, but it's really because I want to do more table-setting and such. ;-) So far, he hasn't fallen for it, and when I mentioned I might play around with a Halloween table setting like the ladies on the forum (he's used to me talking about forums), he kind of shook his head, since it would just be for "show", not to actually use.

I'll have to think about this more. I'm hosting my parents for Thanksgiving brunch next month - maybe I'll set the table earlier than normal, and see how I like looking at it for a longer period of time with the dishes and everything, as opposed to just the centerpiece.

One other question that sort of fits here. When you set the table, do you set all the places no matter the number of guests, or just enough for your guests? What do you do with the extra places if you don't set them?

I generally only set enough for the guests coming, but it always looks "weird" to me...like it's unfinished.

Jamie,
I'm not exactly sure if I am picturing what you are asking. But if I am, then here's what I usually do.
I put the centerpiece at the end of the table (if it's rectangle) or off to the side (if it's a round table) and fill in around it or in front of it with coordinating serving dishes. If I'm using placemats, I sometimes use one under the main centerpiece to sort of tie it more closely to the place settings. Does this makes sense?
OA

I think you understood just fine, OA. My table is a large rectangle, so if I were setting it just for four (instead of 6 or 8), I'd put the centerpiece at the end instead of the middle, and the serving dishes down the middle then, right?

I'll have to try that next time. I might try sitting us two on each side of the table as well...I think part of my problem is my hubby sits at the "head" of the table, and then I sit on one side, with my parents on the other. It feels "unbalanced".

Thanks a bunch...this is very helpful. :-)

I do pretty much what DD does. I just can't find the time to do a new setting each night (I'm hoping that someday I'll be able to) and I too like to use my tablesetting with the rest of my decorations.
For me and my family it works better to have each month a new tablesetting and to use it each night for that particular month.

If I am doing a "special table", I set it the evening before. I'm not a fan of keeping a set table. I like my D/R decorated with my pewter candle sticks (seasonal colored candles). I also use a pewter bowl which is filled at the moment with ghourds.

Other than the fall color beaded garland I have intertwined (sp?) around the items down the table, I wait until the evening before to fully decorate the table with china, silver and crystal. I may have done it 2 days ahead, but haven't ever left it set for longer. For me, I like the table decor to be the star unless I am having guests for a dinner party or holiday gathering.

Since I am new to tablescapes, I have left a fall/halloween one "up" on the kitchen table, swapping out this and that every few days...

When I started, I hadn't planned to leave it up but my husband said he liked it (especially since it prevented the 4 kids, twins 19, son 21, son 23, from dropping their "stuff" on the table).

I may change my mind later..but I am enjoying it so far. Now, I need to rearrange my cabinets to make room for the dishes, etc that I keep bringing home

Haven't decided yet what to do about dining room table when I decorate for Christmas...

gasuz

Thanks for your comments, ladies. I've heard that before about a set table keeping "clutter" from being dropped on it. I guess it would also free up a certain amount of cupboard space, since some dishes would always be on the table...

I probably would have left the Halloween table set last night if I'd had enough bandanas to do all six place settings. I almost left it set with just two, but couldn't quite talk myself into it.

This forum is horrible about enabling. I talked myself out of a set of pumpkin dishes I've been wanting since spring, and I'd been doing well about sticking to that until my mom called and wanted me to do Thanksgiving brunch, and I started hanging out here. Between those two things, I caved and ordered the dang pumpkin dishes...they're wonderful, and I'll enjoy them, but I have no idea where I'm going to put them!!

In any case, we'll see what happens with the Thanksgiving table. Maybe I'll leave it up for a week this time, and see how I like it (or not).

Jamie, I'm glad you broke down (with a lot of help from here I guess) and got your pumpkin dishes. When you want something that long, you might as well get it I think.
Even tho I haven't figured out table-setting yet, I think if I had done a pretty one and could leave it a while to enjoy, I sure would. Trouble is, my cats are the ones who'd love the decor while my DH and Dad wouldn't pay any attention.

gasuz, I laughed reading about your kids (ages) and keeping their stuff off your table.

hugs, Karen

Jamie, just had to comment on your line "this forum is horrible about enabling"...wouldn't be doing my part if I didn't congratulate you on the purchase of your new pumpkin dishes!! Not only will YOU enjoy them but WE are looking forward to doing so as well when you post pics of a tablescape with them. Prior to visiting with us, you were probably ALL ABOUT HALLOWEEN and now that you've breached the compounds......look out! LOL!

DD

DD - that's true...our Halloween stuff takes up 80% of our storage room, with Thanksgiving stuff in three small boxes, and Christmas stuff a distant second to Halloween. All of my decor for the other holidays can fit on one small shelf in my upstairs closet...I guess we'll see what kind of "real damage" this forum can do after Christmas is over! ;-)