One of my goals for 2025 is to throw a monthly dinner party, and, month-after-month, without fail, I can guarantee you that I will always come back to a blue and white dinner party table. I might shake up the menu, one month opting for an elegant roast and, another, choosing retro recipes like chicken pot pie and broccoli salad (exactly what I made this past weekend!), but the tablescape will always feel classic and a bit formal. I figure, if I’m entertaining around the dinner table, why not elevate it? If I want to keep it casual, we’ll be in the living room or the patio. The dining room is for silver.
Setting a Blue and White Dinner Party Table
I like to keep things pretty yet not too complicated, and these are a few of the rules I stick to when setting my table — which I always do the morning of, rather than waiting until the last minute.
My Blue Willow dishware is the backbone of any table I set — blue and white is a neutral in my book. It’s timeless and nostalgic. I can’t tell you how many people remark that it’s the dishware their mother or grandmother had. It’s also affordable. Because it’s stoneware, not bone china, you won’t be devastated if someone drops a dinner plate.
I always opt for placemats over a tablecloth. Perhaps there’s a secret to tablecloths, but I’ve always missed it. To me, they feel bulky, like they’re always bunched up around my legs. Seriously, if there’s a trick to them, please let me in on it!
Layer monochromatic colors. I love light blues with dark blues with teal blues and everything in between. It adds dimension and interest to the table.
Taper candles, always. That needs no explanation, right?
Shop the Blue and White Dinner Party Table
Want to shop the exact items I have in this blue and white dinner party tablescape? I’ve pulled the items together below, ranging from budget-friendly candles to silver settings you’ll have forever. These are the exact pieces that I use as the base again and again when entertaining.
I’ll sprinkle in a seasonal salad plate, swap out the napkin ring, or choose a fun candle holder, but I’m a big believer in keeping the foundation the same (perhaps, in large part, due to space — trust me, I wish I had room to have endless sets of dinnerware!). But it truly is shocking just how versatile Blue Willow is.
