Napkin Art for Setting the Perfect Holiday Dinner Table

Janet Ramin - A sign of the well-dressed table setting is the use of napery or table linens. Yes, it’s that time of year to take out those cloth napkins from the recesses of your cupboard drawer and practice the age-old art of folding napkins. 

Napery may seem antique, so nineteenth century, but every formal dinner table still shows off its crisp napkins. We’re displaying here some of the popular styles of folded napkins, including some holiday versions. 

Our first napkin fold on top is the fleur-de-lys napkin, after the French lily. Below is a video on how to create the fleur-de-lys napkin. 

For the everyday table, there's the standard pocket or envelope napkin. A half fold creates a pocket to place your flatware or a few decorative touches like flowers or evergreen (see photo above).

We also have a more elaborate napkin, the rose napkin, also called the basket napkin. Its folds create petals but the napkin could also hold decorations in its center like a basket (see photo above, and see link below to Design2Share's first post on napkin folding and Irwin's video demonstration of folding the rose or basket napkin). 

For the holiday table, we have a tree napkin from Better Homes and Gardens. Its folds stand up to resemble an evergreen tree. Place a small tree topper on the napkin and voila - a Christmas tree!

(Tree napkin, courtesy of Better Homes & Gardens)

DESIGN2SHARE RESOURCES: Read our Napkin Folding Resources column and watch Irwin fold the Rose or Basket Napkin. 

Thanks to the Sheffield School in NYC for permission to reprint this article. Are you interested in learning more about decorating and accessories?  Take a look at Sheffield School's Complete Course in Interior Design.  At Sheffield, you'll learn how to transform a space, create color schemes, and select furniture, lighting, and accessories. 

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