Table settings

I just have a fruit bowl or vase of flowers on mine!

Ours just has 6 placemats and a copper bowl full of teal balls to match in with the colours of the room

Just placemats on mine when we aren't using it, atm it doubles as my work space so it's utterly cluttered

Theoretically our dining table just nothing on it when not in use. In practice H uses it as a desk and it's covered in paperwork, which annoys the hell out of me

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I alternate between a brown table runner (which if I'm honest isn't long enough so just sits in the middle of the table) with bronze coloured candle holders. We then add placemats etc when eating at the table. Or deep red linen placemats, red charger plates and red glass candle holders.

When I make an effort ours has a couple of fab thick felt mats (purple & pink) and when my H is being romantic, a vase of flowers on it

However, 95% of the time it is covered in clutter (unopened mail, mail for shredding, clean tea towels that I've not bothered to take into the kitchen (clothes horse is inside next to table), other general sutff

It looks so nice when it's clear, I should make more of an effort really

I find overly dressed tables a bit naff, but thats just me being odd, probably.

We have a runner and a vase of flowers/big shiny platter with a church candle in which looks smart without being OTT.

Mine has a large black granite trivet sitting in the middle of it with a hurricane lamp with a candle in it, sitting on top

I have black granite placemats. Used to have fruit bowl or flowers too but got sick of moving them every evening when we are eating so just have the placemats now.

Two candlesticks, sometimes table mats if I havne't bothered taking them back to the kitchen, and usually my laptop.

So, does no-one bother with drinks mats (is that what they're called?) then? I was thinking a runner, for somewhere to set dishes, maybe some rubber-type place mats, but then got stuck on coasters (ah, that's the word!). One per person for an average evening meal, but if you've people round, do you bother with multiple coasters for wine, water etc?

I might be over-thinking this!

PMSL at multiple coasters. I don't use them, but my table is glass so they aren't necessary.

Multiple coasters is waaaaay too much. if you are having people over, and are worried about marks, just use a tablecloth.

Our table is reclaimed wood, so marks aren't a problem, but sometimes I pretty it up with a nice cloth.

I'm one of those sad people who had a table which we spent a load of money on when buying it (one of the reasons we chose it was becouse I loved the colour of the wood), but the top never sees the day of light for the fear of it getting scratched. It does get used every day for meals, but I've got a table protector on it and then a table cloth (don't know what it's made of but it's one of those wipe clean ones), then we've got place mats (and matching coasters) for our meals.

When we have guests, the table gets dressed up with an expensive table cloth we were given by PIL for our wedding present, but still have the table protector and heat resistent mats for the hot food dishes. We just don't have the place mats.

I'm completely old before my time when it comes to my table settings, and I'd love to have the courage to not cover up the table but I'd just cry if I took it all away and it got scratched.

I have a long thin vase in the middle of mine, I only dress it when we have guests/it's Christmas.

It's a very thick, solid rosewood table, I don't worry too much about marks as it's a table we intend to keep for years and think the marks will add character and hopefully have some family stories to tell as we get older.

Is that a bit twee? Oh well ?

When we have guests over I use a white sheet as a table cloth (I can't find any big enough that I wouldn't mind a red wine spillage on whereas the sheet can just get binned).

Our linen placemats are big enough for charger plates and a glass either side.

Thanks for the replies everyone! I *know* multiple coasters is too much, but was thinking what's the point of having any at all then if everyone has more than one drink ?

It isn't an expensive table, so I might just go wild and do without any!

Chairs this weekend, woohoo ?

I have big place mats (well, the cloth kind) which are big enough to fit both a plate AND multiple glasses, so problem solved.

When we're not using it, I have a glass mosaic dish thing in the middle with either a vase of flowers (currently sunflowers), or a [twee twat alert] matching mosaic candle. And the new wooden salt and pepper mills which are in the shape of chess pieces. They are so cool ?

I really want to get a table protector and a table cloth, but I've not got round to it yet.

I splashed out the other week and bought some John Rocha leather placemats that were reduced in Debenhams, they're usually just stacked in the middle of the table with a gold fruit bowl/pot pourri bowl on top.

On the odd times we have parents/in laws around then I have a table protector and table cloth and don't bother with placemats. I hate the table cloth look though, would much rather the mats.

I really want a new dining room table ?