High/low: Colourful table setting

Which is high and which is low?

Can you tell the difference?

Low $294

1 Polished stainless steel Teagan flatware with mirror finish, Crate and Barrel, $35 per 5-piece set. 2 Sophie Conran for Portmeirion ceramic white dinner plates, William Ashley China, $15 each. 3 GlucksteinHome The Penthouse bone china Architectural salad plates, Hudson’s Bay, $30 per set of 4. 4 Glass Cheval goblets in Aqua, CB2, $6 each. 5 Powder-coated stainless steel Matte Black flatware, CB2, $27 per 3-piece set. 6 Hand-painted stoneware Sissinghurst Castle salad plates, Anthropologie, $14 US each. 7 Linen Classic napkins (customized with fabric marker) in Ivory, Indigo, $20 per set of 4. 8 Engraved glass Leaves goblets, Zara Home, $10 each.

High $1,922

1 Christofle silver-plated Malmaison flatware, William Ashley China, $597 per 5-piece set. 2 Lenox bone china Tin Can Alley Four dinner plates dinner plates, William Ashley China, $24 each. 3 Villeroy & Boch La Classica bone china Contura salad plates, William Ashley China, $31 each. 4 William Yeoward handmade glass Fanny goblets in Green, Ribbehege & Azevedo, $95 each. 5 PVD-coated stainless steel Jett flatware, Crate and Barrel, $90 per 5-piece set.  6 Juliska stoneware Field of Flowers salad plates, William Ashley China, $116 per set of 4. 7 Linen Suits napkins, Crate and Barrel, $50 per set of 4. 8 Glass Vintage Etched goblets, Williams-Sonoma, $17 each.

Nature vs. Nurture

Flora and fauna are the subjects of this curated selection, but a few modern geometrics make them pop.   1 Hand-painted stoneware Sissinghurst Castle salad plate, Anthropologie, $14 US. 2 Herend Queen Victoria porcelain bread plate, William Ashley China, $122. 3 Versace for Rosenthal porcelain Le Grand Divertissement bread plate, William Ashley China, $92. 4 Nature Table stoneware Praying Mantis dessert plate, Anthropologie, $18 US. 5 porcelain Belay salad plate in Black & White, CB2, $7. 6 Nature Table stoneware Ladybug dessert plate, Anthropologie, $18 US. 7 Maxwell & Williams William Kilburn bone china Ocean Fantasy salad plate, Hudson’s Bay, $13. 8 Vera Wang for Wedgwood bone china Radiante salad plate, William Ashley China, $34. 9 Hermes porcelain Mosaique au 24 bread plate in Platinum, William Ashley China, $125.

Set the scene: Formal

Table settings dictate mood. Here, some minor adjustments lend our casual high and low arrangements some formality.   Formal Complemented by architectural motifs, this monochromatic setting takes guests from bread and butter through dessert, while also offering a glass for every drink. Raynaud porcelain Horizon charger in Green & Lime, William Ashley China, $155. Lenox bone china Tin Can Alley Four dinner plate, William Ashley China, $24. Villeroy & Boch La Classica bone china Contura salad plate, William Ashley China, $31. Bread plate, William Ashley China, $24 Vintage crystal glassware, Jacaranda Tree (416-482-6599), $20 each. Bone china teacup & saucer, Jacaranda Tree, $30. Sterling silver butter knife, Jacaranda Tree, $50. Silver-plated teaspoon (on saucer), Jacaranda Tree, $8. William Yeoward silver-plated Anglesey flatware, Ribbehege & Azevedo, $550 per 5-piece set.

Set the scene: Semi-formal

This otherwise structured arrangement gets a dose of informality from colourful florals – both real and illustrated – and zingy yellow accents.   Raynaud porcelain Horizon charger in Green & Lime, William Ashley China, $155. Sophie Conran for Portmeirion ceramic White dinner plate, William Ashley China, $15. Juliska stoneware Field of Flowers salad plate, William Ashley China, $116 per set of 4 William Yeoward handmade glass Fanny goblet in Green, Ribbehege & Azevedo, $95. Vintage crystal wineglass, Jacaranda Tree (416-482-6599), $20. Bone china teacup & saucer, Jacaranda Tree, $30. Silicone-coated porcelain Lizzy teapot, CB2, $16, Polished stainless steel Teagan flatware with mirror finish, Crate and Barrel, $35 per 5-piece set. Pehr Designs printed cotton blend Poka napkin in Yellow, Hudson’s Bay, $15.

Laws of attraction

In decor, as in love, objects that have little in common often work best together. If you’re not brave enough to mix two totally different place settings like we’ve done, how about just the napkins? Pair simple solids with bold patterns or playful hues with classic black and white.   FROM LEFT Pehr Designs printed cotton blend Poka in Yellow, Hudson’s Bay, $15. Printed cotton, HomeSense, $10 per set of 4. Linen Suits, Crate and Barrel, $50 per set of 4. Linen Classic in Ivory, Indigo, $20 per set of 4. Stonewashed linen in Cream, Williams-Sonoma, $50 per set of 4. Linen Uno in Chartreuse, CB2, $8. Printed cotton Poppies Floral, Indigo, $28 per set of 4.