• Cloth napkins and napkin holders can add a decorative touch to any table.place setting image by Nicola Gavin from Fotolia.com
  
  Getting the evening meal cooked and the family seated and eating together around the table can be a challenge. However, going the extra mile and fashioning a nice family dinner table setting will create a special atmosphere at the table. Instead of feeling like just any dinner, the meal will take on the air of a special occasion.
  
  

Centerpieces

• A centerpiece provides an aesthetically pleasing focal point for the table. No matter how cluttered, messy or plain a table is, a centerpiece pulls attention to the object or objects placed in the middle. Centerpieces need not be intricate, expensive or traditional. For example, a large glass jar filled with limes acts as a bright and vivid centerpiece. Alternately, pile a basket with autumn leaves or winter pine cones. If you're near a beach, a vase filled with sand and seashells produces an earthy, yet elegant look.
  
  

Napkins

• Colored napkins add a vital splash of color to a table, and cloth napkins are an environmentally friendly alternative to paper. Cloth napkins also give a dinner table a more formal atmosphere, making every meal feel elegant and out of the ordinary. Napkin rings are a simple way to enhance this feeling, providing an eye-catching accent to the table. You don't have to spend a lot of money to purchase napkin rings; make your own using bright pieces of satin or silk ribbon and a few beads.
  
  

Name Cards

• Name cards are appropriate for extended family dinners with relatives' spouses and kids. These cards take the guesswork out of where to sit, decreasing dinnertime chaos. Possibilities abound for creative name cards. For example, sugar cookies with each person's name frosted on top is a novel idea. You could also spell out each person's name in candies. If you're an artist, draw a picture of each person and place it at the designated spot. For fast and simple name cards, write out each person's name in gold or silver puffy paint or bubble paint on small pieces of rectangular card stock.