2 minute read
Maison Sweet Maison
Française sisters Julie & Lucie Herrmann share how to bring authentic French elegance to your dining table
3 tips for setting a table a la Française:
1 If you choose a patterned tablecloth, don’t forget to match the napkins with the same fabric, and always set with simple, undecorated tableware.
2 Wine has a long history in France and an important place around the table, so to each wine, its glass! Always place your glasses diagonally, from the middle of the plate down to the cutlery on the right. Start with the largest glass (which will hold the water if you don’t have a tumbler), followed by a smaller one for the red wine, and finish with the smallest stemmed glass for the white wine. If you opt for a tumbler, it will be in 3rd place after the 2 wine glasses.
3 Decorate the center of your table to match the theme of the event. Be careful, however, not to impede conversation between guests... Safe bet? Flowers, scattered in several small vases or create a table runner with placemats, candleholders and candles. Always vary the height of candles and flowers.
Above all, be original and have fun!
WORLD FARE
If this French lesson has given you an appetite for travel, consider these global offerings from Fair Trade Decor:
Ceramic Zebra Mug (South Africa), Olive Wood & Bone Salad Serving Set, Dip Knives and Bottle Opener (Kenya) Grass and Whitewash Clay Bread Warmer (Bangladesh)
Française filles Anais (left) and Ana Sofia (right) chink Lyonnais glassware over striking Playing Cards table linens, set with Yli craftsman dinnerware.
As well as dressing your table for dinner, Française offers chic earrings, bracelets and necklaces to accessorize your dining outfit.
Anais’ embroidered peasant blouse is from Pretty Please and the The venet & Fils Macon Pierreclos Rouge 2022 wine comes from the cellars at Little Frenchie.
