My general rule is to keep the restaurant's crockery and cutlery as they are. The team knows what works best with each course, and it keeps the kitchen happy, which is always a good idea. That said, there's still plenty of room to play elsewhere.
Ask whether you can rethink how drinks are presented - a lace doily beneath a tray, for example, or ribbon tied around the handles. I also love bringing in unusually shaped carafes to serve wine down the table. Wine bottles placed in the middle of a beautifully dressed table can feel clunky, whereas a beautiful carafe is such an easy, affordable upgrade.
You can also hire luxury napkins to add colour and texture to the table. Or head to a fabric shop, choose a print you love and bespoke napkins made. Don't be shy about going bold - these are statement linens you'll get to keep and bring out for special occasions for years to come.
A-One Fabrics and Goldbrick Fabrics, both on London’s Goldhawk Road, are brilliant starting points
