Garten shared how exactly she goes about setting a table in an early 2000s issue of House Beautiful. At the time the now 73-year-old had a column in the publication called Ask the Barefoot Contessa.

Consider this your handbook for how to handle party logistics perfectly every single time.

Not sure how to set a table properly? Whether you're planning a casual gathering or a formal, intimate dinner, this is table-setting etiquette you need to know. Dining habits have changed drastically ...

'Tis the season for gathering with family and friends in the most celebratory fashion, with many of these magical holiday moments marked with festive fêtes around the dinner table. To make sure you ...

Food is the star of all dinner parties, so meal planning is usually foremost in the minds of hosts. In addition to selecting perfect yet underrated finger foods for your next dinner party, you should ...

So, you're aiming to set an elegant table, eh? And no wonder — apart from the meal itself, the table upon which it sits the most important part of a dining experience. In other words, the way that you ...

Don’t panic if the table is a little on the smaller side. Garten once called a too-large table a “party killer.” In her Barefoot Contessa cookbook, Back to Basics, she shared specifics. “For small ...

Every item on this page was chosen by a Town & Country editor. We may earn commission on some of the items you choose to buy. In 2023, a standard table setting, the ones today that weirdly try and ...