If you want to master the art of beautifully setting a table, you need to know how to fold napkins in a creative, eye-catching way. Well-folded napkins add extra elegance and charm to any table setting.
Beautifully folded napkins give everyday or festive tables a distinctive decorative touch, creating a cozy, celebratory atmosphere. All you need is a pack of paper or cloth napkins and a little practice. AdmiGram.com will show you how.
10 Ways to Beautifully and Creatively Fold Napkins
Useful Tips for Setting the Table With Napkins
© Jonathan Borba / Unsplash
- For a casual dinner with friends, bright paper napkins are perfect. For a modest festive gathering, cloth napkins that match the tablecloth and dishware work best. For a truly special occasion, use both cloth and paper napkins together.
- Cloth napkins are typically made from linen or cotton. A small amount of synthetic fiber is fine — it helps the napkin hold its shape after folding. Avoid silk, viscose, and other slippery, non-absorbent fabrics.
- If the place setting includes a charger (place plate), set the napkin on top of it or between the fork and knife. If there’s no charger, place the napkin where the plate would normally go. A folded napkin tucked into a glass or goblet also works well.
- When folding napkins for a festive table, keep in mind that guests should be able to unfold them easily, without excessive wrinkling. Save the elaborate starched shapes and decorative folds for napkins that are purely for display and won’t actually be used.
- Never fold napkins with dirty or wet hands — it looks unappetizing and can spoil the mood for your guests.
- After washing, cloth napkins should be starched with regular starch dissolved in water; aerosol starch won’t give them enough stiffness. It’s best to iron napkins while they’re still slightly damp — if they’ve already dried, dampen them again before ironing.
- Before folding cloth (or especially paper) napkins for a real event, practice first. Otherwise, you might end up rewashing, re-ironing, or making a last-minute store run for new napkins.
Step-by-Step Napkin Folding Techniques With Videos
image on top: Jonathan Borba / Unsplash
