Setting the table is a great habit, whether you’re having guests or no. It elevates even the simplest dish. It makes a meal feel like an occasion. Plus it’s a wonderful reason to comb flea markets for interesting plates and textiles!

It’s everything about how you want to feel. You can set an informal table as beautifully as a formal one. Besides changing up your tableware, you can swap out your chairs, use unexpected materials for your linens, play with ideas for tabletop décor—flowers? greenery? shells? branches?—or set up in a room that’s not where you’d usually eat. Setting the table can even include lighting and music. It’s a simple way to make the everyday something special. You’re worth it!