How to make a Candle Lit Dinner?

Select Your Space

When planning a candlelight dinner, consider how you can re-create the look and ambiance of your favorite fancy restaurant in your home.

Having your dinner in your formal dining room is an obvious choice — if you have one — but a smaller table actually provides a more intimate venue for quiet conversation.

Set up a small table — even a card table — in a quiet corner of the dining or living room and pair it with two chairs.

If your home has a fireplace, use it as a backdrop for your intimate dinner. Eliminate clutter in the surrounding area: clear off shelves, tables and the mantel to provide a clean, focused space.

Layers of Luxury

Silky textures and warm, rich colors transform any space into a romantic retreat.

Dress your dining table in a cream-colored tablecloth that falls to the floor and conceals the table legs.

Choose napkins in a wine or cocoa color to add warmth and contrast to the table.

Comfortable seating encourages unhurried eating and long conversation. If your dining chairs aren’t upholstered, borrow seat cushions from another room.

Drape the chairs in silky fabric and tie the slipcovers in place with long lengths of satin ribbon. Use a richly textured table runner to define serving space on a sideboard or coffee table.

Set the Table

Romantic dinner decor is incomplete without flowers. To create a centerpiece, arrange roses or other cut flowers in a bowl or low vase that won’t obstruct conversation.

For a simple touch of floral decor, place small stems of flowers in water-filled votive holders at each place setting.

In addition to flowers, a candlelight dinner also calls for crystal, china and silver. In lieu of formal china, use simple white plates.

Set each place with the dishes, bowls and silverware necessary for the items on the dinner menu. Crystal or glass stemware provides elegant service for water and wine.

Set the Mood

Soft lighting tones down distractions and enhances the romantic atmosphere.

Use candles to light the table; tapers create a formal feel, while a collection of votives makes the table setting feel cozy and chic.

Arrange pillar and votive candles on the serving table, placing them on pedestals and candle plates.

If you have a fireplace, top the mantel with candles and — weather-permitting — light a fire. Alternately, arrange an assortment of candles on the hearth.

At dinnertime, dim the room’s lighting, or turn it off completely and allow the candles to illuminate your intimate dining space.

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