This week on the Strategist, we’re covering all things tabletop: the best plates, yes, and also everything that goes around (and underneath) them. Welcome to Tabletop Week.
It might not be as foundational to a table as a tablecloth, or practical like a placemat, but a napkin ring can be an especially nice addition to a setting of plates, bowls, and glasses. It’s what someone sees before an appetizer, after all. (Plus, it makes a napkin look less naked.) So whether you’re plotting your next dinner party or want a conversation starter while passing around platters, you’ve come to the right place. I went on an exhaustive hunt across the internet and found lots — most of which aren’t like your mother’s napkin rings. There’s everything here, from one in the form of a feathered parrot named Rio to another for the owners of a Caesna flatware set.
These feel homey in that Nancy Meyers, Ina Garten kind of way.
The scalloped edge makes the hard marble seem so much softer.
If they already have Caesna flatware on their wedding-registry …
If they already have a Courtly Check tea kettle from their last housewarming …
These remind me of the restaurant ramekins the fluffiest soufflés are served in.
I can’t explain it, but this is like if the Bode clown suit grew up.
All the fun of confetti without the mess afterwards.
A sprig of lavender that won’t spoil the palate before canapés.
For that someone who calls themselves a Samantha (Parkington).
For that someone who inherited a stack of equestrian-themed Ralph Lauren china.
How good would these be with Kartell’s Ghost (scored secondhand) dining chairs?
Brought to you by the same place that carries garlic dish scrubbers and fish squeezers for lemon wedges.
Inspiration from “Ethiopian craft traditions” and “Swedish design principles” makes for an architectural napkin ring that’s part of Marcus Samuelsson’s collection for West Elm.
Named after industrial designer Sigvard Bernadotte — a Swedish prince — who was one of Danish silversmith Georg Jensen’s first collaborators. (This might be the most Scandinavian sentence ever.)
You could get the matching plates for a Marie-Antoinette-at-Trianon table.
… Or cheekier than a napkin ring in the form of a signet ring.
To be the talk of every dinner party for — at least — a good five minutes.
Philanthropist Jamee Gregory’s table setting is somewhere between Southampton and Palm Beach — including raffia in the shape of sea stars next to flamingo placemats.
These feel Dylan’s Candy Bar–esque.
The artist behind La Riccia is described as “eccentric” — making her wares out of scrapped glass shards and hand-blowing everything (meaning no molds).
You know Salvador Dalí would’ve twirled his mustache if he had seen these.
To reside beside gingerbread houses, peppermint candy canes, and cups of eggnog.
Someone should tell Yolanda Hadid she needs these for her Texas ranch.
A cousin to the “be true to yourself” chameleon William-Wayne sells.
So delightfully glittery, like the Studio 54 dancefloor after a long night.
Made from Toquilla palms (as Panama hats are), the little lobsters are woven in Sandoná, on the Southern Colombian mountainside.
Some cheery oranges that come from iraca palms, by artisan collective Myto.
The herbs are based on the ones sprouted in the Bonnefont Herb Garden at the Met Cloisters.
A meeting of the unserious (candy dots) with the serious (natural wood).
To go with the Portuguese linens you stocked up on in Porto.
To bring a bit of texture to an otherwise neutral tablescape.
Just imagine these against striped napkins.
The Strategist is designed to surface useful, expert recommendations for things to buy across the vast e-commerce landscape. Every product is independently selected by our team of editors, whom you can read about here. We update links when possible, but note that deals can expire and all prices are subject to change.
