38 Cheap (But Expensive Looking) Dinner-Party Accents

These planet-shaped cocktail picks — the sun and moon are also represented — are made with stones like agate and tiger’s eye and come with a convenient stand of walnut wood. Use them for martinis or on a charcuterie board.

To go with those celestial drinks, you might want to grab a 12-pack of stemless (and less likely to fall over) martini glasses.

And if you insist on using glass, consider these squat mini-glasses that Strategist writer Lauren Ro says she likes for their “everydayness” — and the fact that they feel like something you’d find at a European bistro.

These colorful glass straws are more elevated than plastic or stainless steel options. Plus they are reusable (as long as your guests don’t steal them for themselves).

You won’t believe that these tear-off napkins beloved by Tonne Goodman, who says they are “the simplest solution to the tedious task of serving hors d’oeuvre,” are actually made of 100 percent cotton. While they’re meant to be disposable, you could wash them a couple of times and reuse them (albeit not as a roll) for the next party. They’re available in a ton of other colors and as full-size napkins and place mats, too.

Serve drinks on this chrome-plated tray from restaurant-supply company Winco that has gadrooned edging and traditional engraving.

These cotton-linen blend place mats have a sweet hemstitch frame and come in an array of bright colors, including blue, apple green, and lavender.

If you’re worried about serving your guests on mismatched plates, this inexpensive set of classic white dinner plates ought to ease your mind. Get the matching salad plates while you’re at it.

For a bit more color (and a smaller group), try these ceramic dessert plates that come in an appealing array of earth tones.

For a dinner-party dish that’s unbreakable (and still stunning), Strategist senior editor Jen Trolio is a fan of Crow Canyon for “cookout-friendly enamelware in the best colors and patterns.”

This is the perfect bowl for wowing your visitors with a bountiful salad.

And some inexpensive — but no less handsome — bamboo salad hands to serve your guests.

Place them in these simple candleholders won’t take any shine away from your tapers.

We love the idea of popping these color drip candles in some empty wine bottles for instant table décor.

This set of four cork-backed coasters will keep your favorite drinks steady and your surfaces protected. They can also be arranged together to make a cheery trivet for your counter or tabletop.

Crock-Pot makes enamel cast-iron Dutch ovens in lovely colors (like this ombre teal) that are a fraction of the price of Le Creusets.

Present all your tortes, flambés, and pies on this melamine cake stand.

Or fill these bright and happy bowls with soup (or more ice cream).

Strategist senior writer Liza Corsillo owns these French bistro glasses, which are perfect for “a small portion of juice,” she says. You could even use them for after-dinner espressos.

Use this to rest your utensils on something prettier than the countertop while you’re stirring sauces, or bring it to the table to hold serving spoons.

This cool matte-black crock is your new salt cellar, for flaky Maldon, or a sugar dispenser for afternoon tea parties.

If you’re without an ice machine, look no further than this tray beloved by five Strategist staffers. The material it’s made of “feels thinner and more flexible than that of its counterparts, so you can remove the cubes with almost alarming ease,” says kitchen-and-dining writer Emma Wartzman.

Or charm your guests with these dachshund-shaped ice cubes.

Cookies would look very elegant on this three-tier Japanese stand.

Send your guests home with leftovers in these Chinese takeout boxes that Brooklyn-based recipe developer Mehreen Karim stocked up on before her epic Friendsgiving dinner party.