Whether its dinner, a private party or regular party; the norm is that the silverware must match; still, anyone can create a gorgeous table setting with mismatched settings. This can be achieved by having complete flatware sets for every person. If you don’t have a complete set, then make it a habit to build up complete sets. It does not have to be restaurant flatware. You can use anything from daily dishes like Corelle to ironware to flatware stainless steel. The important thing is that you have a complete set for each place setting.
The same goes for your dinnerware sets. Purchase a good set of silverplate flatware for starters. It is best to start with a smaller set of good glassware than a big set of cheap flatware. Cheap flatware bends out of shape easily and there is nothing elegant about forks and spoons that are bent out of shape. You can build up a good set of stoneware dinnerware piece by piece. Just make sure that single place settings match.
Bring out the serving dishes you have stored away in the back of your cabinets or cupboards and use them often. Then, when you have a dinner party, you will feel comfortable with your black glass salad bowl or the big white vegetable serving bowl with the bright pink flowers. Take advantage of yard sales and see if you can find interesting glassware you can use. Always aim at building complete sets. Aside from the attractiveness of it, you will have people chattering thereby, setting up the tone for great conversation starters.