Be it an extended brunch or a romantic candle-lit dinner; whether dining with a large number of guests or simply at a table for two: a beautifully laid table is something for your eyes to feast on, making your meal taste twice as good. And if you want to design your own table settings, the range of paint, deco and t-shirt markers from edding means it doesn’t have to cost you time, money or nerves. From individual place cards to table runners: with these three ingredients, you’re guaranteed to have your table ready as quick as a flash, without having to make a meal of things. And all without the aid of a recipe book!

It’s all a question of balance. That doesn’t just go for a healthy diet - it also applies when planning the seating arrangements for your hungry guests. To make sure the shy, retiring ones aren’t all sitting at one end of the table whilst the chatterboxes are all grouped together at the other, an ideal solution at larger gatherings is to design your own place cards. But, as hosts, you don’t need to take this literally and limit yourself to card and paper. For, when all is said and done, there are countless other materials that can be used to make your table stand out. Take, for example, the inside of sea-shells collected from the beach. They are ideal for writing on using edding decomarkers. The ink is waterproof and dries to give a silk-matt shine. There are 12 colours and 2 stroke widths available.

edding paint markers have even greater shine and sparkle. You can use the waterproof, quick-drying paint markers to write on ordinary pebbles to great effect. And, If you have larger pebbles, you do not have to limit yourself to inscribing just the names of your guests. If you really want to lay all your cards on the table, you can use them to reveal the names of individual dishes. The paint markers are available in four different stroke widths and in up to 14 colours, including elegant shades such as gold, silver or copper. And, if you want to write in a really attractive style, the edding 753 calligraphy paint marker with its calligraphy tip is just the job.

Of course, you don’t have to use table cloths, napkins or table runners. However, given that we spend at least two-and-a-half years of our lives at the dinner table, it is sometimes nice to dine in an attractive setting. And one more thing: because the edding 4500 t-shirt marker and edding 4600 t-shirt pen ranges are available in 20 different colours, you can use them to conjure up your own individual designs in a matter of seconds. Provided the material is cotton, linen, jute, silk or some other mixed fabric. Whether it be a wedding proposal or “enjoy your meal” written in a host of different languages: simply brighten up table runners and the like by writing on them, then fix the lettering for a couple of minutes using an iron. This will ensure your work of art will survive wash cycles of up to 60º, as well as guaranteeing that your table will be a topic of dinner conversation in the future too.