Setting up a bar before guests arrive is one of the most effective things a host can do. It removes the pressure of pouring drinks on demand, gives guests something to gravitate toward the moment they walk in, and signals that the evening has been prepared for them. It does not need to be expensive or elaborate — it needs to be intentional.

Setting a table properly is one of those skills that looks instinctive in other people and feels elusive until you understand the logic behind it. Cutlery, plates, glassware — once the rhythm makes sense, you can build on it however you like. Here is how to get it right every time, and a few of my favourite variations for when the occasion calls for something a little different.