3 Napkin-Folding Techniques to Take Your Dinner Party’s Tablescape to the Next Level
You’ve gone the distance to impress with a well-appointed holiday or dinner party table: floral centerpiece, candles, hand-made place cards and Aunt Betty’s prized heirloom tablecloth. All you need are fancy napkins to make your tablescape look like something out of a magazine.
A well-folded napkin brings in an air of class and shows your guests you’re the host with the most. Never worked in a restaurant? Skipped origami class? We’ve got you covered with these simple yet dramatic napkin-folding techniques.
The Classic: Pyramid Fold
This is what you’ll find in many fine dining establishments.
- Lay the napkin down flat.
- Fold the napkin in half diagonally, creating a triangle.
- Rotate your napkin so that the point with the opening is pointed away from you.
- Take the two corners on the fold, on your left and right, and bring them up to the middle point.
- Flip the napkin over so that the slit you’ve created is now face down on the table. (Be gentle here.)
- Fold the napkin in half into a triangle again. Bring the top corner pointing away from you and fold it back down onto the bottom corner pointing toward you.
- Lift from the center so that the two corners on the left and right prop the napkin up. Voilà!
The Twist on a Classic: Cone Napkin Fold
This starts out like the pyramid but ends up with a totally different look.
- Lay the napkin down flat.
- Fold the napkin in half diagonally, creating a triangle.
- Rotate your napkin so that the point with the opening is pointed away from you.
- Take the two corners on the fold, on your left and right, and bring them up to the middle point.
- Flip the napkin over so that the slit you’ve created is now face down on the table. (Be gentle here.) Make sure to keep the open ends pointing away from you.
- Fold the bottom third of the napkin up, pulling the bottom corner to the middle. Press it down.
- Last, fold both the left and right sides underneath the napkin. You did it!
The Fancy: Silverware Pouch
This resembles a basic silverware holder, but as an all-star host we know you’re better than basic. This is the perfect fold to bump you up that extra level.
- Lay the napkin facedown and flat.
- Fold the napkin in half, creating a rectangle, and have the open end face toward you.
- Now fold your napkin into quarters.
- Turn your napkin so that the open corner is on the top right.
- Roll down the top layer of your napkin diagonally to the center and press it down.
- Roll down the next layer until it touches your first layer.
- Repeat that step one more time!
- Flip the napkin over carefully.
- Fold the right side in one-third of the way.
- Now fold the left side in on top, creating a column rectangle.
- Flip it over and slip in your utensils!
Make sure what sits near your napkin is just as spectacular: Luigi Bormioli glasses for every occasion. Your table will sparkle with our water glasses; white, red and champagne glasses; and coffee cups and saucers. We also have a full range of serveware, barware and specialty pieces for a timeless tablescape.
Looking for a fun way to show off your hosting prowess? Download our free printable wine tasting mat with expert tips on comparing wines plus an aroma tree of wine characteristics and plenty of room for your notes. Here’s to you, rock-star host.
Luigi Bormioli, the designer label of glassmaking, is synonymous with Italian Lifestyle. Our proprietary glassware formulas allow for an exciting fusion of elegance and technology. Designed to enhance the tabletop and elevate the entertaining experience, these machine blown glasses are made in Italy, lead-free, durable, have laser cut fine rims, and will maintain their clarity after thousands of dishwashing cycles. You will enjoy their quality, brilliance, and strength for many years to come.