Thread colorful grosgrain throughout your dinnerware

Grosgrain fascinates designer John Loecke, and the bright splashes of color photos in his new book, "Grosgrain Style" (Potter Craft, 2007, $21.95 paperback) make his passion for the sturdy ribbon invigoratingly visible.

For example: He wraps rings of grosgrain around ribbon-edged napkins on a table set with grosgrain-decorated place mats and votives. A grosgrain-adorned chandelier hangs above the table and ribbon-dressed dining chairs are placed around it.

"I love using grosgrain in the dining room," Loecke said in an e-mail exchange. "I often use it to establish a theme for a dinner party. Draping ribbon over your table in colors that fit the season (gold, orange and red for fall) or the occasion (plaids and polka dots for a birthday party) or those that simply coordinate with your china is an easy and inexpensive way to make your table a knockout without investing in lots of expensive linens."

His passion for grosgrain, plain, striped or spotted, goes back to early childhood and his wonder at his grandmother's collection and versatile uses of it, he said. "But the real reason I favor grosgrain is that this simple staple is available in so many vibrant colors and patterns" and "the decorating possibilities are practically endless."

The book is packed with quick and creative projects for accessorizing and decorating with the ribbon, along with practical information on tools and sources. There's also a charming chapter on wearing it -- as cheery edging on a tote bag, as a flirty hatband, as dashing shoelaces for sneakers, as beads, bangles and belts.