simple rustic table setting

I recently helped a neighbor set a table for a small dinner she was hosting. She wanted something that whispered "rustic elegance" but with simplicity and at no cost. 

We started with a white piece of cloth and cut two runners out of a burlap roll I always have on hand. White cotton napkins were rolled and tied with jute rope, and we wrote each guest's name on a piece of kraft card stock with a calligraphy pen. A cactus in a muted taupe pot was the perfect centrepiece to continue with the rustic and calming tones of the table. The place settings needed just a little something extra, but I didn't want to add colour, so a few almonds did the trick! Simple, easy and without consuming any new stuff (except the food!).