Olla-Podrida: tablescape

Showing posts with label tablescape. Show all posts

Tuesday, December 31, 2024

Thursday, December 12, 2024

Santa All the Way Tablescape

This is a riff on last week’s Christmassy non-Christmas table. Many things remain in place, I just swapped out a few to get an entirely different look. If you are hosting a number of parties over the holiday season, there’s no need to go crazy digging out all of your dinnerware when a few changes can make such an impactful difference.

The hunter green tablecloth is the same, as is the yardage that I used as a runner. Similarly, the chargers and dinner plates are the same. I have come to learn that while placemats and chargers make up the overall look, people pay less attention to these background items than they do the specialty pieces. Because of this, it is so easy to change a table by only removing an item or two.

I kept the bold lime green napkins the same, as well as the Milano red flatware by Ginkgo International in the Le Pris pattern, but swapped out last week’s apple napkin rings for these Santa napkin rings that I inherited from my mother.

Instead of the apple items that made up the focal point of my last table, this one is Santas all the way. The same nubby-edged red plates from Pier One are in place, but I topped them with these darling Santa salad/dessert plates that I inherited from my mother as well. On top of those are these wonderful “Ho! Ho! Ho!” soup bowls that I also got at Pier One, and I love them! I was lucky enough to get these two, as these sold out almost immediately.

The Fiestaware pitcher from last week has been replaced with a Fitz and Floyd Santa pitcher that does double duty as the centerpiece. He sits on top of, and is surrounded by a variety of faux greenery (I used this and this) and berries.

The coffee mugs match the pitcher and so are also by Fitz and Floyd. This set is very early Fitz and Floyd, and one of the first things of theirs that I collected. I still remember buying this at a gourmet shop (The Second Story at Plaza Frontenac for locals) in an upscale mall here in the area back in 1978. I guess that makes this vintage.

Finishing up the table I used simple black candlesticks filled with these wonderful battery operated pine tree candles.

This whimsical and colorful table is surely one that will delight young and old.

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This post is linked to: Tablescape Thursday

Monday, December 2, 2024

Holiday Table for Two

Despite the fact that many people start decorating for Christmas after Halloween, for me, the Christmas season doesn’t officially begin until the day after Thanksgiving. As such, I have spent the past number of days going up and down the steps carting up my holiday decorations. During this month I hope to have a number of different tables to share with you, beginning with this one.

What I hope to convey with this table is that you do not have to have Christmas dishes, or any type of Christmas decorations in order to create a festive, seasonal table. Upon close inspection, there is nothing Christmassy on this table at all, with the exception of the Christmas colors of red and green, colors that I chose because they are the color of apples as reflected in the Franciscan “Apple” dinnerware pieces that I have used here.

A hunter green tablecloth provides the base. I manufactured a red runner out of some fabric that I had stored in the closet. I simply folded it to the size that I wanted and ran it down the center of the table.

The charger plates are Italian ceramic; I inherited these from my mother. I topped them with a bright red dinner plate from Pier One. A Bordallo Pinheiro geranium salad plate was placed on top of this, with the final piece being a bread and butter plate in the Franciscan “Apple” pattern.

The cups and saucers are also Franciscan apple. The red stemmed water glasses are by Villeroy and Boch; the wine glasses are from Rogaska in the “Gallia” pattern.

The Milano red flatware by Ginkgo International in the Le Pris pattern seemed the perfect choice. The Apple napkin rings that I used here I have had for decades, and have no idea where I got them originally. I decided to go bold with lime green napkins, and I really like the look.

This is a lovely table that would be perfect for a holiday lunch, while employing no specialty pieces whatsoever. Start shopping at your house for items that you can use for the holidays.

The pitcher is Fiestaware, the centerpiece is nothing more than a simple candle ring, hurricane, and pillar candle. I scattered apples of various sizes at the base of the hurricane to pull everything together.

This post is linked to: Tablescape Thursday

As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

Thursday, November 21, 2024

Tom Turkey Table for Two

It seems as though my Thanksgiving celebration gets smaller and smaller every year. It has gone from a table of 14 down to this year‘s table for two. But no matter how many people I serve, I want that table to be special, and the food to be good.

This table for two out in the conservatory is where I enjoy most of my meals. It’s cozy, light and bright, and I am surrounded by all of my plants. It makes me happy just being in this room.

The table covering is a simple chocolate brown table round. I chose tin chargers to complement the rustic, wicker turkeys flanking either side of the place setting that have tin heads and tail feathers.

The fall garland and iron candle holders are from a local gift shop. I interwove illuminated maple leaves among them that you can find

here.

The dinnerware is by Johnson Brothers, in the “His Majesty” pattern, something I have been collecting for years.

I like to start my meal with potato leek soup, it has become a bit of a tradition over the years, and I enjoy serving it in this turkey tureen. The lid keeps the soup warm throughout the meal.

The colorful turkey coffee mug is a sentimental favorite of mine. This came from Ladue Florist, a lovely local florist and gift shop that my mother and I used to frequent. She bought me 12 of these about 20 years ago and I have loved them ever since.

The water glasses are by Mikasa in their “Park Lane” pattern.

The coupe glass is new this year. These come beautifully boxed in a set of four, and I find that I use them not only for champagne and wine, but martinis as well.

The plaid napkins I’ve had for years, they came from Pottery Barn. The flatware is Mikasa ‘Opulent’ hammered flatware,

No matter how you intend to celebrate your Thanksgiving, whether you are hosting a crowd, or dining on your own, make it special.

Happy Thanksgiving, everybody!

This post is linked to: Tablescape Thursday

As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

Thursday, September 5, 2024

How 'bout Them Apples? TABLESCAPE

I had big plans for lots of table settings this summer, but sadly, did very few of them. But, I am beginning to emerge from the heat and humidity, am truly embracing September, and today felt like celebrating fall with this apple table.

I don’t often use my dough bowl — I’m not quite sure why — but it proved the perfect vessel for this beautiful combination of Granny Smith and Honeycrisp apples from Melissa’s Produce. Interspersed among the apples for a little bit of pattern are the Tennessee Dancing gourds that I grew this year. It is on these colors that I based this table.

The stack of ceramic apple bowls belonged to my mother, as did the wire basket holding Fuji apples, and vibrant red flatware. The smoky stemware belonged to my mother as well.

The tin chargers come from a favorite local shop, The White Rabbit; the glass crescent salad dishes are vintage, and one of the first things I purchased after graduating from college. I had a small table, and reasoned that these would take up less room than the traditional round salad plates, and I was right. I still love them after all these years.

Number two son gave me the bright green appetizer plates and cocottes; I love that color with the red.

Woven placemats, black plaid plates, and green plaid napkins are all from Pier One.

The cups are vintage, and a part of a bigger set of Galloping Gourmet (Remember Graham Kerr?) cookware that was given away, piece by piece, for free with a $10 or more purchase back in grocery stores in the ‘70s.

I always find a transitional table appropriate for this time of the year. I don’t generally bring out the rusty reds and burnt oranges until October, but look out when I do!

Get the look:

This post is linked to: Tablescape Thursday
As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.