The Table Is Set

Saturday's neighborhood event - annual progressive dinner - was fun and our part of hosting dinner for 10 was a great success. We met these 8 neighbors for the first time. We were all an hour late to the next course - dessert/nightcap - as everyone was having such a great time.

The table was warm and inviting with an eclectic mix of styles and formal pieces interspersed with less formal ones. The infusion of turquoise, orange, lapis, gold, hints of green, and of course, white to lighten things up helped create a fun and relaxed space. This was certainly not meant to be a formal event.

Everything came together perfectly.

I took pictures at every opportunity I could during the day therefore the change in the light in different pictures. I set the table in stages and the flowers were added Saturday afternoon.

Much later in the day I added soup bowls for salad so you will see the table set without these in some of the pictures.

Everything I used I already own and I would have used flowers from my own garden if I had anything in white that was in bloom. But I bought 5 bouquets of the daisy poms at $4.99 a bouquet.

And the turquoise shells and glass gems added perfect color in my assorted jar collection and the arrangements were intentionally simple but effective with the mini flameless candles for a soft glow - more effective at night.

Like I had mentioned in my previous post, I kept the floral arrangements low so as to allow for easy conversation across the table.

This table is a beautiful piece and I like to enjoy it without a tablecloth whenever I can.

I only have place settings for 8 and so I had to add white china at the heads pf the table. My formal china is Grande Ivory in Imperial Lapis by Mikasa. It is about 18 years old and so is the flatware which has just a hint of gold in the delicate tassel pattern to tie in with the gold border on the china.

I did not include additional forks for salad as I have noticed in the past for such an occasion these are rarely used.

The placemats are woven vinyl ones by Chilewich. They were a great buy from a few years ago. I even have another set for daily use at the kitchen table. These are strong and so easily washed by hand  - so perfect with kids around. They come in a variety of colors.

I used crystal glasses for water and a set with different tinted colored glasses for wine. The wine glasses did not take away from the overall look and color scheme of the table.

The coasters for the glasses are 2 different sets; old. I need to find new ones. But these served their purpose.

I also had only 8 beaded napkin rings...

...and so I made my own for the heads of the table and did this at the last minute before the guests walked in the door so the flowers were fresh. I used daisy poms and some hemp I already had.

The orange cotton napkins are from Crate & Barrel. These I have had for a few years. I decided to use fabric napkins (instead of paper) in order to soften the space particularly as I have removed the rug from beneath the table and do not have any curtains in place right now.

The dining table, when extended, can comfortably seat 10 and we have even hosted 12 at the table. But we bought 8 chairs for it and so I pulled in 2 extra chairs - the ones with spindles - from around the kitchen table.

I added some of my tallest flameless candles for additional ambient light.

For those who might be interested, on the menu for dinner (this was catered):

Pear Delight Salad - poached pears, mesclun greens, mozzarella, mango and homemade pot wine dressing

Cavatelli in a pink sauce

Chicken alla Sophia - prosciutto with mozzarella, spinach in a  brown demi-glaze.

The table before:

After:

It was a fun evening and we walked home from the last house (dessert/nightcap) after 1 a.m.! 

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Thoughts On Hosting A Sit-Down Dinner

We are hosting part of a neighborhood dinner this Saturday evening.

We volunteered for this Progressive Dinner. It is an annual event  - started exactly 40 years ago - with 100 to 150 people attending . Cocktails, dinner and then dessert/nightcap - offered at a different homes throughout the evening...therefore guests "progress" to the next house after each course. Several homes are required for the first 2 courses and one house opens up for the final course of the evening.  A great opportunity to meet new people and catch up with others. Dinner is a sit-down affair and we have offered to be one of the houses to open for dinner. This course is always catered.

 

I will have 10 people seated at the dining table. I have started to consider what I would do for the centerpiece. You may recall what I did for the ladies' event a couple of weeks ago. This was before the food was placed around the table. I had kept it simple.

For the dinner this weekend, I will have place settings for 10 with wine and water glasses. I do not want the table to look over-the-top or too busy. The Manzanita candelabra will be a little too wide on the table for this occasion and will cut into the space for a place setting or two. I have to work with the china I have - a formal set  - and will balance that with some less formal items I already own. I plan on only buying flowers. The food will be served buffet style.

 

I also decided not to use the woven bamboo table runner like I did before. These braided table mats I have had for many years; picked up in India.

I also have some like these.

I had recently purchased some turquoise shells and glass gems from JoAnn's to infuse this color into the dining room and living room decor. I am considering a floral arrangement with these.

As you know, my glass jar collection is growing and I thought I could perhaps use these in a grouping for the center with flowers and maybe candles.

I like to make sure that people seated at the table are able to view each other across the table without much, preferably any, hindrance from table decorations. The height of an arrangement has to be kept in mind.

Here I am playing around with some ideas involving flameless candles. I love to use these in the warmer months to create a relaxing mood and add ambient light. They give an almost natural glow without the heat of real candles.

I grouped 8 jars together. Candle inside jar.

Or candles between the center and outside ring of jars to create a sort of backlight and add sparkle to the turquoise gems and shells.

Trying out the look. Here are the flowers - still going strong from a couple of weeks ago - without candles. These flowers are on their way out and I will be buying fresh ones for the event. I think I might use white daisy poms again. I like how these are looking with the turquoise.

And with candles.

I might have one of these at each end of the table. With flowers, of course. And you get a glimpse of my Chilewich placemats. More on that later.

By now you might be wondering what my china looks like. Stay tuned.

I will be setting the table this evening and will share more.

And I do need to talk about my new blog design and will do so next week. Thank you to those who have noticed and commented.

Enjoy your weekend!

If you require any help with Interior Decorating please click on the tab at the top of my page marked 'Services' or click here for further details.

I would love for you to leave a comment. Thank you for stopping by; please do check back often.

Art For The Basement Walls

I have been redecorating the basement for the kids. It has always been their playroom but the room needed to "grow" with them and required updating. I wanted to move toward adding more color with the artwork. I have some old and found some new ones which I am incorporating into the plan for the space.

Last summer I purchased some stunning prints from Etsy shop, Margin. These Kaleidescope Flora pieces have so much vibrant color and are such fun. I thought they would be beautiful displayed as a set. These are just the patterns. Each is sold separately as an A4 size print.

I have found the perfect frames for them and will share those with you later.

We have had these 2' 3" x 1' 6" laminated wall maps from Lakeshore Learning Store for a few years. They have great color and the kids still use them as learning tools and to play school so I have held on to them.

 

 

This metal subway sign was purchased last year on ebay.

 

And this huge, stunning piece was created on brown paper by my daughter, Isabel, a couple of years ago, when she was 12. At the time she did it, it was just a person. I have interpreted it to be a person in motion - dancing, exercising, having fun. This was part of an art class in school. By the time the piece made it home at the end of the school year it had been rolled up and had crinkles all over. It lends the piece some texture, I think.

 I purchased a roll of white paper from Michaels' last year and used Mod Podge to adhere the brown paper piece onto it to give it a frame of sorts and to highlight the piece against the taupe wall color. It is now 3' 2" x 5' 2".

This artwork has been up on a wall in the basement for a while - an appropriate spot which will be shared with you in time.

So far so good. The basement is coming together.

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How I Decorated The Dining Table

On Wednesday evening I hosted a 'Ladies' Social' event in the neighborhood. It is a tradition that started many years ago and is an informal gathering held once a month. It used to be a 'Ladies' Coffee' get-together after dinner but has gradually evolved into an occasion where wine is offered - more appealing, I would guess.

I have hosted a couple or more of these over the years and decided my dining room was complete enough to "open" it to the public again after having stenciled the walls. I still do not have curtains or newly upholstered chairs but right now it is all about enjoying the walls.

I was not entirely sure how I was going to dress up the table until the previous day. I kept it simple.

I have some tablecloths which I have used over the years but did not feel like digging those out just yet. I had purchased this bamboo striped table runner from Bed, Bath & Beyond last summer. I never used it. I decided it would bring some great colors to the table - ones I am planning on introducing more of.

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I had also loved this Manzanita Candelabra made of aluminum and available at west elm last year. It holds nine mini taper candles. It sold out by the time I decided to purchase it. It was available again earlier this year and was on backorder. It arrived last month.

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Love it! The organic shape is quite amazing and it has so much dimension. I would imagine that each piece is different. I had purchased it for $99 and it is now available at a special price of $79.

The mini taper candles are not included and and I have yet to order them. I had thought I could purchase these anyplace easily but that is not the case. I will get some from west elm.

I have a small collection, a growing one though, of mason and other  - organic-blueberry-preserve-for-my-breakfast-with-oatmeal-from-Trader-Joe's - jars. I thought these, with a few flowers, would lend a perfect organic, unfussy look to the table along with the candelabra.

I chose some basic daisy poms - a bouquet for just $4.99 - from a local grocery store to place in four jars and placed them in a linear fashion to balance the organic branches of the candelabra.

The flowers were not arranged in any particular way because I wanted them to look natural.

It is about balance.

A few more pictures.

It would have been nice to have candles in place to add a little more height  to the vignette but by the next event in a few weeks I hope to have some.

This was a simple and effective table centerpiece. It tones down the formality of the dining table, adds color and natural elements which are more organic than the obvious wood furniture.

Some light fare - olives, cheese and crackers, strawberries - and wine were added later. It was a fun evening.

I love how this looks! It would be so much fun and easy to add flowers in one or more other colors, coordinate the place settings, glasses or the napkins and so on. Easy decorating of a dining table.

One last thing...once again, the picture from the Goldeneye resort which I love and am using for color inspiration, framed artwork on the dining room wall and the table runner...coordinate.

And yes, the stenciled walls were also a huge hit!

I would love for you to leave a comment. Thank you for stopping by; please do check back often.