Can you just picture coming into the dining room on a cold winter night to this warm, Victorian style dinner table. Natural greens from the garden grace the table and bring the outdoors in.
The table setting starts with a velveteen runner edged in gold thread with scroll work at the corners of the runner. (thrifted $2.75) The greenery was arranged in three red pots banded in gold and scroll work picking up the scroll work in the table runner. (thrifted $1 each) Two kinds of pine, Leyland Cypress and holly with berries were used in the arrangements.
Two wrought iron candelabra were placed on the table….one at each end. They don’t match and are varied in height to add some interest to the center of the table. The wrought iron with glass candelabra was thrifted from Goodwill a few years ago and the intricately would wrought iron candelabra was thrifted just last week from Miracle Hill. At the base of the candelabra are small lanterns used to light your way through the woods. These were thrifted a couple of months ago for about $1 each.
Figures from Dickens, “A Christmas Carol” appear up and down the table adding another Victorian element to the table. The Christmas goose sports an evergreen and pine cone wreath and harbors good tidings and good food to come. The goose was a great thrift store find. I love the well-worn look of the wood and how it is just the right size for a table. It’s graceful neck adds great curves to the table setting.
Across from the dining table you can glimpse a tree decorated in Victorian style with some hand-crocheted snowflakes given to us for our first Christmas. I still use them on a tree every year. Wrought iron napkin rings that echo the candelabra encircle bright red napkins with a simple bouquet of evergreens and holly pulled through the ring. The greenery reflects the arrangements that run down the center of the table.
Red, hand-blown Colonial glasses add to the red and green theme. They are quite heavy and pick-up beautifully on the red Kate Spade by Lenox plates.
The plate stack is simple beginning with a gold edged charger with an old world look to it (available at Hobby Lobby). The Kate Spade plate comes next and is followed by a recent acquisition. I found 8 Currier and Ives plates in sepia tones with a dark green edging. The plates were from Miracle Hill and were under $5.00 for all 8 plates. The Victorian farmhouse and the horse drawn sleigh evoke memories of Christmas past.
Simple silver plate flatware from Miracle Hill adds some sparkle but simplicity to the table setting.
The red and gold pots add a natural element to the table. My yard has great plants for harvesting greens to use in arrangements. Haven’t used any flowers yet but that will come.
You can see Father Christmas through the candlesticks of the wrought iron candelabra. Another picture of the simple evergreen arrangement.
This tablescape is a bit of Victorian splendor in the middle of a snowy winter landscape. Makes you want to eat roast beef and Yorkshire pudding and sit by a warm fire with a glass of wine. Maybe we’ll do just that. Hope you get a chance to sit by your fire and enjoy a Christmas dinner in “The Moon of Wintertime”.