Hello and welcome today to a look at a functional centerpiece made to resemble a tool box. My talented hubby put this together for me. I wanted the centerpiece to be pretty as well as useful…… not always an easy combination to achieve.
I started with this great rustic looking box made from cedar planks with a beautiful copper handle that will develop a patina over time. It’s made of five wooden pieces that are nailed together. The side pieces are routed to allow the copper handle to fit snugly in place. I left this unstained and unsanded as I wanted a more casual look for the table. Sanding and staining would achieve a sleeker centerpiece for your table.
The next step was to take a tall mason jar and wrap a lovely linen napkin around the jar. I secured the napkin in place with a rubber band. The napkin has a cut and embroidered flower design that faces front. The edges are all nicely finished with a darker thread color giving the napkin some dimension while keeping the tones subtle.
Next I wrapped a 2″ wired ribbon around the jar covering the rubber band. The ribbon has a butterfly motif that fits in with a casual setting. The ribbon is secured with two small paper clips, one on the top and one on the bottom.
Water and flower food are added to the jar.
I made a quick trip to the garden and gathered a small bouquet of multi-colored flowers including blue hydrangea, yarrow, and camellias. With some foliage filler they made a very pretty posey. I placed the flowers in the wooden box so that the napkin and decorative ribbon show above the cedar sides.
Napkins and some salad dressing fixings were added to the box and then set in the center of the table. Since we were having a large garden salad for dinner, oil and vinegar were important additions to the meal. You could add mustard and catsup or a variety of other condiments to the box depending on what you planned to serve.
I like how the napkins drape over the edge of the box adding a diagonal line to the table. Napkins are easily switched as you vary the table setting.
You can see in this picture how nicely the centerpiece fits into the overall table setting. It’s functional and pretty at the same time. Just what I hoped for. Give this a try in your home and see how it works for you.