Good Morning, Friends. It’s the “Dog Days” of August…..hot and humid. It’s “Back to School” time with extra energy needed to get back into a school routine, after school activities, practices and homework. It’s not really Fall but we’re all thinking about cooler days, apple picking and falling leaves. In short……we’re in transition from summer to Fall, from one set of routines to another and adjustment is what’s required by all to make things work.
Home decor is also in transition and while we’re not completely decked out for Fall you can see signs of Fall beginning to appear. Today I’m focusing on another transitional table setting. I chose to reds and whites with some Fall colors to soften the look and take away some of the “heat”.
Today’s table setting really began with the tablecloth in deep red and white. The white stitching on this tablecloth keeps it from falling into the “only for Christmas” category. I really use this tablecloth all year. I also decided to use some wood to bring us a little closer to Fall.
The centerpiece went through a few versions before I settled on this one. I have this great tray that I found years ago. It’s probably 2-3 feet long and narrow. The base is made of tin and it has a really rustic looking handle. It’s a great vehicle for potpourri, fruit, pumpkins, and Christmas greens. I filled the bed of the tray with potpourri made earlier this summer and then added some votives. That didn’t look quite right so I substituted some neutral toned pumpkins for the votives. It seemed a little bare so I added some flowers to the handle and wired them in. The red and white dahlias reflect the tablecloth and the dried hydrangeas pick up the greens in the potpourri. Plus it smells wonderful.
The plate stack starts with a Fortessa bone china charger. There’s something very appealing about a simple white charger. Next comes the dinner plate which is Rutherford Red by Lenox for Kate Spade. Then I placed a red and white checked napkin on the dinner plate. A Pier 1 fruit/salad plate added some vibrant Fall color to the table setting. Each plate has a different fruit or vegetable in a large pattern that covers the plate with exuberant tones.
My daughter was over for dinner a couple of days ago and created some origami Star Boxes for me. They are large enough to hold a treat for each guest. The paper was different for each box she made and they were just big enough to hold a gift bag of potpourri. It’s nice to have something for your guests to take home as a remembrance of their visit.
The wooden candles at either end of the table are banded in chased metal and hold pillar candles in neutral tones. They pick up some of the colors in the potpourri and add a little weight to the table.
I used Vera Wang crystal. It is gorgeous and catches and reflects the light around the table. Duchesse by Wedgewood is the pattern. Can you believe I found these at the Thrift Store? There was a complete set of 8 red wine and 8 white wine goblets.
For this table setting I used Rogers Bros. Remembrance silver-plate. This was also a Thrift Store find and works well for this place setting. It has some detail but is not overwhelming so keeps the feel a little more casual.
The colors all came together for this table setting. Some Fall and some Summer elements make it a good transitional setting. You can set a really great table with your Thrift Store finds as you transition from Summer into Fall.