SET A SPRING TABLE
How are you all doing post-holiday my favorite party people? If you're thinking at all like me (so long 2016!) you are probably over the snow, the rain, the sleet and ready for happy days to be here again. What better way to celebrate 2017, lose the mood and look forward to a new season than some insane tablesetting therapy. For me, dreaming it up is half the fun and setting it...is the finale.
So, here it is, my first spring tablesetting of the new year! And, once again, with pretty PAPER from Sophistiplate. I know I say this every time, but whenever I finish designing and styling a table with Sophistiplate, I always have the same thought. I can't believe this is paper! I mean, can you?
I imagined this table could be set for an engagement party, bridesmaids luncheon, a wedding or baby shower, lunch to celebrate your favorite girls for no particular reason or, the fanciest brunch you ever have set. I thought of this as just pure romantic goodness and exactly what I needed to put some pep back in my step after ALL this rain in California.
Linens: I was looking for a light background and remembered my kate spade new york 'all wrapped up in bows' off-white tablecloth. I found it at HomeGoods and snagged it. I didn't know exactly what I needed it for when I saw it. I just knew I did. It has a delicate pattern of bows and isn't too ivory or too white, but somewhere in between. The color also coordinates with my black and white striped paper runner from Hester & Cook and I LOVE the look.
Placesettings: People often ask me how I create a tables that look like this using paper products. Good question. I tell them I set with paper the same way I set with my fine china. It's really that simple. I might be okay using pretty paper 'dinnerware', but I'm not ready to move away from the real deal when it comes to flatware, stemware and accessories on my table. For this setting, I layered the Ivory & Classic Gold Collection from Sophistiplate. This 44-piece set and service for eight that includes charger plates, dinner plates, salad/dessert plates, appetizer/dessert bowls and napkins. I mixed and matched solid white pieces, along with gold edged pieces mirroring the way I would set my fine white china and accent plates. Under the dinner plate, I added a black flour sack napkin (from my friends at Merc Textile - who hand make the cutest towels!) to add some color to the placesetting, and topped the settings with mini-bouquets for each guest, that also doubled as place cards. I wrapped a pink flour sack napkin around the bouquet to keep it looking pretty (and the stems neat!). To keep it all together, I added monogrammed leather napkin rings from Mark and Graham and accented the placesettings with my gold flatware from Marchesa by Lenox.
Cocktails or Wine: With a placesetting this sweet, I knew a glass of rosé was (clearly) in order and it needed to be in the perfect coupe, topped with edible flowers. My version of the word 'perfect' here are these stemmed cocktail glasses (yep, Mark and Graham!). Of course, there is always plenty of champagne on ice at my house and...wine.
Flowers: Can I just say that this was my first attempt at a flower arrangement like this?! I knew what I was going for and with hydrangeas, Juliette roses, white mums, an assortment of filler and lemon leaf in hand, I took a stab at it. Yes, I'm very proud and I love them. I used a natural wood covered vase with a rope handle, wood sliced chargers to elevate the single stem filled mini-vases from Design Ideas and added a few votives. I scattered small gifts for my guests wrapped in the same paper as the runner and tied with black grosgrain and pink satin ribbon. I tucked some small florals under the bow for some extra color.
I've been itching to do a bouquet bar and with the heart filled holiday just around the corner, I thought why not let everyone make their own bouquet and add a little flower love right now. Nothing elaborate, but just enough to try the idea on and something sweet to take home. With clean, cut stems (remove nasty leaves and thorns) in mason jars or vases, floral wire to wrap the bouquet, cut paper, flour sack fabric or napkin to wrap the stems, pre-cut ribbon, twine, tags, a sharpie, your golden scissors and poof! Flower bouquets will appear.
To hold all the goodies to make the bouquets, I used Sophistiplate appetizer bowls, which are also good for obviously, appetizers, but also candy, nuts, mini-desserts, cookies and more.
SHOP THE LOOK:
The flowers really inspired the palette for this table and feels like a breath of fresh air for the (very early!) first signs of spring. So, what do you think? Do you want to sit with us?
xx, Deborah