Creating An Unexpected Tablescape

     For those of you that read my blog often, you know that I tend to use the phrase "think outside of the box" quite a bit. I love to add the unexpected to my decorating and certainly my tablescapes. When my dad and his friend Mary were here last week, I decided it was a good excuse to fix a simple summer dinner and play with my dishes a little bit. I decided to use my pink floral china (labeled simply Fine China) because it echoed all of the blooms in my yard right now. I was tempted to pull out the green in the pattern with my placemats and use lots of white and pink, but that would have been the usual approach to setting a table with these plates. I thought I would walk you through the process of creating a different look.

 

     The oak table I have in my dining room right now is fairly small without added leaves. A tablecloth tends to overwhelm it. I decided to mix the pink floral with black for a richer, more interesting look. The center mat has silver metallic threads running through it. The others are plain black. Starting with the mats and the dinner plates, I added 2 pieces of vintage silver for added height and interest. 

Salad plates in plain black tie it all together. 

     The flatware is the same shade of pink as the flowers on the plates and pale pink wine glasses (I would actually have preferred black wine glasses with this look, but didn't have 4) complete the setting. 

Black napkins (from Halloween) and simple

silver napkin rings complete the look.

 

     The next step was creating the centerpiece for the table. I knew that I wanted to keep it low so that we could visit.  I also wanted things to "sparkle" in the candlelight. 

     I looked around my "dish room" and saw these beaded strands that are actually from Christmas. I knew that they would glow in the candlelight and yet not take up much space in the center of our small table. Don't forget to think about scarves, necklaces or beautiful pins to use in your centerpiece arrangements...unexpected!

      My pink roses were past their prime, but I had some blooms on the yellow bush that were just the right size for miniature colored vases from Crate and Barrel. For filler with the roses, snips of fresh mint, dill, lavender and lemon basil...all from my yard. Using fresh herbs in floral arrangements adds not only beauty, but wonderful scents to the room. 

     I just let the beading spill out of the silver pieces. I didn't worry about making it look perfect, I just wrapped it around some clear votive candle holders (with pineapple scented candles) and let it drift onto the table. 

     This certainly wasn't my most elaborate tablescape, not even close. It was simple and easy to talk over. It had enough color to look like summer and enough black to be elegant and the bits of silver and beads had a pretty glow in the light. Most of all, my guests found it pretty and that is the main goal. 

     I lit the candles before it was dark outside, so you can't really see the way things sparkled in the light after dark. This really was one of those table that was much prettier by candlelight. 

The menu was simple:

 

Rosemary Chicken

 

Roasted potatoes

 

Roasted Asparagus with Meyer Lemon Olive Oil 

and Lemon White Balsamic Vinegar

 

Watermelon, Feta and Arugula Salad

with a Balsamic Reduction

 

Dinner Rolls

 

Mom's Apple Cake with Vanilla Frozen Yogurt

 

For the recipe for my Mom's cake

(an easy, one bowl, family favorite) 

Click here. 

I am joining Susan @ Between Naps on the Porch 

for Tablescape Thursday.