A Tale of Two Table Settings
Do you like your table settings light and fresh or do you lean toward the dark side?
I love hosting parties. Costume parties, dinner parties, baby showers - you name it, I’ll host it. Because this year has been light on dinner parties, I’ve been dying to set a good table. So, now that the holidays are here, I finally have a reason to even if it’s for a small (very small) group of people. Heck, even if it’s just my husband and my kid you can guarantee the table will be set and pretty.
Confession time: Bessie and I were overly ambitious and actually planned 3 themes. But given that we spend half of most photoshoots being silly and laughing, we ended up with two and it’s a battle between light and dark. I really want to throw a Star Wars reference in, but I’ll spare you my geekiness.
We decided that with this year’s somber tone, you could go two ways. Really lean in and go for moody greys, or go in the opposite direction and opt for something more refreshing and lighthearted.
The Constants
There are a few things we kept consistent in the table settings:
The plates - these are my everyday plates from local ceramics shop Heath. I invested in these late last year and I love them. They’re sturdy, stylish, and can be used anywhere, anytime.
The flatware - the flatware is vintage Morinox from Italy. I’ve had these my entire life (hence the vintage) and my mom gave them to me when they were getting rid of stuff before a move.
The greenery - we set both tables with whatever greenery was in season, using them to anchor the fall and winter feelings without getting too kitschy with themed things. It feels fresh and elegant, but not too rustic when contrasted with the clean lines of the plates and flatware.
The linens - I want to be that person that buys really expensive, handcrafted, Belgian-made linens. I am not that person. Dining linens get SO dirty and I’m not the best or most diligent at getting stains out. Thus, all the linens are from H&M. Another great option? Zara Home.
The Light
To counter a weird year, it makes sense to want to fill your life with lightness and more carefree things. But how does one do that when fall and winter are inherently darker seasons?
For this place setting, we used matching tablecloth and napkins to set a neutral base. Then we anchored the table with fall foliage, but in brighter shades: pomegranates, lisianthus, and red berries. To add verticality, we used vintage milk glass bud vases to house the lisianthus, and staggered them down the length of the table.
The overall feeling is fresh and pretty, but still decidedly fall.
The Dark
When it’s dark and cold outside, we have a tendency to lean in on cozy and moody things.
To decorate, we opted for a dark grey linen table cloth and charcoal linen napkins. Then we mixed up our foliage, choosing heavier pieces (but still keeping the adorable pomegrantes) like olive branches (with real live olives attached!), bell-like greens, and dark berries.
Vintage brass candlesticks in varied heights and taper candles added visual interest to the setup.
Bessie and I have agreed to do this every season, so stay tuned for Spring!