Wednesday, December 8, 2010

CREATING CHRISTMAS...........II



We painted the dining room a few weeks ago.  It is a soft gray by Farrell and Ball called Hardwick White.  Many would say it isn't white at all.  (F&B Paints are English in origin and Hardwick White was originally created to touch up old white lime wash at Hardwick Hall.)  I am not a tablecloth person.
I prefer chargers or place mats.  I do own a few white damask tablecloths that are starting to show a little wear so my mission was to find something other than white when I went shopping.  Here is one of my new tablecloths...........I found a Ralph Lauren charcoal gray and decided to bring it home and do a white and green table.   I just started layering.....................

I used a vintage black lazy susan base, put a vintage white parrot inside and wrapped cedar and pine cones around that.  The table is dressed with extra large dinner plates by Casafina, vintage lettuce soup bowls and star plates that I found in San Francisco about 10 years ago.







 


I wanted something other than a bright colored napkin.  I was shopping at West Elm (have they changed!!) and I found these wonderful taupey-gray napkins
with woven silver threads.  Yes, I decided I needed those!  Love 'em.


                 I had been looking for a real pretty green wine glass for the last 6 months (way before Blog
                 fever hit my soul) and I was shopping at Pier 1 and much to my surprise, there they were.
                Evidently, others felt the same.  I bought the last 7 (if I break one at least I'll have 6) The
                clear wine glass with the ring above the stem is Simon Pierce.

                                                                           
                             This is presently what I have on the breakfast table.  It has been done in
                             granny apple green, red and white.  I have used red napkins and woven
                             napkin rings with silver deer.  I found the white plates with the red galloping
                             horses at West Elm about two weeks ago.  (OK, classic story), as I was setting
                             the table, my husband said,  " Did you buy more plates?"  I said, "Oh my gosh
                             no, I have plenty of plates!!!!!"  Woops!                      
                                                           


                                       How could you resist these?  I always say,  when something                            
                                       speaks to you, listen with your heart..........hmmm.



At the end of the breakfast table I brought out my old wooden floor grate (purchased at
Brimfield in Chicago on Clark Street).  I then added a small collection of depression glass
and filled them with tea lights.  At night when the tea lights are lit, that little floor grate
just seems to come to life as all of the facets in the cut glass just seem to dance.

 





Here they are lit at night, tho' a little hard to feel the ambience.
 




                    The deck off the dining room.................needed a little touch.   Incidently, I took the French
marble table back out side.  It just wasn't working inside as I thought it would.  Less is more.

                                                                        Well, kinda'.................


                                      See you soon.  I am just finishing our Christmas tree.

2 comments:

Gatsbys Gardens said...

Mary Anne, everything looks great. I am going to have to make it over to West Elm, but I don't have room for anything else!

Eileen

Anonymous said...

Mary Anne both tables are fabulous! I love the color of the RL cloth.

I have plenty of plates, but I cannot resist bringing more home!