The Christmas season is in full swing now, and even though I’ve been feeling a bit under weather, the Nichols household was rockin’ last weekend!

I love intimate dinner parties, and we had a chance to host one this past week for which I really enjoyed the preparation process. Rich, sultry shades of gold mixed with hues of ivory and white with a little jolt of red here and there…one of my favorite holiday palettes! After 5:30 cocktails (a little earlier start than usual), the six of us sat down to a 4-course feast. Lively conversation took us into the late night hours.

  Back into the cozy confines of our dining room for this intimate dinner for six, I decided to do the flip of last week’s dinner party and go all gold & white.

 

I bought this American Atelier “Florentine Gold Scroll” china years ago and have had only a couple of occasions to use it even though I love the design. (See this china used in a stunningly different tablescape HERE.) This table was set with the dinner plate and soup bowl only atop a gold braided-edge charger. (I took these photos late. The salad plates were chilling in the freezer!) All the brilliant gold had a chance to really shine against the solid white table linen. My favorite favor – boxes of Godiva chocolates – fit right in!

Keeping with the gold and scroll themes, I used goldplated flatware with a swirled design. The magnificent drinking glasses are part of a set my Mother purchased while on a trip to New York back in the 1970s. I always admired the set and am particularly drawn to the Roman soldiers on each. I have never set a table with these until now, but thought no others would do. The intricate gold design just seemed to demand its place on the table!

I am almost ashamed to admit how little I paid for these pretty napkin rings, especially since they are so closely hugging my gorgeous linen napkins. Truth be told: $1 each at Old Time Pottery. Shameful!!! 🙂 Again, their design elements just seemed the perfect match for this table.

I bought scads of these cool gold mercury glass votive holders at Village Gardens in Blue Springs, MO. They emit such a fabulous glow!

My centerpiece floral contains many of the same elements as last week’s post because I have TONS of this fresh seeded eucalyptus hanging out in my garage!!! The gold scrolled floral container is a perfect match for the china. A fat 3-wick candle perches atop another scrolled vase turned upside down.

Other gold elements on the table include elegantly embellished tree toppers in coordinating designs and these fanciful reindeer candleholders I purchased years ago at a wholesale outlet.

The sconces in the room got a holiday treatment of fresh greenery, berries and the same gold mercury glass votive holders.

The buffet was decked out in florals similar to the one on the table, reindeer, frosty white ornaments, and lots of candles in brass candlesticks.

The matching water pitcher! While it doesn’t hold a lot of liquid, it sure is pretty!

A few other Christmas tablescapes on this site include:
“Celebrate the Season”
“Christmas in the Woods”
“Kaleidoscope Christmas”
“Merry & Bright – Multi-Color Christmas”
“Christmas Through the Red Door”
“Life Is A Cabaret – New Year’s Eve”
“Waking Up to Christmas – Bedroom Decor”
“Black, White & Red All Over Christmas”
“Christmas 2012 – Red, Black & Silver”
“Checkered Christmas”
“Pink & Purple Chocolate Christmas”
“Sugar High Payback”
“Contemporary Christmas”
“Gentlemen’s Winter Retreat”
“Woodland Men’s Tablescape”
“Cranberry Christmas”
“Cranberry Christmas Squared”
“Get Me To the Church On Time”
“Christmas Progressive Dinner”
“White Hot”
“Winter Brunch”
“Really Red Christmas”
“Roman Holiday”
“Cardinal Christmas”
“Frosty the Snowman”
“March of the Penguins”
“Winter Cardinal”
“Ideas for Throwing a Winter Dessert Party”
“Christmas Fiesta”
“Over the River and Through the Woods”
“Black Friday Luncheon”
“Noel Progressive Dinner”
“Old-Fashioned Red & Green Christmas”
“Timberland Christmas”
“Christmas Coffee”
“Warm Metal Christmas”
“Let It Snow”
“Tuscan Holiday“

  I am thrilled to join Susan and all the other tablescapers at Between Naps on the Porch for Tablescape Thursday! You’re invited to hop on over to check out other fabulous holiday designs!!!