If Memorial Day weekend tends to be more about quiet reflection than barbecues and poolside play for you, this red, white & blue tablescape may be right up your alley. My inspiration this week comes not so much from something you can see, but the feeling in the pit of my stomach when I turned on the television this past week to see that we had lost yet another soldier from the Greater Kansas City area. Sgt. 1st Class Trenton L. Rhea, 33, was a member of the 200th Military Police Company in Belton, Mo., a suburb of Kansas City where I lived years ago. He drowned as he attempted to cross a body of water during combat operations in Kandahar, Afghanistan. My heart goes out to the family and friends of Sgt. Rhea and to all of those left behind to mourn the loss and cherish the memory of loved ones killed while in service to our country.
(Click on any photo to enhance/enlarge it to see details up close.)
This formal patriotic table for five began with a full-length white tablecloth topped with a navy blue square one from LinenTablecloth.com. Doubling (or even tripling!) the table linens renders a more lush look and plays up a multi-color theme.
Each place setting begins with a gold-leafed glass charger. A pristine white dinner plate with a prim gold rim comes next, and then finally a Ralph Lauren “Knockhill” navy blue-rimmed salad plate. While Knockhill is actually the name of a Scottish race car circuit, the red, white and blue coloring of the plate and the very regal crest seemed to work for this patriotic setting.
The simple addition of red and navy blue ribbon adds instant patriotic flair to the white napkins. Notice how the ends of the ribbon are dovetailed to mimic those of the Ralph Lauren banner on the salad plate. Gold flatware complements the charger and dinner plate rim.
Crystal stemware rimmed in gold.
What flower conveys messages of both love and tradition as clearly as red roses? Here, four smaller red rose balls surround a larger centered one, all in white ceramic urns. Stately gold candlesticks with formal white candles stand tall on each side of the centerpiece. (Faux flowers were used for demonstrative purposes here, but I encourage you to use fresh for “real” formal tablescapes.)
The centerpiece is finished off with two pairs of gold mercury glass votive holders for ambient light.
This tablescape would work well for any U.S. patriotic holiday (Memorial Day, Independence Day, Flag Day, Armed Forces Day, Labor Day, Veterans Day), but might perhaps also be appropriate for political dinner events.
Other patriotic tablescapes on this site:
“American Royal Tablescape”
“4th of July Coastal Style”
“Stars and Stripes”
“All-American Seafood Boil”
“Red, White & Blueberries”
“Missouri Show Me State Dinner”
Other posts with red rose balls on this site:
“Derby Day Dining”
“Kentucky Derby Buffet”
“Should Have Put a Ring On It”
I am pleased and proud to join Cuisine Kathleen for “Let’s Dish!” this week. She’s hosting a patriotic tablescape challenge, so you can see what lots of talented bloggers from around the globe are doing in celebration of the upcoming Memorial Day weekend. I’ll also be joining Susan for “Tablescape Thursday”. And in support of our military and their families, please join me for The Coconut Head Survival Guide’s “Memorial Day Patriot’s Palooza Party”!!!
May God bless the American soldier and his/her family, all of whom sacrifice so much.
Tablescapes at Table /Twenty-One 
Such a perfect tribute.
– The Tablescaper
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This is a lovely tribute to those brave men and women who give so much for our country. Beautiful!!! ❤
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That is a truly stunning table Alycia, and your words are so heartfelt and true. Unfortunately it can be so easy to forget the suffering and sacrifices our brave troops have made for our freedom. Thank you for sharing your red white and blue table and reminding us what is important. Your photo taken from above the table is a fabulous shot!
Jenna
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A very elegant and fitting tablescape. This is a very classy way to show tribute on Memorial Day. I love the centerpiece and the towering candles. The gold flatware complements the linens perfectly. Great job, Alycia.
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Wow! Absolutely stunning!! So very patriotic. I’m ever thankful to all the men & women who serve our country. My hand went to my heart, and I can’t decide whether to pray, or say the pledge of allegiance.
Love the RL plates. I’m not even going to ask how you got that amazing overhead shot. She who shouldn’t be balancing ladders.
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A beautiful and heartfelt tribute, Alycia. I salute Sgt, Rhea, RIP and thank you for your sacrifice. xo
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What a wonderful tribute.Patriotic and beautiful. The special touches… the red rose center pieces, the gold flatware…
Beautiful photos !
Happy Monday.
Hugs, Gee
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Gorgeous table Alycia. Love the ribbon, the red roses and those plates are awesome. Such a beautiful way of presenting this wonderful table. xo Linda
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Alycia, what a beautiful table and a tribute to the men and women that serve our Country. I salute you, my friend, for this wonderful thing!! I am so sorry for the families that lose loved ones at war and think and pray for them often, My husband truly is inspired by the military and we respect these men and women alot! To us this day isn’t just about fun and barbeques, it is about remembering those who serve to protect our freedoms.
Cynthia
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Stunningly beautiful table. What a fitting tribute to all our troops. Thanks for helping us remember what Memorial Day is really about!
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Very nicely done! Those RL plates really look great for this setting. I love how you did the tablecloths and the ribbon accent really pulls it together. The white and red centerpiece arrangement looks fabulous and pulls your eyes right up to it!
What a nice tribute to those who serve and have served in the military.
Blue is for Courage
White is for their honor
Red is for the blood that they shed
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What a stunning table — it looks fit for the White House! Do sad about the young soldier. I don’t know how many more will have to die before we clear out of that place.
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Sometimes it’s the simplest things that make the story shine. I love the white urns and the ribbons mimicking the banner on the RL plates. Memorial Day is honored in a special way with this beautiful tribute.
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A beautiful table to honor such an important day for Americans. I agree with commenter above, the White House couldn’t do it better!
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It’s always hard to hear of another of our servicemen dying far away from home. My heart goes out to this family.
Another great tablescape Alycia. Love red, white and blue. Those lauren dishes are great. We usually have to have our Memorial day events inside because it’s never guaranteed we will have outdoor weather that day. I’ll have to dig out my patriotic bin for a table setting for Sunday and Monday…
Hope you are having a good week!
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What a beautiful tribute to our armed forces and I hold the fallen soldier’s family in my prayers. Our second oldest son just retired from the Amy. By the grace of God he came home safe after two tours of duty in Iraq. We are truly blessed.
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I salute you Admiral….that is truly a beautiful and very patriotic Tablescape. Your showing me that there are other colors out there other then cream, white purple and zebra!! It is also a truly noble and very beautiful gesture to our armed forces. Great job!!
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Oh my, what a stunning and elegant patriotic tablescape. I want to make one, but your dishes, swoon!!!!!!!!!! God bless America…you make me want to salute when looking at your gorgeous tablescape for it! Thanks for sharing and for inspiring me, I’m going to give mine a chance…of course, with no great dishes like yours, lol..
Big hugs,
FABBY
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The table is just so perfect, I love the simplicity of the blue and white kand touches of red and the centerpieces are stunning….
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Such a beautiful patriotic table, Alycia. I salute you for always creating the most perfect table. Your plates are perfect for this table….Christine
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I know it’s becoming a pattern but I really want to see this on detail – so I need to be at home 😉 (should be working now :D) just let me ask you something: “How on Earth did you took that picture from above the table??? Did you hang Ramon in the ceiling and the poor soul clicked for his life?” ahahahaha
Amazing Picture though! And what a FABulous Table!!! WOW! Double WOW, in fact.
Back soon 😛
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Alycia, What a wonderful and quietly elegant tribute at the table. I love your addition of the ribbon and your classic RL plates. It’s easy to forget in all our holiday merry making that we are the Land of the Free because of the Brave. Thoughts and prayers to our military families for their sacrifices.
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Oh Alycia, this is a beautiful table. I love those Lauren plates. They remind me of some of the military plates with special insignias. Actually thought that is what they were at first, until I took a closer look and saw Lauren! I love those streamers on the napkins! Reminds me of honor ribbons and parades. A fabulous table once again. xo marlis
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I love the ribbons! The plates are awesome, too, and I love the red roses. The overhead shot is very striking! It’s perfectly patriotic and lovely. All of it.
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Ohhhhh…this table is….respectful….I love it. It looks so dignified and honorable. My favorite touch is the ribbons, because they immediately conveyed military ribbons/insignias. This is a lovely, lovely table, Alycia, and so appropriate for Memorial Day. I hope your weekend is exactly as you would choose it to be. ~Zuni
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Wow! and again Wow! Alycia… This table is absolutely stunning! It’s a table befitting the quiet dignity, pride and respect that our young men and women in the armed forces exemplify every day. I’m a total sucker for red, white and blue to begin with, then add in the RL factor and my mouth is hanging open. The ribbon runners under the plates are sheer perfection.
My daughter’s bedroom as a teenager was top to bottom RL “Teddies and Ticking Stripe”, with chambray accessories. (and an official RL teddy bear, of course lol) When she moved out, I immediately went out and purchased all new linens, also in red white and blue. :~)
It’s so hard to pick a favorite from among your many gorgeous scapes, but if I was pressed for an answer, I really think this would have to be it. (So far, at least) I know you can’t see me right now, but I am bowing down to THE Tablescape Diva!!! ~Mary
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Respectful formality. That’s the phrase that crossed my mind as I scrolled through this. I think this would be worthy of any General’s table. My favorite touch was the red and blue ribbons on the napkin. That was really beautiful and sort of gave it a medal effect. This was a perfect Memorial Day table.
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What an elegant, classic! This tablescape is just beautiful & also timeless.
Gorgeous china & the way you’ve presented it is perfect.
“May God bless the American soldier and his/her family, all of whom sacrifice so much.” AMEN!
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What a beautiful tablescape, Alycia–I love the collection of white urns you have, and also the wonderful large clock on the wall behind the table. Very patriotic, and nicely respectful for Memorial Day. For years, we were at the Sacramento Jazz Jubilee every Memorial Day weekend–it was fun.
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What a lovely table and the red, white & blues in honor of our military! Especially those who have made the ultimate sacrifice for our country. Love it! God bless America!
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Wow!! This is incredible, Alycia. Gorgeous all the way around!
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Beautiful table, Alycia. I really like those RL plates.
Have a great week…
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Alycia, this is such a special tribute table. Each detail represents the respect and admiration that all our men and women in service deserve. Thank you for sharing this beautiful table. ~ Sarah
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Alycia, God Bless America! You have set a respectful and elegant table. Great job on the the centerpiece and the towering candles. I have always liked gold flatware, and this is THE table to use gold.
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What a great patriotic table, Alycia, and you showed it in all it’s glory. I LOVE those rose balls in the white urns. You always make the most outstanding centerpieces.
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Perfect tribute, and a stunning table! The shot from above is amazing! Love those salad plates!
Thanks for taking part in the Patriotic Challenge at Let’s Dish, and have a wonderful weekend!
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An elegant and patriotic theme is wonderful for the Memorial Day tablescape. This appears to be a perfect tablescape for the White House for you always have great creations. Hope you have a lovely weekend this Memorial Day!
Pam
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You know me well, so you are in no way surprised that this is my idea of a perfect Memorial Day tablescape. The Knock HIll plates are spectacular, and I love all the gold touches. And you know that I immediately focused on those great urns. Oh, yeah. Thanks for inviting us for a peak. Cherry Kay
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Alycia, as always, you have set the perfect tone for this holiday. Ralph Lauren is probably my favorite designer – I adore those plates! The layered linens are beautiful – would love to dine here!
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Oh my, such an elegant table. It certainly works very well for all of the Patriotic holidays. You certainly worked your magic designing this table 🙂
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Alycia, your table is a beautifully elegant tribute to the many who fought for the freedoms you and I enjoy — yet so easily take for granted. I totally understand what you mean about the feeling in the pit of your stomach… I’m thinking it’s going to be a quiet time of reflection this year at our house.
BTW, I don’t know if you had five people coming to dinner or if you just thought it would make a great visual. IT DOES!
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Wow, love the shot from above of your patriotic table. You must have been handing from a rope to get that one. Love your RL plates and the ribbons really make the table pop. Take care and enjoy the weekend.
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A beautiful, elegant table with an equally wonderful tribute! Have a great weekend.
Blessings My Friend,
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Hello Lady A,
Amazing with your talent. It’s endless.
Love the way you elevated your simple centerpiece but this make the setting FAB.
P.S.
Check out my blog. Maybe you find something interesting. LoL*
Happy Thursday, girl.
Greetings from D´BoX,
/CC girl
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Oh Alycia! Your overhead shot (or, as I learned to call it, the Candyshot) is beautiful! As is your whole table. I love using ribbons on a table! And those RL plates are perfect! Now, I need to learn how to make a decent ball of roses! Or, just have you come over and do it for me?? Have a wonderful holiday dear friend 🙂
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Alycia,
Your table makes me want to stand up and salute! So stately. I am in love with this elegant gold candlesticks. Your roses are beautiful and you know I love how you filled up the center of the table! Dianne
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So pretty, Alycia. When I first saw them, I thought they were Presidential plates, or maybe a commemoration of a branch of the military service. They really do look very patriotic and are perfect for a Memorial Day scape. I love the way you placed the ribbons on the table. I need to remember that idea. laurie
P.S. I’m still laughing over the comment you left on my blog. You are so fun!
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Another beautiful tablescape! I love how you used the ribbons and the tall gold candlesticks are stunning! Thanks so much for sharing!
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I like the way you photo the table from above. You must be on a ladder. I have looked at the many patriotic tablescapes all personal and unique in their way of thinking about our past and present soldiers who are keeping our country free for you and me especially the ones who gave their lives for us God bless America.
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Very meaningful and beautiful table. Your post is touching and my heart lurched while reading it. many prayers will go out this weekend to all families who have lost love ones for the sake of this country. As usual your attention to details shine, gorgeous table.
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This table setting is just stunning. It really does exude patriotism. I had read about Sgt. Rhea in the paper. My heart breaks everytime I learn of another loss of life. You’ve captured the feeling well here. As usual, the flowers are perfect.
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Alycia, This is a beautiful patriotic tablescape. It has an elegance that most patriotic scapes do not. I love the tablecloth and the red rose balls. Everything is perfection. Hugs and blessings, Ginger
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I’m wishing you were here to inspire some kind of table for a Memorial Day gathering. I have some blue glasses and that’s about it. Oh, if you were just next door! Your choice of flowers for this table is perfect as is the entire feeling of the setting.
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Alycia, A truly heartfelt table honoring those who have fought and are currently in the military. Your tables are always an inspiration, but often it is your voice coming thru in your text that brings me to tears. Have a blessed Memorial Day. Hugs, Dawna
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it looks positively presidential! Loving the way you honored those who have served.
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This is a step above even the MS Memorial Tablescape!!!! 😉
Such a refined taste… suitable for Presidential Casual 😉 Memorial Day.
Those ribbons over the napkins give the laid-back touch that one should appreciate on such day. Not being very outsoorsy I must say I sighed pleased knowing we’d stay in that glorious room…
“United we Stand” Prasing and Praying for those who live and die protecting all of us.
Blessings upon you and all Americans on these hard times.
Love,
Teresa
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Thiis gorgeous, patriotic tablescape is a wonderful tribute!
All the Best,
Requi
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Your table looks fit for royalty. I love the regal colors and your use of the ribbon. This would be perfect for July 4th as well as Labor Day. Enjoy your week!!
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Hi Alycia – What a beautiful tribute to those who serve, especially this Memorial Day. I love the formality you add to the patriotic colors, the table is striking. Thank you for joining the Patriot’s Palooza party and Happy Memorial Day! Hugs, Holly
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I thought President and Mrs. Obama were coming for dinner. This was very presisdential and I loved it. You have such a great talent.
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Saw this in your sidebar today, so glad I did! I may be biased because I’m just a little Ralph-obsessed, but oh, my goodness! This table! Truly beautiful, I could seriously see this setting made larger and used as a setting for guests at a luncheon in the White House. Alycia, it is that FABULOUS!!
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