Contemporary Christmas Tablescape – Fire & Ice

November 26, 2012July 27, 2017 / Alycia Nichols / 67 Comments

It’s the holiday season! Already!!! And now it’s time to get serious about planning a variety of tablescapes for parties you will host throughout the season. Let’s kick it off with one whose elements of warm, glowing fire and crisp, cold ice are perfect all winter through (sans the tree, perfect for New Year’s Eve or any January tablescape)…for not a lot of money!

This quick 90-second video shows how this scrumptious winter table for eight looks with the lights down low to take full advantage of the ambient light. (We got ahead of ourselves and completely forgot to take still photos of the room with the warmth of the candlelight all aglow!) NOTE: There is Christmas music playing in the video background, so mute your system if you’re at work or the kids/hubby are napping! 🙂
(Click on any photo to enlarge/enhance. Photos and video by Sheri L. Grant)

This room was transformed to a warm but wintry haven for my “Tablescaping a Winter Wonderland” class taught through MCC-Longview. While this table is a “square” made from two 6-ft. oblong tables kissed together horizontally, the same effect could be easily achieved on a 72-in. round table using a round mirror. This table can seat up to 12 depending on whether or not a charger is used and how much stemware and flatware is at each place setting. Rather than traditional snowy white linens which would work just as well (as would pewter or silver with a few tweaks), I opted for creamy ivory from LinenTablecloth.com.

Each place setting is anchored with a 13″ mirrored charger from Hobby Lobby. (Buy these when they’re 50% off!) Bone white 10 Strawberry Street dinner plates are from Tuesday Morning, and the J.A. Henckels very contemporary “Bellaserra” flatware can be found at Macy’s. An ivory napkin with a sleek silver napkin ring rounds out the place setting.

Clear glass stemware is from Old Time Pottery. It goes on sale for 99¢ per stem fairly often, and I keep it around by the case for entertaining large groups. The style is so versatile and works for both casual and formal tables.

This is no doubt my favorite part of the entire room! An old frameless mirror from the bathroom wall in our former home is just the perfect size for the table centerpiece. Without a frame, the mirror lays flat like a slick sheet of ice. I use these clear glass cylinders a lot, and having a number of them in various sizes in your decorating arsenal is a good thing. They can be so easily transformed into whatever you need for them to be! Here they are filled with “icy” branches anchored with lots of acrylic “ice.” (Faux snow would be another viable option that would render the same frosty effect.) The shorter cylinders are filled with silver ornaments and more “ice.” The silver pieces and crystal faux ice are both highly reflective in the mirror below. (To see another tablescape using the frameless mirror, click HERE.)

To break up the expanse of glass across the mirror, I anchored the four corners with these silver urns. If silver urns aren’t in your budget, try spray painting clay pots. The evergreens bring in another wintertime element, are a splash of nature, and are the only real “color” on the table. Buy evergreens that can be planted in your yard at a later date to get more bang for your buck.

Now this is where the drama is taken to a whole other level: the votive candles!!! Line them up like a fiery fortress around the perimeter of the mirror. This is a relatively inexpensive way to add ambiance, glow and sass to your tablescape. Notice the shape of the votive holders is the same as the taller glass cylinders for a uniform look. Don’t skimp here. The more the merrier!

I always like to dress the fireplace mantel with decor that reflects what’s going on on my table. Here it is decorated with more glass cylinders, some of which are filled with icy garland and others with the same “ice” used on the table. A smattering of clear acrylic Moravian stars – some stacked on top of each other just for fun! – bring shape and more shine to the vignette. (I had no idea these were called Moravian stars until my sweet blog buddy, Jewel of Carolina Jewel’s Table told me!) Notice how the silver urns with evergreens are repeated here. Votive candles finish the look and add warmth.

Both the fireplace mantel and this tree underwent several changes over the three weeks of my winter tablescaping series! This is the first night’s look for the tree, and it’s a little more sparse due to the contemporary nature of the tablescape. The silver and crystal ornaments work well with the table and mantel decor. Rather than spending money I don’t have on a silver tree skirt, I used this round crushed silk tablecloth folded in half and carefully arranged around the bottom. (This is the same tree that started out as a Charlie Brown Christmas look-alike last year. See it HERE for its sad little “before” and glorious red & gold “after.” Ironically, I am wearing the exact same outfit in the 2011 photos. Santa, Mama needs a new wardrobe!!! :-))

So this is the first of many Christmas tablescapes created as a teaching tool for my students. Stay tuned for more in the coming weeks!

For more Christmas tablescapes on this site:
“Winter Cardinal”
“Really Red Christmas“
“Pink & Purple Chocolate Christmas“
“Winter Dinner“
“Cranberry Christmas“
“Cranberry Christmas Squared“
“Sugar High Payback”
“After the Hunt – Gentlemen’s Winter Retreat“
“Get Me To the Church On Time!“
“Christmas Progressive Dinner“
“White Hot“
“Winter Brunch“

For more tablescapes on this site using glass cylinders:
“And the Winner Is…“
“Welcome Back, Joel“
“Flamingos In Paradise“
“Oopsy Daisy“
“Raining Orchids“
“Winter Dinner“
“Get Me to the Church On Time“
“Mardi Gras Mojo“
“Apple Green Luncheon“
“Pretty In Pink“
“Love & Orchids“
“Autumn Orchids“
“March of the Penguins“

Other tablescapes on this site using a mirror centerpiece include:
“Roses In October“
“Happy Birthday, Barf!“
“Hooray For Vodka!“
“Breakfast at Tiffany’s”
“Shake, Rattle & Roll ‘Em!”
“Princess Pink Birthday Dinner“

I’m so excited to join my fellow tablescapers on a couple of the really fun blog parties again this week including Cuisine Kathleen’s “Let’s Dish!” (anytime after 6:00 p.m. CST on Wednesday) and Susan’s “Tablescape Thursday” (anytime after 9:00 a.m. CST on Thursday).

Winter Dinner Tablescape

November 20, 2012May 11, 2017 / Alycia Nichols / 60 Comments

I had a good time this morning doing a live segment on holiday tablescaping at our local CBS station, KCTV-5, on the “Better Kansas City” show. Host Kelly Jones made me feel very comfortable and welcome. It was weird to be on the “other side” of a show like that. I hosted a half-hour news program called “District Directions” way back in the 1980s. (Yes, young people…television had been invented back then!) Don’t know if it’s because I’ve ~~aged~~ mellowed or what, but it seemed less frenetic than back when I was doing the interviewing with someone else in the hot seat some 25 years and 40 lbs. ago!

Behind the anchor desk of “District Directions”, November 1987.
That was then…

…and this is now, 25 years later.
On the set of “Better Kansas City” with my friend, Barbara, and host Kelly Jones.

I wanted so much to hate the tall, svelte, gorgeous, gracious host of the show because she is tall, svelte, gorgeous and gracious, but I just couldn’t. She was aces! 😉 My friend, Barbara, is skinny, too, and she did a fantabulous job of helping me to set up. Because she is skinny, though, I have officially decided I don’t like her, either! 😉

So…the table. My segment was first up, so Barbara and I kicked into high gear with just about 45 minutes to get everything ready. I had set up at home first to make sure I had all the necessary elements. Our dining table is 6 ft. x 42″, but the table on set was only 30″ wide. I made some adjustments for width by putting 3 place settings on each side. Then, per the director, I moved some of the centerpiece items around to create an unencumbered sight line for the camera.

A quick change out of my very ladylike Keds and chambray work shirt into high heels and jacket, then ready, and…we’re live!

Click the image above to see the live segment. (For those of you hearing my voice for the first time…I’m sorry! I kinda laugh like a hyena in heat! ;-))

Here’s the winter tablescape as it was set up at home…

Having a 42″ vs. 30″ wide table makes a huge difference! I like the way both turned out, though. It’s really a very simple tablescape to create that doesn’t burn through your bank account. Lots of candlelight adds warmth to the wintry look while the glass cylinders, mirrored chargers, and silver Christmas ornaments add that icy shine. The pine cones bring a rustic element to the tablescape. Changing out the ornaments for gilded mini pumpkins would turn this into a slick contemporary Thanksgiving look, while deep-sixing the pine cones for miniature disco balls (mirror balls) would transform it into a terrific New Year’s Eve tablescape.

So that’s my day in the bright lights! Many, many thanks to host Kelly Jones, producer Erin Cansler, and all the terrific folks at KCTV-5 and “Better Kansas City” (including that very handsome camera operator!). A special thanks to Ty Edwards of All Things In Place who recommended me for the show and to Barbara Alsup for getting up at the butt crack of dawn to help me set up.

For more Winter tablescape ideas, please visit the Winter page!

For more tablescapes on this site using clear glass cylinders:
“And the Winner Is…“
“Welcome Back, Joel“
“Flamingos in Paradise“
“Mardi Gras Mojo“
“Apple Green Luncheon“
“Oopsy Daisy“
“Raining Orchids“
“Pretty In Pink“
“Autumn Orchids“
“Love & Orchids“
“Contemporary Christmas – Fire & Ice“
“Get Me to the Church On Time“
“March of the Penguins“

I am linking up with Cuisine Kathleen this week for “Let’s Dish!” and Susan for “Tablescape Thursday” so please join us!

Have a Happy Thanksgiving, everyone!

Thanksgiving 2012 – Celebrate Me Home

November 14, 2012December 19, 2012 / Alycia Nichols / 43 Comments

For the first time in as long as I can remember we won’t be hosting Thanksgiving dinner this year. I can’t even begin to tell you how deeply wounded I am about that. It is hands down my favorite holiday, and I always look forward to my loud, gregarious, hungry family and friends gathering under our roof. Sigh! 😦 I know I just need to put on my big girl bloomers and deal with it, but instead I find myself hitting the “repeat” button on my playlist for Kenny Loggins’ “Celebrate Me Home“.

For my “Fabulous Fall Tablescaping” class this semester, I created a decidedly contemporary Thanksgiving tablescape. I am a traditionalist all the way when it comes to Thanksgiving, but I wanted to demonstrate to my students that you CAN step outside of the box without completely thumbing your nose at tradition.
(Click on any photo to enhance/enlarge it. Photos by Sheri L. Grant.)

More often than not, the main table for our Thanksgiving celebration is set up in the family room. The windows face south so there’s plenty of natural light, the crackle of the fireplace adds ambience, and with two 6-ft. tables kissed lengthwise, we can comfortably seat 12. There’s just something about a long, Tuscan-style table that suggests a bounteous celebration.

As usual, full-length linens are used to cover the multitude of sin that is a folding table. I used a creamy, soft ivory to work with the ivory dishes. Burnished gold-tone acrylic chargers with a subtle braided edge from Hobby Lobby anchor each place setting.

Pumpkin-colored napkins from LinenTablecloth.com bring a burst of color to the table. The simple elongated fold allows the napkin to slightly drape off the side of the table to break up the expanse of ivory there. You may have noticed how the kind of bell shape and the pumpkin color of the napkin mimic that of the calla lilies used in the floral arrangements. This is one of those subtle details that, while not starkly apparent, plays on the subconscious to suggest harmony and flow.

I like to provide individual menus for Thanksgiving settings, even if we’re doing a buffet. It’s nice to let your guests know what to expect, and the menu card serves as a nice (and inexpensive!) memento of the day. Notice how the small embellishment on the menu not only provides a bit of color but mirrors the centerpiece theme.

“Why on earth would you use (faux) bamboo flatware at Thanksgiving,” you might ask. Well, I’ll tell you why on earth: because it looks good! Bamboo flatware isn’t just for Asian- or tropical-themed events. It is a year-round, all-occasion staple that adds contemporary flair. You will notice later how the dark color works with the rosewood stands upon which some of the florals are displayed, as well as the preserved curly willow in the arrangements. Using a dark color here also keeps the setting from becoming too vanilla and helps to balance the light and bright of the ivory and pumpkin colors.

Simple, stark stemware is used to keep patterns from getting out of control. The shape and sleek design of the stemware bowls is also congruent with that of the floral vessels.

One of my favorite mediums for decorating is glass. You can just do SO much with it. It becomes whatever color and takes on any shape within its confines that your imagination will allow it to. The round or globe shape of these clear glass bowls adds to the contemporary feel of the table. They are alternately placed upon rosewood stands for a staggered effect. A chunky ivory LED (for safety’s sake!) pillar candle is nestled among swirls of curly willow tips and pumpkin-hued calla lilies. (I used faux callas here for demonstration purposes, but fresh ones work beautifully for this arrangement! They’ll stay fresh for a bit if in a cool room, but you might otherwise want to give them a water stem that can be concealed beneath the willow.) While a more traditional bloom for Thanksgiving might be roses or mums, the calla lily is a breath of fresh air without sucking all the life out of tradition. While this curly willow is now pretty much petrified, you have to start with fresh to swirl it in the bowl without breaking it. It looks great fresh or rigid. One final thing to note with the centerpiece is how, like the stemware, the votive holders are similar to the shape of the vases.

Vivid color is shared at the lowest part of the table with these gorgeous mini pumpkins that are abundant this time of year. Using a mix of colors adds optic interest. Here I went with plain orange as well as cream-colored ones with orange & green stripes. The casual tumble of pumpkins between each arrangement acts as a “connector” and provides visual continuity for the long centerpiece.

I always like to create a foyer piece that contains some of the same elements as my dining table as a hint of what’s to come. Here bittersweet vine is loosely wrapped around the stems of about 40 calla lilies in a large oil rubbed bronze urn.

Find other ideas for Thanksgiving tablescapes on these posts:
“Pheasants and Peacocks“
“Best Laid Plans“
“Wondrous Wheat“
or on the “Autumn” page where you’ll find 10 autumn tablescapes!!!

This week, despite her own losses and inconvenience courtesy of Hurricane Sandy, Cuisine Kathleen is graciously hosting her 1st annual Thanksgiving Tablescape Challenge. So if you’re looking for more great ideas to decorate your Thanksgiving table…or you just want to see talent gone wild from tablescapers all around the world…scoot on over to Kathleen’s “Let’s Dish!” anytime after 6:00 p.m. CST on Wednesday. I’m also joining the Style Sisters for “Centerpiece Wednesday” and Susan for “Tablescape Thursday” anytime after 9:00 a.m. CST on Thursday.

Have a Happy Thanksgiving, everyone!

Quick & Casual Plaid & Paisley Fall Dinner Tablescape

October 10, 2012December 12, 2012 / Alycia Nichols / 47 Comments

I’m going to say it just this once, and then I’m going to leave it alone: dear, sweet, lovable husbands…get a clue!!!!!!!!! To be fair, this does not include all husbands, but I think the vast majority have no idea what kind of time, effort, and preparation goes into a dinner party. Even if it’s a casual dinner, there’s a measure of thought and toil necessary to pull it off. I’m not saying it was my husband who was the most recent offender…….but it was MY HUSBAND who was the most recent offender!!!

OK…enough bellyaching about something that is just as inherent on his end as it is incomprehensible on mine. Given only about 12 hours notice and already beyond knee-deep in other tasks, this is the quick & casual fall dinner tablescape ~~I pulled out of my…~~ I created (and photographed just minutes before everyone arrived!).
(Click on any photo to enlarge/enhance it.)

This is the way the table looked before I went into panic mode…my “regular centerpiece” just hangin’ out, mindin’ it’s own business, not hurtin’ anyone.

No time for ironing a table linen! No time for creating a fabulous centerpiece…use the one that’s already in there (you’ve been looking forward to pairing plaid with paisley anyway!), and just adjust it to make room for all the dishes.
RUN, Forrest…RUN!!!

Rust-colored metal chargers work well as the foundation to this beautiful 222 Fifth “Maharana” paisley patterned dinnerware. I used a plain white Corelle salad plate to break up the color a bit and work with the white of the bowl’s center. Using a bit of white or ivory helps to brighten your fall tablescape and prevent color saturation that can make darker tones seem to disappear into the table.

The burgundy brushed cotton napkins (Pier 1) are folded across the salad plate and “zhushed” on each side around the bowl just to make them look a bit more interesting.

Olive green stemware from Dollar Tree picks up on the olive tones in the centerpiece fabric and paisley dinnerware design.

A length of lightweight plaid fabric in fall shades of pumpkin, burgundy, olive and cream is carefully “zhushed” around a massive faux pumpkin. Faux bittersweet vine meanders around and across the pumpkin while a small smattering of votives provides ambient light.

The votive candles on the buffet behind the dining table were already assembled from my tablescaping class earlier in the week, so I just left them there and served everything from the kitchen. (If all else fails, just design your room with tons of candlelight. Everybody looks good in the glow of it, and it adds a lot of pizzazz without a lot of effort!!!) Pumpkins, also used in a classroom demonstration, are plopped down across the china cabinet and on the tea cart to add another touch of fall in the room.

Thank goodness for Costco!!! Dinner done, dining room decorated, dressed, and smiling like a Cheshire Cat for guests in under 12 hours. Feelin’ pretty good about myself right now. Hubby’s still wearing a steak over his eye! 😉

Check out more Fall tables on this site:
“Autumn” page (10 fabulous fall posts on this page!)
“Casual Fall Harvest Dinner“
“September Harvest Breakfast“
“Pumpkins & Peacocks“
“Wondrous Wheat“
“Pheasants & Peacocks“
“Best Laid Plans“
“Serape High Style“
“Sunflower Simple“
“Raining Orchids“
“September Wine“
“Autumn Blues“

You still have about a week to sign up for my “Tablescaping a Winter Wonderland” class through Longview Community College. Click HERE for more information, or contact the Community Education Department at 816-604-2030.

I am joining Cuisine Kathleen for “Let’s Dish!” starting at 6:00 p.m. CDT on Wednesday, the Style Sisters for “Centerpiece Wednesday“, and Susan over at Between Naps on the Porch for “Tablescape Thursday” staring Thursday morning at 9:00 CDT. If you want to get an eyeful of great fall tablescaping ideas, join me!

Purple + Green = Happy Birthday!

August 21, 2012December 19, 2012 / Alycia Nichols / 56 Comments

“Best friends are those who, when you show up at their door with a dead body, say nothing, grab a shovel, and follow you.” –author unknown

I have been very fortunate to have the same best friend for nearly 50 years. Yes, yes, I know…I only look 25 (HA! :-)), but it’s true: Sheri and I have been friends since the 1st grade!!! We have seen each other through all of what life has flung at us, and we’ve had a rollicking good “Thelma & Louise” kind of time through it all. No two people could be more different, have more diverse interests, be as “day and night” as we are, but that has never seemed to matter. We’ve always remained the Yin to the other’s Yang. Like Felix and Oscar…with ovaries! 🙂

Sheri has a birthday coming up on Friday. While she prefers to keep things low-key these days, I can still at least imagine the party I would throw in her honor! This is a setting that would also work well for a bridal shower or, with grapes and pears added to the mix, a lovely summer vineyard wedding reception.
(Click on any image to enhance/enlarge it.)

Varying shades of purple with bright lime green tempered with white would be a welcome sight for the birthday girl and her guests. The setting is simple with relatively clean lines, but it has lots of energetic color. The setting is anchored with a floor-length white table linen that, not unlike an artist’s canvas, shows off that color at its best.

Each place setting begins with an acrylic lavender charger from Michael’s, followed by a lime green dinner plate from Dollar Tree (a great place to really stretch a buck…everything in the place is just $1!!!) and a white Corelle salad plate. You don’t always have to use top of the line dishes and accessories to create a beautiful, tasteful, memorable tablescape!

White cotton hemstitch napkins are simply cinched with a length of lavender organza ribbon.

The flatware is also kept simple. The only embellishment on it echoes the ridges on the rim of the dinner plate.

Sheri and I both love to eat good food. She sometimes phones me to ask, “What do I feel like eating? I know I’m hungry, but I can’t figure out what I want to eat.” I ceremoniously smack my lips and wrack my brain for something tasty that I think will satisfy her taste buds. It actually works about 90% of the time! The menu for her birthday would include food that I know she loves. I created these menus on my home computer using specialty papers from Michael’s and Hobby Lobby.

I have waited what seems like a lifetime to use this stemware!!! I love the sultry plum color! The goblets are from Stein Mart, and the fun pilsners are from T.J. Maxx.

Sheri has always loved flowers, and there would be no shortage of multi-bloom bouquets at her dinner party to perk up the room! Here, an assemblage of hydrangea, roses, Dutch tulips, acid-green viburnum, and Dutch lilac in simply-styled lime green ceramic vases mixes with a scattering of plums and green apples.

The buffet behind the dining table boasts the same colors for the florals and accessories but includes a bit more white. The purple & green floral pots are actually lightweight and convenient-to-store Styrofoam™! I bought them at a wholesale place headquartered in a town just about 35 minutes away from our home. These will come in very handy for future Spring and Easter tablescapes!

Chunky pillar candles embellished with the same organza ribbon used to tie the napkins are set atop curvy white turned wood Z Gallerie candlesticks.

Ask guests to wrap gifts in colors that will complement the decor. Here, woven strips of lavender organza and lime green satin ribbon dress up a plain white gift box. The box is gussied up even further with a few blooms that match the decor.

A plain pitcher is made to look special by the deep, rich apple juice/plum juice/peach nectar beverage created just for this occasion. Slices of fruit always give a little more “oomph!” to beverage displays. The lime green acrylic appetizer plates are from Target.

I always like to add little touches throughout the room that complement the table decor. The china cabinet in the corner is treated to the same flower pots as the buffet but filled with chartreuse roses and raffia filler.

So what cocktail hour music would I choose? Songs about friends, of course, with Queen’s “You’re My Best Friend”, Sweet Baby James Taylor’s “You’ve Got a Friend”, and Kenny Rogers’ “You Were a Good Friend” topping the list. And as we’re both fast approaching our AARP years, what kind of friend and hostess would I be if I didn’t include the theme from “The Golden Girls”? 😉

Through thick and thin, good hairstyles and bad, for better or worse, from here to eternity…Sheri Lynn Grant will always be my best friend. She has to be…the girl knows way too much! 🙂
Happy Birthday, Sheri!

Other posts on this site using purple:
“Purple & Pastel“
“Planning in Purple“

I will be joining Cuisine Kathleen for “Let’s Dish!” this week along with Susan at Between Naps on the Porch for “Tablescape Thursday“. C’mon by and take a peek at what all the tablescapers from around the globe are up to!

Kentucky Derby Buffet

April 3, 2012August 9, 2017 / Alycia Nichols / 66 Comments

If you missed out on the Tartan Parade that started on April 1 at Upstairs Downstairs, Hyacinths for the Soul, Vignette Design and The Polohouse, be sure to click on over to see some really fabulous representations of Scottish tradition. Since they were accepting simple plaid for us non-Scots to be able to participate, too, check out my entry “Pink Plaid & Posies” which is a charming celebration of Spring-y pastel plaid!

It’s already the first week in April, and with time flying this fast the 138th Kentucky Derby will be here before you know it! (That’s May 4th & 5th.)

For my first “Art of Tablescaping – Buffet Style” class last month, I put together a Kentucky Derby buffet for the students to consider for ideas and form. Next week I’ll feature the sit-down dinner version, so please be sure to stop back in to check that out, too!
Click on any photo to enlarge!

Yes, that’s me hiding behind the horse’s hindquarters! Perfect product placement, huh? 😉 This horse really gets around a lot lately. This week he’s prancing on a bed of red rose petals, while just last week he was featured out on the deck in my Spring/Summer brunch post “Carousel Colors“! (He can also be seen in the posts “Run for the Roses” and “Celebrating Longview Farm“.)

Although this table is facing one way, I need for you to imagine it going lengthwise this direction starting at the plates & forks. This is a heavy Mission style table, and there was no way I was going to try and move it!

I draped the table in a full-length black linen to make it just sort of disappear and allow the brilliant red and silver be the stars. The start of this casual buffet table allows guests to take a plate from the double stack and a fork from a line on either side. The forks are arranged in an interesting “head-to-toe” pattern partly for the sake of playful design and partly to help allow more forks to fit into the available space. (Try it! You really can fit in at least 2-4 more forks!)

Initialed napkins, a gift from my best friend, are displayed in a silver champagne bucket. The idea is to not only provide a basic service but to also “stair step” (forks at the lowest level, plates up a bit higher, napkins next highest) the start of the buffet for a dramatic effect.

A themed buffet is the place to really play with unusual serving pieces. For example, loaves of French bread are displayed in a pair of black riding boots that resemble those worn by the jockeys. The boots are actually an umbrella stand purchased at Z Gallerie! (I got it for half price because of a tiny chip at the top that no one will ever see!!!)

Almost nothing says Kentucky Derby like a silver mint julep cup! Bread sticks are offered here, but you can serve just about any and everything out of these…including actual mint juleps!!! (Note: If you don’t have the budget for a lot of silver juleps, consider contacting your florist for faux silver cups like the one above. C’mon admit it…Would you have known if I hadn’t told you?)

Chafers look really great when lined up like tin soldiers in a clean, single line. These are smaller 2-qt. capacity chafers as opposed to the larger 5-qt. ones most often seen. It’s nice to have smaller ones on hand for serving smaller crowds or if you need to conserve table space. I bought these at Big Lots for $15 each about 10 years ago, and I have recently seen them in that store again. (Of course, like everything else, they cost a little more now!)

Derby time is the time to pull out all the silver – heirloom or nouveau – and put it into service in conventional and unconventional ways. For instance, when’s the last time you saw grape scissors like these? They were made popular in the super pompous Victorian era to snip small portions of grapes from a large bunch for eating. They come in just as handy in this post-dot.com era!

Instead of running for the roses, this horse is running with the roses…in his mouth! The traditional blanket of 554 red roses for the winning horse may not be his, but he’s got his own sense of style on the track! 🙂

The area behind the buffet table is set up with a punch bowl (a loose replica of the famous punch bowl that graces the dining room sideboard of the governor’s mansion in Arkansas) full of the traditional bourbon, mint and simple syrup concoction known as a mint julep. Making juleps in large quantities in advance cuts down on time spent behind the bar. Guests can ladle their own into a silver julep cup with ease. Uncouth lushes like me may simply opt to stick a giant bendy straw in the bowl and have at it!!! 😉 The silverplated julep cups pictured here (yup…these are the real deal) are highly recommended to bring out the full experience of each frosty sip! (Unless you can afford the too-rich-for-my-blood sterling silver which is the ultimate!!!) When purchasing julep cups, make sure they are suitable for food consumption. Some contain a compound that allows them to be used for decorative display only.

Red roses throughout the room are a given…and a must! Here, festive yet sophisticated red rose balls are set atop heavy oil rubbed bronze urns on each end of the sideboard and flanked by a pair of silver candlesticks.

Don’t forget about your entryway! Here, a bouquet of red roses greets guests/students as they check in for class. Consider also a wreath of red roses on the front door in the shape of the traditional blanket or perhaps a horseshoe.

Don’t forget to check back in next week for more Kentucky Derby tablescape ideas. I’ll have a full sit-down dinner table prepared for you.

Other Kentucky Derby posts on this site:
“Run for the Roses”
“Derby Day Dining”
“Should Have Put a Ring On It”
“Roses In October”

I’m linking up this week with Kathleen for “Let’s Dish” starting at 6:00 p.m. (CDT) Wednesday, Centerpiece Wednesday with The Style Sisters, and Tablescape Thursday starting at 9:00 a.m. (CDT) Thursday. Join us, won’t you? And catch me over at BeBetsy.com, too!

Peacock Pizzazz!

February 21, 2012February 8, 2018 / Alycia Nichols / 52 Comments

Peacock feathers. There’s just something about them. They’ve just got that snappy, snazzy, razzle dazzle kiss-my-foot-and-call-me-Your-Highness pizzazz about them. This time of year a peacock feather centerpiece or side piece can really jazz up a tablescape as well as add texture, height, and implied motion.
(Click any photo to enhance/enlarge it.)

No table linen or placemat for this one. The natural wood of the dining table just felt right. What I did for this tablescape, however, was to mix colors and china patterns to mimic the pageantry of the peacock. A goldleafed glass charger is the foundation for an American Atelier “Florentine Gold Scroll” dinner plate topped with a 222 Fifth “Ornamental Scroll” salad plate. The white in the dinner plate helps to break up the heavy concentration of color in the place setting.

The deep teal poly-cotton napkins from Home Goods are cinched with a Pier 1 “Beaded Circle” napkin ring that reminded me of a male peacock’s tail feathers when I first saw them. (Would someone please explain to me how it is that the male peacock got to be the showier one??!?!?! What a rip off!!!)

This goldtone flatware really gets a workout around here in the fall and winter months!

A mix of teal blue stems from Stein Mart and Dollar Tree green stemware pulls from the colors of the male peacock’s plumage.

I found these jeweled peacock place card holders at Tuesday Morning many years ago. For this occasion, a faux gemstone, like those in the holder, is added to the place card.

The peacock feathers I have are 52″ in length and interfered with the light fixture above the dining table. I did, however, want to capture the colors of the feathers in the centerpiece, so I used a single teal glass cylinder with a floating candle centered between clusters of goldtone candlesticks. Like the dinner plate selection, white candles were my choice in order to break up the high concentration of deep hues.

The peacock feathers, arranged in large Vidrios San Miguel green vases from TJ Maxx (also seen HERE), were moved from the dining table to the buffet behind it with a repeat of the teal glass cylinders and goldtone candlesticks. It took a total of 50 quills (25 each vase) to achieve this look. A feather, cylinder, and candlestick display similar to this would look great down the center of a reception buffet table, too!

As a side note, I wanted to demonstrate how this table could be easily transformed to a dramatic Fat Tuesday/Mardi Gras look with the simple addition of a mask adorned with peacock feathers at each place setting. This would also make a kickin’ New Year’s Eve tablescape!!!

I hope your Mardi Gras celebration is a safe and fun one! When you finally wake up from your hurricane-soaked gumbo coma, please join me for Tablescape Thursday at Between Naps on the Porch!

Another tablescape on this site using peacock feathers:
“Proud As A Peacock!“

Winter Cardinal

January 3, 2012July 29, 2017 / Alycia Nichols / 58 Comments

Christmas is over and the new year is well underway, but I’m still diggin’ the spirit-lifting spurts of bright red around the house. Even though snow has mercifully dodged us thus far, it is January so the trees are bare and the feel of winter definitely abounds.

I was sick (yes, again!) last week and spent a lot of time staring out the window planning my escape. I saw the most beautiful cardinal perched on a low-hanging branch for what seemed like an eternity and a fleeting moment all in one. She was a striking creature in her shockingly red coat and heavy-handed eyeliner. She brightened an otherwise dreary winter’s day with her brilliant color and gave me inspiration for a winter tablescape.
(Click on any photo to enhance/enlarge it.)

I bought these 222 Fifth “Winter Cardinal” dinner plates on clearance at TJ Maxx awhile back. The same thought that struck me while looking out the window is what attracted me to these plates. The tiny speck of red, while miniscule by comparison, is the star of the flat white plate with its silvery, sinewy, naked trees. (Click HERE to see another red, white & silver winter tablescape.) To add a little drama, I went with a double dose of contemporary square chargers in silver and red from World Market. Turning the top charger at a slight angle allows the red on bottom to just barely peek out…kind of like the cardinal in the tree. (Click HERE or HERE & scroll down to “Year of the Rabbit” to see other tablescapes using doubled square chargers.)

The contemporary lines of J.A. Henckels “Bellaserra” stainless works well with the setting.

The slender tube-like fold of a red cotton napkin is secured with a silver napkin ring.

Each place setting is punctuated with a square glass votive filled with waterlogged cranberries and topped with a fragrant white carnation. (For more tablescape ideas using cranberries, click HERE or HERE.)

Another shot of red revs up the stark white linen via the TJ Maxx table runner. I double-folded the center part back to lend more of a 3-D look with just the decorated ends exposed. The barren silver trees on the runner are a nice companion to those on the plates, and it could just as easily find its way into a Christmas tablescape.

I love the look of pavéd carnations! This simple arrangement of easy-on-the-budget white carnations is anchored by acrylic “ice” chips for a wintry look and topped with cranberries for color. My husband said the square shape makes it look like a layer cake with whipped cream, which would make it perfect for a birthday party, shower, or anniversary! He’s right, but I think he just wanted cake! 🙂 (Click HERE to see another post using acrylic “ice.”)

The buffet behind the dining table gets an austere, yet somewhat theatrical treatment. A square glass floral container filled with more acrylic “ice” chips holds dramatically arched branches coated in silver paint. Peering from within is a lone cardinal. Another glass container is filled with fresh cranberries for the requisite shot of color. Votive candles dance the length of the buffet.

Champagne anyone?

I am thrilled to join my fellow tablescapers as we start this new year together at Susan’s Tablescape Thursday. Come along this Thursday, won’t you?

White Hot

December 27, 2011April 7, 2012 / Alycia Nichols / 32 Comments

Planning a table for an low-key, intimate New Year’s Eve dinner party can be a little tough. We had a super sparkly table last year, and I am considering a similarly blinged out table for this year’s celebration. (Click HERE to see last year’s post, “Ringing in the New Year.”)

For those preferring something a bit more subdued before the noisemakers come out, here’s an idea table that just might fit the bill.

I am and always will be a sucker for a full-length white linen for most semi-formal and formal settings, unless you have a table with a pristine finish or interesting design.

I used some of my favorite TJ Maxx creamy white dishes with scrolled rims atop the polished silverplate chargers, but just about any nice white dishes will do.

International Silver “Royal Danish” sterling flatware adds to the formality of the place settings.

Godinger‘s “Chelsea” collection crystal stemware.

White linen napkins pulled through heavy crystal napkin rings from Z Gallerie‘s 2010 collection.

Simple silver spheres to hold place cards.

Reflective silver 14-inch, 5-branch candelabra dripping with crystal bobeches grace the center of the table. If you have concerns about fire safety like my husband does after THIS fiery fiasco last summer, reduce the risk by using metal case candles (also referred to as mechanical candles) such as these from Paradise Candles. Not only do they up the fire safety ante, but they save your nice linens from wax drips.

If Christmas broke the bank for you, alstroemeria is a good economical flower choice. Here, a single bunch from the florist is divided and arranged in classic silver julep cups.

The clean, polished look is finished off with scattered cut crystal votives.

This look is also appropriate for a bridal shower, rehearsal dinner, adult birthday or a little something special on Christmas Eve.

I’ll post this year’s actual New Year’s Eve dinner party tablescape next week…if I can decide exactly what I want to do with it! 🙂

HAPPY NEW YEAR TO YOU AND YOURS!!!

Really Red Christmas

December 21, 2011January 20, 2012 / Alycia Nichols / 29 Comments

This isn’t a tablescape, but I thought you might like to see the decor around the main floor of our home for Christmas 2011. I didn’t have to spend one thin dime (lucky me, because I don’t have one to spare!), but I had a ball rifling through all the decor stored in crates that I have either never used or haven’t worked with for a while. We may have had to scale way back this year, but I think it’s pretty…and very, very red!!!
(Click on any photo to enlarge it. Photos by Sheri L. Grant.)

Upon entering the front door, this is the view up the stairwell. I love lots of candlelight! This works beautifully for Christmas or even for a candlelight wedding anytime of year. These are all LEDs for safety’s sake, of course!

At the very top of the stairs is this goose from the family room all dressed up for Christmas.

The banister in the front entry hall is adorned with lighted wreaths hung with the same gold polka-dotted red velvet ribbon used inside and out this year. The poinsettia by the front door was a gift from our neighbor.

I dressed the dining room to replicate as closely as possible the same decor I used for the children’s Christmas party earlier this season sans tableware. (Click HERE to see the children’s party post.) I also added a few wreaths to dress it up a bit more.

Across the hall in the library is a reproduction Louis XIV vitrine that we use as another bar. It is dressed in lighted greenery that reflects beautifully behind the crystal decanters.

On the opposite side of the room is a secretary with multiple Christmas trees and lighted greenery on top.

Our faithful servant, Geoffrey, is delighted (NOT!) to serve up a Christmas cocktail!

Back out into the foyer heading into the family room is a narrow table with two small decorated trees laden with red lights that cast a warm glow on the family photo in the center.

The family room window has a large grapevine wreath dripping with red berries, oversized ornaments, and frosted pinecone greenery.

Furniture has been moved all around (and some completely out!) to accommodate a modest tree. The reindeer and mantel greenery are the same used in the centerpiece for our cul-de-sac Christmas Progressive Dinner. (Click HERE for that post.)

I don’t know about you, but I don’t mind being a bit naughty at all! Mae West once quipped that “Good girls go to heaven, but bad girls go everywhere.” 😉

The bookshelves are treated with pinecone greenery dotted with shiny red ornaments and berry-filled grapevine wreaths. Another goose is all decked out for the holidays, and one of my favorite photos with my parents enjoys a special place of honor near the tree.

This is a photo of the tree when I first received it. My Mom knew it wasn’t in any way, shape, or form dressed the way I would like it, but she recognized that it was just the right size I needed so she bought it for us. So it went from this BEFORE…

…to this AFTER. We had considerably less floor space to work with this year, so a smaller tree was the solution. I ditched most of the ornaments that came with the tree, so it is now drizzled with red ornaments and berry clusters illuminated by soft white lights. I was surprised by just how many red ornaments I have amassed over the years! The “skirt” is a length of artfully scrunched gold silk fabric.

A smaller version of the reindeer by the fireplace stands guard atop the television armoire.

Moving from the family room into the kitchen, a large hurricane lantern is decorated for the holidays.

Centered in the window of the kitchen’s eating area is another grapevine wreath similar to the one in the living room. This one, however, is adorned with just a gossamer gold bow.