Christmas Through the Red Door

November 21, 2013November 22, 2013 / Alycia Nichols / 67 Comments

Welcome back! I’m so glad to be back to doing what I love, now with substantially less pain than ever! In the coming weeks, I am excited to be able to post 6 different Christmas tables that will feature ideas for kids, adults, and even one very “guy-specific.” Today’s table, my first post since bouncing out of here in July for shoulder surgery (which was a grand success…thanks for all your wonderful well wishes!), takes you through our newly-painted front door all ready for the holidays. I have always wanted a white Colonial-style house with classic black shutters and an iconic, welcoming, shiny apple-red door (think Elizabeth Arden or Talbot’s!), and just in time for the holidays I invite you to come on in!
(To see photo detailing close up, click & then click again.)

Tablescapes at Table Twenty-One: Christmas Through the Red Door - adorned gift box

INSPIRATION: Red & gold decorated metal Christmas box from Pier 1

This table in our library was created for a one-night only tablescaping class I conducted in October through MCC-Longview. (Setting up for that class completely wiped me out since I wasn’t quite healed. It took a month to get my wind back!)

This 48″ round table for 4 could be easily recreated with a larger table – round, oblong or square – to accommodate more guests.

I wanted the place settings for this table to represent the ultimate in elegance for the holiday. Gold-leafed glass chargers are the foundation for the red & gold Royal Scotland china. The white centers of the china helps to break up the concentration of color on the table.

What nicer way to present a favor or holiday gift to guests than to personalize it and have it at their place setting? These particular boxes represent the level of flourish to consider to make the outside of each gift as special as what’s inside. Notice how the red diamond shape of the “wrapping paper” mimics the pattern in the tablecloth and cut crystal. (These permanent demonstration boxes were purchased around 2009 from Pier 1.)

I added an extra dimension to the top of the boxes in the form of this pretty clip-on gold beaded bird. Something similar to this makes the presentation a bit more special, ties into the centerpiece, and doubles as a nice take-home favor for guests.

Gold-colored flatware borrowed from my Mom is complemented with a gorgeous crystal-handled steak knife from Fifth Avenue Crystal.

Cristal d’Arques “Longchamps” stemware adds lots of reflective quality to the table and complements the design of the tablecloth.

The scarlet red organza napkins (Pier 1) strike a brilliant pose against the muted gold pintuck tablecloth from Your Chair Covers.com. I like to use linens with a little extra something-something going on during the holidays! (If you prefer a layered look, a solid satin or solid poly full-length tablecloth can be topped with a pintuck overlay or runner. It’s a really cost-effective way of glitzing up a table! You can find a great selection of pintuck runners and overlays as well as basic linens and chair covers at great low prices at my favorite “go-to” place, LinenTablecloth.com! Order now for quick, carefree delivery in time for all your holiday decorating!!!)

If you’ve ever visited this blog in the past, you know I heartily subscribe to the “go-big-or-go-home” theory when it comes to decorating. We tested this crystal epergne out for visibility across the table before I decided on it. The cut of the crystal mimics the design of the tablecloth and the cut of the stemware. A melange of shiny, muted and glittered red balls bring color to the top of the table. A single gold bird perched on the side carries the theme up from the place settings. The crystal, of course, just makes a huge statement during the holidays!

I am so, so happy to be back at the computer to share with you! For more Christmas & holiday tables on this site:
Cranberry Christmas
Cranberry Christmas Squared
Checkered Christmas
Get Me to the Church On Time
Black, White & Red All Over Christmas
Warm Metal Christmas
Winter Brunch
Christmas Progressive Dinner 2011
After the Hunt – Gentlemen’s Winter Retreat
Black Friday Luncheon
Sugar High Payback
Winter Dinner
Winter Cardinal
Fire & Ice – Contemporary Christmas
Pink & Purple Chocolate Christmas
or check out our “WINTER” page for NINE more all on one page!!!

I’m so pleased to re-join Cuisine Kathleen for her weekly party “Let’s Dish!” and Susan for Tablescape Thursday this week! Please hop on over to these ladies’ blogs to check out the many talents of tablescapers from around the world!

Oops!

August 24, 2013August 24, 2013 / Alycia Nichols / 33 Comments

Hello, everyone! I hope your Summer is going well
and that you are looking forward to Autumn as much as I am.

I need to issue an apology. My sweet, loving, well-meaning husband accidentally published a post this morning that was not going to be published until Spring 2014. I had it almost finished and just about ready to publish earlier this year when my Daddy became ill and then passed. By the time all of the trauma and drama of his death subsided, we were well into Summer, I was prepping for my surgery, and it was too late to publish a Spring post. My darling husband just made it seem extra weird, though, by somehow hitting the “publish” key for this Spring post as we embark upon the Autumn months! God love him, he’s a great guy with so many wonderful attributes…but he is officially in the dog house! I’m going to make him write on the chalkboard 1,000 times: I will not play with Alycia’s blog. 🙂 (He was just supposed to be checking my stats!)

I hope to be able to get back to the computer on a full-time basis in a couple of weeks or so when the shoulder brace is removed. I still will not have use of my right arm at that time (that will be several weeks out, still), but I should be able to use my fingers without the apparatus getting in the way.

Thank you so much again for all the cards, prayers, well wishes and gifts!
I hope to visit with you soon!

Breakfast at Tiffany’s

July 23, 2013May 29, 2022 / Alycia Nichols / 64 Comments

Just as suddenly as I reappeared last week, I will disappear again after this week as I prepare to go under the knife on Friday. I am both terrified and relieved to have it finally happening. My shoulders have been the source of much pain and anguish for a long time now, and I’m ready to get the first one fixed. My understanding is that using my right arm will be all but impossible for at least 2 months, so I’ll be on the computer only when in the mood to hunt & peck with my left hand. I hope that you will once again forgive my spotty appearances as I go about the business of physical therapy on my way to recovery. I have several tablescapes that I created back in early Spring (including this one) in anticipation of this down time, and I will hopefully be able to post those before summer’s fast-approaching end.

INSPIRATION: The chic and quirky Holly Golightly enjoying a breakfast pastry and a cup of coffee outside the window of Tiffany’s – New York. Source: Amazon.com

Yes, I know the Breakfast at Tiffany’s theme has been done and done and done again. I’m gonna take a pass at it, too, just for kicks. OK? I think it would make a really fun theme for a bridal shower, bridal luncheon, special ladies brunch, birthday brunch (especially a milestone birthday!), or even a mid-morning engagement party!
(Click on any photo, then click again to enlarge it and see details up close!)

The table is draped in a sleek black 90″ x 132″ tablecloth from LinenTablecloth.com for the sophisticated look of the proverbial little black dress.

This rectangular dining table is set for 6, but would look just as great set on a longer rectangular table for multiple guests or even a round table.

I kept each place setting sleek and simple. The white chargers are rimmed in rhinestones. (I wonder if they come with real diamonds at Tiffany’s? 😉 ) The china is very simply adorned Noritake “Spectrum”.

The custom-created menus are white paper on black and Tiffany blue card stock embellished with a small gemstone. I included an image of a tiara to mimic the one worn by Holly Golightly in this famous poster. Also notice the print on the menu. I chose two print fonts that closely match those on the poster!

Mikasa “Jamestown Platinum” stemware and International Silver “Royal Danish” flatware work well with the place setting. (Get it? Royal Danish flatware? As in Holly Golightly eating a Danish pastry for her breakfast at Tiffany’s??? 🙂 ) A sleek black napkin is folded twice lengthwise and tucked around the charger beneath the dinner plate.

What else to serve but breakfast pastries? That was Holly’s breakfast of choice!

A blinged out breakfast or brunch calls for a very creative, upscale, but still lighthearted centerpiece.

The centerpiece is created using two identical black rectangular mirrors with tiers of rhinestones from Hobby Lobby. (Also used HERE in the post “Happy Birthday, Barf!”) Just as a jewelry store like Tiffany’s might, I used these black hand display pieces (Michael’s) holding jewelry from my own collection including a Tiffany bracelet and necklace. (TIP: If you’re a bride who is gifting her bridesmaids with a little something-something from Tiffany’s to wear in the wedding, this would be a fun way to display it during brunch and then let them know they can pick theirs off the display afterwards!)

While promotional posters showed a red rose on Holly’s table, I decided to go with clusters of petite white roses in sleek mirrored vases. The arrangements are festooned with big, clunky bursts of bling.

Here you can better see the tiered mirror’s edge. Simple votive candles demurely reflect on each mirror.

What’s a bridesmaid’s brunch without goodie bags??? 🙂

These Breakfast At Tiffany’s nylon bags were found at Michael’s in the fun stuff aisle! Each bag is adorned with lots of “pearls” spilling out along the side.

The buffet behind the dining table holds the goodie bags and displays fun things that Holly might wear including Tiffany’s jewelry, a fabulous tiara, black shades, pearls, and those famous opera gloves.

A little something extra to brighten up the space and make it very girly is a bust form in a little black dress and flirty black feather boa. (Thanks to my friend, Barbara, for the boa and the rhinestone-flecked gloves shown here!)

I created a fun centerpiece using a bust form for a Breast Cancer Awareness Luncheon a couple of years ago. This is the same basic concept, but a little more playful. The floral head here has chunky bling shooting out of it and boasts another tiara. I created a replica of Holly’s famous pearl necklace using faux pearl strands from Hobby Lobby. I simply quadrupled them and tied them with a gossamer ribbon at the nape of the neck. I then added a huge brooch to the front of the necklace. Not exactly like Holly’s, but a fun play on it!

The promotional poster used as my inspiration piece shows Holly gazing wistfully into the Tiffany’s display window. Hanging in the window are beautiful bling-laden candlelight chandeliers. The play on that here is this 5-lite silver candelabra with bling bobeches.

Coffee and an assortment of breakfast pastries are served from the vintage tea cart in a corner of the room.

What girl doesn’t suck all the air out of the room when she sees this famous blue box? 😉

As a parting gift, I leave you with my original idea for the bust form. It’s silly, really, but I created it in a weak moment and thought you might get a good laugh out of it.

It was going to represent the “beehive hairdo” Holly wore. Get it? Bee hive? Lame, I know. I just covered a beehive in wired pearls and bling. Don’t hate! 🙂

OK…so that’s it. I’m outta here! See you after the snip-snip!

For more “blinged out” tablescapes on this site:
“Platinum & Pink Valentine”
“Should Have Put a Ring On It”
“Princess Pink Birthday”
“Fairy Tale Wedding Shower – Princess & the Frog”
“Love’s Arrow”
“Peonies and Pearls”
“Fete Noir et Gris”
“Rhapsody in Blue”

I will be joining Cuisine Kathleen for “Let’s Dish!” starting Wednesday at 6:00 p.m., CDT. I’ll also join Susan for “Tablescape Thursday” starting Thursday at 9:00 a.m., CDT. Come along if you’d like to get inspired by some really talented tablescapers!!! You can also find me over at BeBetsy.com!

Patisserie de Paris

July 17, 2013July 24, 2017 / Alycia Nichols / 67 Comments

After another short absence, I am back for a couple of weeks before my shoulder surgery next Friday, the 26th. Again, thanks to all of you who have been so patient with my on-again-off-again posting as I’ve tried to deal with soul-crushing pain in the wake of Daddy’s death. It has not been easy in any way. Add to that the physical pain with my shoulders and back…not a fun summer!

All that being said…I’d like to dedicate this post to two very special fellow bloggers. First up, Jennie Schumann of Got My Reservations went to Paris earlier this year and was so sweet and thoughtful as to gift me with this week’s colorful inspiration. Merci, Jennie!

Patisserie de Paris placemat - Tablescapes at Table Twenty-One

INSPIRATION: Many thanks to Jennie Schumann for these easy-clean beauties!!!

I also want to dedicate this post to Linda at A La Carte who will be jetting off to gay Paris in September. She’s so excited about it, and I’m truly excited for her!!! What lucky girls! I can only live vicariously through them since I am so afraid to fly!
(Click on any photo, then click again to enlarge it for close-up details.)

Our deck is the site of this lovely French patisserie or bakery. It’s all set up for a lovely ladies luncheon, bridal luncheon, bridal shower, lady’s birthday, the girls’ way of celebrating Bastille Day (that’s a stretch!) or any occasion where femininity and fun are key elements.

Let’s start with the petite dining table set for four.

The placemats are far too pretty to completely cover, so clear glass dishes are on tap today to let the design shine through.

This oblong placemat has a beautiful pink damask background with soft green borders. The image of the Eiffel Tower is set against what appears to be a lacy doily. Images of luscious French macarons seem to bounce right off the placemat. The flatware is International Silver “Royal Danish”. (FUN FACT: the word “macaron” is not an alternate spelling of macaroon. The two terms refer to two distinctly different things. Both macarons and macaroons are confections, and both names are derived from “ammaccare”, which is Italian for “to crush” — but that’s where the similarities end. The macarons as pictured are a meringue-based cookie made with almond flour, egg whites, and granulated and powdered sugar, then filled with buttercream or fruit spread. A macaroon, on the other hand, is more often than not that little quarter-sized dollop of egg whites & sugar rolled in dried coconut and toasted to sweet perfection. In France, this is called a “congolais” and is served during Passover because it contains no flour. Sufficiently confused yet? 🙂 )

You may notice lots of layering going on throughout the space, starting with these 4-ply menus. (Click on the photo, then click again to enlarge and note how the menus honor Jennie and Linda!) A bright celadon green is topped with 2 different shades of pink damask cardstock from Hobby Lobby to complement the design of the placemat. It is held together with a metal fleur de lis brad, also from Hobby Lobby. The stemware used for this tablescape is from Old Time Pottery, and the napkin is from Bed Bath & Beyond.

The dramatic “Eiffel Tower” centerpiece is one that, while very tall, can still be seen through across the table. I have used this piece in different ways for two other posts, “Springtime in Paris Buffet” and “French Poodle”. Here is is lightly embellished with dainty pink silk flowers and a few butterflies. The center holds a glass cake pedestal piled high with pastries.

The layered look continues with the table linens. A 108″ round LinenTablecloth.com tablecloth in “Tea Green” is topped with a soft pink 90″ tablecloth. Layered linens always give a richer, more sumptuous look to a table and allow multiple theme colors to extend below the table’s surface.

Simple white resin patio chairs add to the “outdoor cafe” look.

It’s no jam-packed Parisian patisserie window, but I thought this vintage baker’s rack would be a neat way to display pastries and a few French-inspired knick-knacks as well as to bring the feel of an authentic patisserie to the deck. Notice the replica penny-farthing (bicycle) there on the floor as well as the fleur de lis symbols on the shelves. (TIDBIT: Frenchman Eugene Meyer is credited as the father of the penny-farthing or “high bicycle” by the International Cycling History Conference.)

Crosses show up a lot in French design and architecture, so I used this large wrought iron cross on top of the baker’s rack. The cross is flanked by two celadon green hat boxes with French flair.

Just like in a French patisserie, there is a huge variety of sweet pastries from which to choose. I stuck with pastries in the same/complementary color palette as the table.

Who knew a MoonPie looked so much like an authentic macaron? Hmmm….the MoonPie was created at the start of the Great Depression, so maybe it IS the poor man’s macaron? 🙂 And maybe it’s why they have been a traditional “throw” during the Mardi Gras (very French!) parades in many Southern states since the 1950s? (Where are my ‘Bama girls to back me up on this? Ellen? Sandra?) Something to ponder….! 🙂

More pastries on the dessert buffet, including beautiful pirouette cookies and pretty little cakes that make me want to slap on a crown and shriek, “Off with their heads!“, are displayed in and on glass and silver.

I bought several of these beautiful silver cake servers yeas ago. They come in quite handy for dessert buffets! The dark wrought iron fleur de lis seen here, as well as the white one in previous photos, both came from the clearance aisle at Hobby Lobby for just $1 apiece.

The buffet table carries on the theme of pink, green and white as well as layering. This 90″ x 132″ white tablecloth is topped with pink and tea green satin runners, all from LinenTablecloth.com. It looked nice with the plain white tablecloth, but adding bits of color (for such a teensy, tiny price!) just kicked it up a notch! I used 3 runners to represent the 3 vertical bands of the French flag.

The coffee service set up on one end of the buffet table features a silver 25-cup coffee urn, a vintage creamer and sugar set, soft pink napkins, and a billowy floral design in a French-inspired white vase. The pastoral scene on the side of the cups is decidedly French, too.

Loaves of bread stand tall in a silver champagne bucket while croissants and other breads are displayed in a silver wire basket with Victorian-era tongs alongside assorted cheeses. The Austrian crystal cheese picks and forks add just the right amount of bling.

Finally, this fancy glass decanter with the word “Paris” on it is filled with corks instead of a beverage for a nice decorative touch.

Many, many, many thanks to Jennie for this wonderful bit of inspiration!

More posts using pink & green on this site:
“Showered in Pink”
“Blushing Bridal Shower”
“Fairy Tale Wedding Shower – Princess & the Frog”
“Mother’s Day Luncheon in Pink”
“Pinky Peter Cottontail”
“Pleasant Under Glass”
“Springtime in Paris”
“Easter Brunch”

I’m joining a couple of blog parties this week:
“Let’s Dish!” with Cuisine Kathleen
“Tablescape Thursday” with Susan at Between Naps on the Porch

I’ll be back next week with one more post before surgery. It’s gonna be a doozy, and you won’t want to miss it!
Until next week, au revoir!

Stars & Stripes

June 26, 2013April 26, 2018 / Alycia Nichols / 85 Comments

INSPIRATION: My Daddy. A man who gave much to his country through tireless service in his community and unparalleled love for his family.

I’d like to thank my regular readers for your kind indulgence and your incredibly compassionate phone calls, cards and emails over these last several weeks as I took time to care for and then ultimately say goodbye to my Daddy. (A SUPER BIG thanks to Liz at “Infuse With Liz” for fielding questions on my behalf!) These last few weeks have been some of the hardest of my life. I saw a person I have literally known all of my life slowly wither before my eyes. I lived with Daddy at the hospital and then at Hospice House for the final week of his life. When it became apparent the end was just minutes away (Ramon told me the signs to look for), I crawled into bed with him and held him as tightly as I could to keep his gaunt little body warm until the angels came to take him home to Jesus. I wanted this remarkable, scholarly, introspective, golf-playing, popcorn/apple pie/peanut butter on waffles-eating former farm boy of a man who lived his life with gusto and touched so many in such positive ways to know without question that he was loved and cherished on the day he died even more than the day he was born. My Daddy, James B. “Jim” Wilson, a.k.a. “The Kissing Bandit”, no longer walks this earth. He now lives in what I have chosen to call a “cozy upscale one-bedroom condo with fabulous marble door, incredible pastoral view, and very quiet neighbors”, a.k.a. a mausoleum at a nearby cemetery. (Daddy was a commercial realtor. I think he would be proud of my description!) I know I can go there to visit anytime I wish without calling ahead or dressing up or having anything of real interest to talk about, just like always. It will be just my Daddy and me..hangin’ out.

I am back to blogging for just a moment. There is still much to do in the way of “tying up loose ends” that must be addressed and preparation for the now rescheduled surgery previously planned for June 21st. I had this 4th of July tablescape all set, photographed, and ready to publish, though, so I’d like to share it with you.
(Click on any photo, then click again to enlarge it and see close-up details.)

I set up this casual table for 12 on a clear, sunny day back in May. Two 6-ft. folding tables are nattily dressed in double layers: full-length 90″ x 132″ white topped with a 60″ x 102″ navy blue tablecloth from LinenTablecloth.com. The 4th of July is the time to dress a table in multiple hues that reflect the colors of our nation’s flag! (LinenTablecloth.com has some GREAT patriotic linens in stars and stripes, too! They’re on sale this week, so it’s not too late to get them for your 4th of July tablescape!!!)

Each place setting starts with a woven rattan square charger from Tuesday Morning. Stark white square dinner plates from the B. Smith collection at Bed, Bath & Beyond are topped with square navy salad plates from Pier 1. A small American flag is a natural guest favor. I wanted the napkins (doubled because let’s face it…barbecue is messy and you’ll need at least two!) to really stand out against the deep navy tablecloth, so I draped a bright red one off the side of the table at each setting and then topped them with alternating stars or stripes in navy & white. The flatware is one of my favorites with such an appropriate name for Independence Day: Hampton Silversmith’s “Patriotic – Mirror”. The simple clear glassware is from Old Time Pottery.

Even humble white bistro chairs look great when all lined up like soldiers!

The centerpiece that marches the entire length of the table is very simple but effective. Two large white glass vases are filled with lots of branches dotted with small white flowers. Look closely…the profusion of blossoms kind of reminds you of a fireworks display in the sky! Or perhaps sparklers?! Smaller white vases filled with bouquets of small American flags from Target are placed at intervals along with flag pairs on tabletop stands. Bottles of Pellegrino are placed on the table for guests, and they look right at home with their sassy red stars.

The small buffet table has decor befitting the occasion that complements the dining table.

A large “bouquet” of American flags poked into a white ceramic vase flaps in the wind.

I love it when food packaging works into my decorating scheme!!!

These rustic cast iron stars usually hang out in a guest bedroom, but today they are part of this tablescape. A juicy watermelon wedge sits atop a stack of white appetizer plates from Crate & Barrel.

I’ve had these fun turn-of-the-century boaters for a long time. The red, white & blue trim takes me back to the days of Teddy Roosevelt, Woodrow Wilson or Harry S. Truman when barbershop quartets were cool and politics might have actually been fun! 🙂

I’m a big fan of “grown up dessert” made of a whole watermelon injected with vodka. Delicious, light, juicy, and FUN!!! The red, white & blue ceramic cake stands are from Hobby Lobby.

Other tablescapes with a patriotic theme on this site:
“All-American Seafood Boil”
“Stars & Stripes”
“4th of July Coastal Style”
“Lauren in the Library“
“American Royal Tablescape”
“Show Me State Dinner”
“Red, White & Blueberries”
“Peacefully Patriotic”

I’ll be rejoining a couple of fun blog parties this week: Cuisine Kathleen’s “Let’s Dish!” on Wednesday after 6:00 p.m. (CDT) and Susan’s “Tablescape Thursday” on Thursday after 9:00 a.m. I hope you’ll come along with me to these parties to see what all the other talented tablescapers out there are doing for the 4th of July holiday! Check me out at BeBetsy.com, too!

In support of our military and their families, please join me for The Coconut Head Survival Guide’s “Memorial Day Patriot’s Palooza Party”!!!

Butterfly Kaleidoscope

May 29, 2013June 18, 2018 / Alycia Nichols / 50 Comments

This week I’d like to share a casual summer tablescape with you that, with just a bit of tweaking, could work well both indoors or out.

Tablescapes at Table Twenty-One - Butterfly Kaleidoscope: Inspiration piece

INSPIRATION: Melamine dinner plate from Target’s 2010 collection in turquoise, citrus green, brown and white. See how it looks like a butterfly…and a kaleidoscope?

I couldn’t decided whether this reminded me more of a butterfly or an image you might see when looking into one of those old-fashioned kaleidoscopes. I also couldn’t decide whether I wanted to show this inside in the dining room or outside on the deck. So I’m going to show you both in a sort of side-by-side comparison! This might be helpful information as you come up with a Plan A for good weather and a “hope we don’t need it, but just in case we do” Plan B to bring it all inside in case of inclement weather conditions.
(Click on any photo to enhance/enlarge it to see details up close.)

Both inside and out, I started with a full-length brown linen. Yes…ye olde brown linen is back in play! Seriously…brown is a great summer neutral. It all depends on how you pair it up!

Top photo – indoors, bottom photo – outdoors. Just look at all that color!!!

The elements on the table are a balanced mix of all the colors found in the dinner plate. The charger is a white ceramic from Old Time Pottery. TIP: White chargers may be a little tough to come by, so you might consider buying inexpensive acrylic ones and spray painting them. Great look, great value!

Both inside and out, a double dose of napkins cascade off the side of the table at each place setting. It’s nice to have two napkins for guests if you’re eating something extra messy like fried chicken or barbecue. One for the lap, one for mouth & fingers. They’ll love you for it! The flatware is a faux bamboo from Home Goods. Notice on the outdoor setting how a butterfly has innocently landed on each salad fork.

I LOVE this super chunky turquoise stemware from Pier 1!!! It feels really substantial and holds a lot of whatever beverage is being served.

The centerpiece indoors is a mix of turned white wood candlesticks from Z Gallerie topped with fun turquoise, green and white striped candles from Pier 1, a trio of florals, and pots of rye grass standing as sentry at each end. The outdoor table loses the rye grass and adds votives to the mix.

I get a lot of mileage out of these Z Gallerie candlesticks. Each end of the centerpiece holds a pair in two sizes. Notice the bling on the candle wick. If your dinner party starts early in the evening when the sun is still out, keep the bling on as an added point of interest. When it’s time to light the candles, just snip the wick to about 1/2 inch, pocket the bling, and put it aside for use on something else later.

The fun floral element comes in a trio of white ceramic canisters filled with acid green roses and rye grass. Fun little turquoise hand-painted butterflies from Beau-coup.com flit about, landing here and there at will.

The outdoor table has an added twist of intermittent votives in deep turquoise blue glass holders.

The buffet behind the dining table indoors is smothered with turquoise and citrus green paper lanterns. It’s a simple but effective backdrop to the busy design on the table.

The outdoor buffet table is covered from head to toe in a smart fitted white tablecloth from LinenTablecloth.com. The pots of rye grass used on the dining table and around the room indoors have moved to the buffet table to add color there.

The sides of the buffet table are festooned with paper lantern “towers” tied to the deck posts. Just loop ribbon through the lanterns to create this fun and colorful look!

More paper lantern singles are tied to individual posts around the deck to surround guests in color and movement. If you add lights to the lanterns, just think how pretty that would be at night!!!

Back inside, a vintage tea cart holds pitchers of ice cold water and lemonade on the bottom and a Ralph Lauren pedestal filled with Granny Smith apples on top.

Finally indoors the china cabinet has a complementary treatment of paper lanterns, rye grass and roses. The sconces that flank the buffet are outfitted with pots of rye grass visited by butterflies.

Are ya dizzy now? Sorry ’bout that! My point is that you can use the same elements either indoors or out and achieve a great look that is appropriate to the space. Plan A or Plan B…you decide! 🙂

Other posts on this site using turquoise or blue, green & white:
“Under a Paper Moon”
“Summer Blues & Greens”

Another post on this site using paper lanterns:
“Blue & White 30th Birthday”
“Cupcake Colors”
“Under a Paper Moon”
“Easter Brunch”

I’m joining lots of other talented tablescapers again this week at Cuisine Kathleen’s blog party, “Let’s Dish!” (anytime after 6:00 p.m. CDT Wednesday) and Susan’s party, “Tablescape Thursday” (anytime after 9:00 a.m. CDT Thursday).

Lauren in the Library

May 20, 2013June 22, 2014 / Alycia Nichols / 71 Comments

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.

Float Like a Butterfly

May 14, 2013April 16, 2014 / Alycia Nichols / 66 Comments

The color brown has its ups and downs when summer rolls around. We don’t want brown grass or leaves hanging around, but we do want that famed Coppertone® brown skin. (As a doctor’s wife, I’ll fuss at you sun worshipers about the dangers of that at another time! 🙂 ) I don’t think brown is a color we generally associate with summer when it comes to decorating, but I hope to dispel that notion.
(Click on any photo, then click again to enlarge/enhance for fine details.)

INSPIRATION: Photo by Angie Weston of Design and Capture Studio

My work was featured in a local bridal magazine, EA Bride, a couple of years ago. I continue to marvel at the work of other designers whose work appears in the magazine with each passing issue. The photo of this grapevine ball in the Summer 2012 issue of the magazine really caught my attention, and I decided I wanted to create something similar someday. That someday finally came to pass a couple of weeks ago.

Brown. Yes, that’s what I said…brown. A brown full-length linen is the foundation of this summer tablescape. Like black, brown is a neutral that has the capacity to make other colors snap, crackle & pop.

An April Cornell table runner and napkins marry brown with vibrant, yet muted shades of seafoam blue. Two square acrylic chargers – one in an icy blue, one in a coppery brown – play off of the linens. Soft seafoam blue dinner plates from TJ Maxx round out the stack. The faux mother of pearl-handled flatware is from Target.

When I found this fabulous ocean blue color of stemware at Stein Mart a few years ago, I was absolutely smitten. Still am!

I found the large cream-colored urns at Michaels. A grapevine ball is wrapped in Smither’s Oasis MEGA beaded wire in “Ice Blue”. (This beaded wire comes in 11 amazing colors!!!) I used a dab of hot glue to semi-permanently affix softly-tinted blue & green faux hydrangea blossoms. Pretty hand painted aqua blue silk butterflies generously given to me by the good people at Beau-coup.com “float” about. (These graceful beauties also come in green, lavender and pink!) I love the way they transform the centerpiece and add to the 3-D look!

Between the two urns sits a trio of smaller grapevine balls trimmed in butterflies and beading much like its big sisters. I didn’t even bother to cut the beaded wire…it’s just one continuous string wrapped around the three orbs. (Students…remember our golden Rule of Three? Look at this picture!!!:-)) These would be so easy and economical to make for wedding reception decor!!!

Taibei Buddha figurines in seafoam blue from Burlington add to the peaceful aura of the tablescape. Mercury glass votive holders in a blue ombre design are scattered all throughout and around the base of the centerpiece to provide ambient light.

The buffet is lightly adorned to complement the peaceful nature of the dining table decor. Bonsai trees anchor each end. The center decor is made up of two brilliantly-colored Z Gallerie pillar candles flecked with similarly colored rhinestones. The pillar candles sit atop broad iron candlesticks from Hobby Lobby. A trio of votives, like those on the table, act as a visual connect between the bonsais.

It was much too cold and windy the days I worked on this blue & brown summer tablescape, but imagine it outside at dusk. Thanks to the chocolaty brown tablecloth, everything on top of the table would just kind of float in an ethereal fashion. Like sea foam gently rolling over sand. Cool, huh?

Still don’t think brown is a summer color? 😉

Other blue & brown posts on this site:
“Autumn Blues”
“Zen Garden”
“Mum’s the Word”

Other tablescapes with an Asian-inspired theme on this site:
“Peaceful Peonies”
“Mikasa Daylight”
“Mandarin Bling”
“Copper Zen”
“Morocco for Two”
“Year of the Rabbit”

I’m joining these fun link parties this week, and I hope you’ll come along!:
Jessica’s “A New Creation”
Cuisine Kathleen’s “Let’s Dish!”
Susan’s “Tablescape Thursday”

Also check me out at BeBetsy.com!

Caribbean Queen – One Table, Three Looks

May 8, 2013July 2, 2014 / Alycia Nichols / 65 Comments

The good people at LinenTablecloth.com were so kind as to send me some great linens – including a fabulous summertime color called Caribbean – to create a tablescape. I have been an avid LinenTablecloth.com shopper since discovering them two years ago. They have a vast selection of colors and sizes that are priced just right. (Why rent when you can buy outright for about the same price or less, right?) Thanks to their generosity, here’s one table going from budget-friendly ($) to mid-priced ($$) to extravagant ($$$) using the same linens & place setting. All of these tablescapes would be great for an Asian-inspired or tropical-themed wedding reception, rehearsal dinner, birthday, bon voyage party, or any summer soirée.
(Click on any photo, then click again to enhance/enlarge it and see details.)

Upper right: The Extravagant ($$$)
Lower right: The Budget-Friendly ($)
Left: Meeting in the Middle ($$)

The brilliant Caribbean blue tablecloth was my inspiration for this table that can boast great decor ranging from a relative little to a lot of $$$.

Let’s start with the most modestly-priced of our three tablescapes.

Each of the three tablescapes begin with a 48″ table (seats up to 6 depending on the chair and charger size you select), covered in a full-length white (108″) round tablecloth that is topped with an 85″ square Caribbean blue linen and fuchsia satin table runner (14″ x 108″), all from LinenTablecloth.com. I like to use white with brilliant tropical colors to offer a little balance. The deep green of the monstera leaf placemat from Z Gallerie is a neat contrast to the brighter colors, and it adds visual depth and texture. The placemat could be eliminated if you’re looking to cut your budget a little bit deeper. (TIP: Another linen look to consider is to eliminate the runner, add a 90″ round fuchsia linen on top of the white, and keep the 85″ square Caribbean top. This look is a little more pricey, but is a lush layered look as seen HERE.)

The place setting is the same for each of our three tables. It starts with a white faux crocodile charger from Bed Bath & Beyond, topped with a bright orange dinner plate from the Dollar Tree (a.k.a. Deal$ is some areas) and a beautiful tropical print melamine salad plate from Pier 1.

Faux bamboo flatware from JC Penney Outlet lends more tropical flair. In these photos you can really see the texture of the flatware and the faux crocodile charger. Bamboo trees and crocodiles are found throughout the tropics, so I thought these to be good choices for this theme. Of course, a smooth white charger and unembellished flatware would work as well. (Have you seen that reusable bamboo cutlery sold at places like Target, World Market, and on Amazon.com? Perfect for this setting!) TIP: Having trouble finding white chargers? Spray paint inexpensive acrylic chargers from places like Hobby Lobby or Michaels.

Vivid fuchsia napkins from LinenTablecloth.com pick up colors in the salad plate and complement the table runner. The fun parrot napkin rings from Z Gallerie are a bright white which, again, adds contrast.

Never think for one moment that you have to always use the “correct” glass for casual table settings. Go for glassware that looks great and complements the overall table design. Here, a juicy orange squatty martini glass from Old Time Pottery sits alongside a mini with a clear bowl and Caribbean blue base from Pier 1.

The budget-friendly centerpiece is comprised of large white sea coral from Pottery Barn dotted with large and small blue-dyed starfish from Hobby Lobby. Small Caribbean blue glass vases from Hobby Lobby hold clusters of fuchsia-colored plumeria. This easy-to-make, inexpensive centerpiece offers lots of color and texture, and it sits low for easy dinner conversation among guests. (You can find large seashells of all kinds at craft stores like Hobby Lobby and Michaels. TIP: If the color isn’t to your liking, follow instructions from my blog buddy, Babs, at Upstairs-Downstairs for painting great-looking seashells.

Moving on to our mid-priced tablescape where the linens and place settings remain the same.

The primary difference in our mid-priced tablescape is the centerpiece. The large white sea coral, starfish, and plumeria blossoms all remain, but a lofty pair of white parrots from Z Gallerie are added to the mix. The parrots (previously used HERE) bring more white into the centerpiece as well as adding height and an exquisite textural element.

Our third and final tablescape is a lot more dramatic. Drama, of course, often = $$$

The nearly 5-ft. tall floral centerpiece is in a slender white bamboo vase from Z Gallerie. The vase is slender enough for guests to still carry on unencumbered conversation. The girth is dispatched to the top of the arrangement using large monstera leaves, sword fern, philodendron, spikes, orange medinilla, and fuchsia-colored plumeria.

The up side to tall, top-heavy centerpieces is that they look fantastic and add more drama than an episode of “Scandal”. 😉 The down side, however, is that they can be very sensitive to motion. Wind and inadvertent bumps against the table are a tall centerpiece’s nastiest foes. Opt for a lower or more bottom-heavy centerpiece if your event is to be held outdoors where wind is always a possibility. TIP: ALWAYS weight down your vase with sand, stones, or some other medium that will help to steady it since you can’t have a cute Wind Watcher at every table like I did for this photo shoot! 🙂 (See that breeze whipping those linens around??!)

So there you have it! One table, same linens and place settings, different centerpieces ranging from $ – $$$. If the centerpiece or place setting elements used in these tablescapes is still beyond your budget parameters, consider other wallet-friendly or DIY project alternatives.

NOTE TO BRIDES: This is a good example of how you might do 3 different designs in your reception room that all complement one another. Consider doing 1/3 high, 1/3 mid-size, and 1/3 modest. That way, your room has drama up high but doesn’t look like a forest!

Other tropical-themed tablescapes on this site:
“Tropicana“
“Flamingos in Paradise“
“Hot Tropical“
“Summer Breeze“
“Surf & Turf Dinner“
“Love & Orchids”
“Old Navy Seafood Cruise”

I am so happy to once again join The Style Sisters for “Centerpiece Wednesday”, Cuisine Kathleen for “Let’s Dish!”, Susan at Between Naps on the Porch for “Tablescape Thursday”, and The Home Girl for Festive Friday Fiesta. Check them out!

Daisy Crazy

May 5, 2013January 31, 2018 / Alycia Nichols / 40 Comments

Casual outdoor spring tablescapes needn’t cost an arm and a leg to make an impression! If your money is funny or you’re in a pinch for time, here are a few ideas to still put on a good show! With Mother’s Day just a blink away, you can still create a cheerful and pretty table to let Mom know she’s always in your heart!

Gerbera daisy paper products from Costco infuse lots of bright, energetic color into this tablescape. The colors are magnified when laid against a pure white table linen.

Real Gerbera daisies are cheap and plentiful in spring and summer at your local flower market or nursery. Just insert the tip into a floral pick filled with water, and insert the pick into the grass. Rye grass can be grown indoors in 2-3 weeks time using whatever containers you have on hand. (Really strapped for cash? Try using tin cans like those that green beans and Spaghettios come in. Wash them thoroughly, strip off the label, and plant the grass seeds. Cut a strip of colorful paper to fit the can and secure with double-sided tape or a fun sticker. Voila! Fabulous floral containers for next-to-nothing! See instructions for growing rye grass by clicking HERE and scrolling to Tip #15.) If time in growing your own grass is an issue, buy an inexpensive slab of sod and chop it up to fit your containers. Be sure to water!!!!!

If the wind is kicking up, use a weighted salad plate to keep the paper dinner plate intact. The clear glass used here allows the pattern beneath to still be seen. The dinner plates, cups and napkins are all from Costco. The bright pink Bed Bath & Beyond placemats (about $2 each) could be replaced by patterned paper from a stationery store (about $.59 each) or pieces of wrapping paper or wallpaper (averaging around $.25 each) cut into rounds, squares or rectangles.

The fun white-handled flatware is from Burlington. It, of course, could be replaced with less expensive plastic cutlery, or you could use stainless you already have.

The napkin ring is a strip of patterned paper with the guests’ name imprinted by hand or on the computer and then secured with a piece of tape in back.

These colorful paper parasols were a steal (about $2 each) at Hobby Lobby’s end-of-season sale last year. They add a whole new dimension to the overall look and are a fun and fashionable way for guests to ward of the midday sun.

Total cost of paper goods, placemats, flowers, grass, and parasols as shown for this table for 12: about $48. With homemade placemats, the overall total drops to about $35. Fabric tablecloths used here to make the table a little extra special. My preferred linen provider is LinenTablecloth.com for inexpensive, easy-to-launder linens in an array of colors, patterns and sizes.

Great places to buy fun & festive paper dining products appropriate for just about any occasion include:
Tuesday Morning
Target
Dollar Tree
Walmart
Home Goods
Big Lots
Old Time Pottery
Hobby Lobby
Michael’s

While this would make a fun and fast Mother’s Day dinner or brunch tablescape, it would also work great for a birthday, wedding shower, or any fun Spring or Summer get-together.

Other tablescapes on this post using parasols:
“Oopsy Daisy!”
“Tropicana”
“Sunflower Simple”
“Hot Fun In the Summertime”
“Flamingos In Paradise”

More Spring tablescapes:
“Rolling Fields of Green”
“The Bluebird Special”
“Moss & Manzanitas”
“Easter Floral”
“Easter Bloom“
“Peony Power!”
“Springtime in Paris”
“Mothers Day Luncheon in Pink”
“Carousel Colors”
“Daffodillyicious”
“Spring Has Sprung”
“Easter Brunch”
“Barton’s Easter Brunch”
“Apple Green Luncheon”
“Pinky Peter Cottontail”
“Welcome Back, Joel”
“Mikasa Daylight Giveaway“
“Taste of Wine Buffet“