Laissez Les Bon Temps Rouler!

/ Alycia Nichols / 37 Comments

Bienvenue! Laissez les bon temps rouler!!!
(Welcome! Let the good times roll!!!)

We will be shakin’ our bon-bon and having a grand ol’ time in celebration of Fat Tuesday tonight! Our trusty butler, Geoffrey, even plans to get in on the fun which is so against his staid British upbringing! 🙂

I’ve been busy all morning preparing a slightly more formal table than the way we celebrated over the weekend. The same amount of debauchery, however, is expected as for any Mardi Gras celebration!


I elected to allow the natural wood of the dining table anchor the setting. Over the bare wood I crisscrossed lengths of shimmering purple, green & gold netting.


Each place setting  started with a deep purple cobbled charger from Burlington. The china was purchased several years ago at Pier 1. Add gold toned flatware and my trusty Godinger “Chelsea” collection stemware.


Purple gemstone napkin rings from Z Gallerie hug the sheer organza Pier 1 napkins. Here you are better able to see the cobbled texture of the chargers.


The centerpiece is made up of several pieces. First, in a Godinger “Dublin” hurricane, is a mass of free-flowing fresh greenery. I wanted a kind of “messy” look to play off of the more formally arranged carnations beneath it.


Clusters of beautifully fragrant royal purple carnations rest in diminiutive crystal vases.


At each end of the dining table are Godinger “Dublin” cut crystal candle holders.


Graceful purple birds with soft green bellies and long, sweeping tails perch high above each gold candlestick. The birds were purchased wholesale many years ago, but this is the first time I’ve had an opportunity to use them.

One of my favorite parts of decorating is the chance to create something new by combining various elements. The very boxy gold-toned candlesticks are softened by the addition of these bobeches dripping in crystals.


The buffet area is the perfect place to extend the festivities from the dining table. Purple, green & gold mirror balls stretch the length of the buffet with a strand of the same colored beaded garland. On one end of the buffet, a Harlequin doll stands guard over the assorted candies in cut crystal containers.


On the opposite end, a mini bar of soul-satisfying bourbon, scotch and brandy in cut crystal vessels awaits thirsty guests along with fun feathered masks.


I don’t much care for store-bought King’s cake, so I am substituting these lucious homebaked cinnamon rolls. The smell of cinnamon wafting through the house is wonderful!!!


This Beverly Clark cake server with the regal crown on the end is the perfect utensil for cutting and serving the King’s cake!

I didn’t create menu cards for our buffet this evening, but we will dine on a traditional gumbo starter followed by fried catfish, red beans & rice, candied sweet potatoes, collard greens and cornbread. After all, that’s what Fat Tuesday is all about! I wish you and yours a joyous and festive one!

Other Mardi Gras/Fat Tuesday tablescapes on this site:
“Mardi Gras Lite“
“Mardi Gras Mojo”
“Mardi Gras Madness”
“Celebrate Mardi Gras!”
“The Peacock Effect”

 In the browsing mood? I hope you will take the time to visit Susan and the other tablescapers at Between Naps on the Porch for Tablescape Thursday!

Mardi Gras Mojo!

/ Alycia Nichols / 24 Comments

Poor, sad, pitiful me. I lost my Mojo a couple of months back. I was moping around, sleeping too much, couldn’t concentrate, no pep in my step. To the rescue: My good friend, Rene! The postman delivered a box FULL of Mojo straight from her door to mine: What seemed like hundreds of little curled strips of paper with the word “MOJO” in various colors! What a clever pick me up!!! So to that end, I dedicate our Mardi Gras tablescape from this past weekend to my sweet friend, Rene. Thanks for helping me get me Mojo back!

 With just four of us to celebrate the weekend before Fat Tuesday, the space in front of the fireplace seemed just right. I wanted to have as much sparkle and shine and decadence as possible for this tiny table to make it really stand out. I started with these gold fleur de lis chargers I bought at Tuesday Morning 10+ years ago. They don’t get much use, but they sure are fun! To allow the fleur de lis design to stand out, I chose clear dinner plates and see-through green salad plates. Of course, goldtone flatware was in order.

Keeping with the standard Mardi Gras colors of purple, green and gold, I chose purple stemware with gold embellishment for the water glass and a brilliant emerald green wine glass, both purchased from Pier 1 about 7 or 8 years ago. The clear stems give them a cohesive look.

Cotton napkins in a rich aubergine are gathered with these fabulous jewled napkin rings from Z Gallerie. Hard to tell by the picture here, but they have a fabulous color-on-color Harlequin design.

I bought these painted Harlequin ceramic masks from the clearance bin at Tuesday Morning about ten years ago.

Ah! My motivation! They make a perfect little embellishment at each place setting!

Inexpensive multi-colored sequinned fabric works great as a table topper over a deep green full-length linen.

Something kind of fun was to use these sturdy iron chairs loaded down with fun Mardi Gras-inspired decor. Each chair received a beaded seat pillow, purple for the gentlemen and gold (of course!) for the ladies!

These votive holders are covered in purple feathers (yes, feathers!) and finished off with a band of pretty beads at the top.

So here’s a lesson in “I don’t have any extra money to spare but need the right color vase”101. I took a clear glass cylinder and gently mounded yards of shimmering purple organza into it. I LOVE the effect! It seems to give the vase movement and depth as well as the intended color change. A 6-ft. length of purple, green & gold bead garland drapes from the top of the vase, tucked just inside the rim, all the way down into a pool of Mardi Gras beads.

I’ve pulled back the feathers to better expose the Harlequin ornament (a 25 cent after-Christmas purchase from Tuesday Morning) that merrily dances on the side of the centerpiece.

The crown of the centerpiece is this exquisite profusion of purple, green and gold glittered feathers. (When there’s no money in the budget for flowers, feathers are a great stand-in!) I just started tucking them in, and the end result was what looks to me like one of those Sunday-go-to-meeting hats some of the fancy  ladies wear!

Our meal for this occasion was a shrimp boil. I had something completely different planned and already printed on the menus, but our dishwasher went on the fritz a few hours before our guests arrived. It was then a choice to either use (and have to wash by hand) 5 or 6 pots for the original menu or just switch to the one-pot-Wonder. I think I made the right choice!

Have a Fabulous Fat Tuesday, everyone!
Other Mardi Gras tablescapes on this site:
“Laissez Bon Temps Rouler“
“Mardi Gras Lite”
“Mardi Gras Madness”
“Celebrate Mardi Gras!”
“The Peacock Effect”

Welcome Back, Joel!

/ Alycia Nichols / 48 Comments

Our young friend from the country of Benin in Africa, Joel Ayatode (pronounced AH-ya-TOW-day), came back to the States this past week. Just as we bid Joel adieu with a farewell dinner last September when he returned to his home country (Summer Breeze), we wanted to do something casual but fun to welcome him back again. His wife, Loretta, offered to do the cooking. ‘Nuff said; game on! 🙂

Teetering on that edge between winter and spring, I dressed the table with elements that reflect this “seasonally challenged” time of year. Looking in the yard, we have both bare trees and the heads of early spring flowers emerging. We’re starting to hear the birds chirping at daybreak, too.

We have all seen these versatile ivory plates from TJ Maxx. I use them frequently because they can so easily switch from one mood to another…kind of like the weather in the Kansas City area! The design also seemed to complement the flowers in linen’s the tree branches.

I bought these oil rubbed bronze napkin rings at Pier One a couple of years ago. I’ve never had a chance to use them until now. I didn’t want to go all Hitchcock and overdo the bird theme with this table, so it is the only other aviary reference besides the table linen.

To keep the look of the table’s center consistent, I used plain clear glass stemware.

Simple banded edge stainless flatware is used so as not to conflict with the busy pattern of the linen.

This is another table linen that I made!!! When I saw the fabric, I just had to have it! I found the deep mustard color very attractive, and the birds in the nearly naked branches reminded me of the fickle change of seasons.

 

This 15.5″ low glass container was used to offset the dead center of the tablescape. Smooth river rock in the water reminded me of a brook. Votive candles nicely reflected off the water, reminding me of how the stars shine on the nearby lake. A simple arrangement of tulips – a sure sign of spring – in the center added height, color, and visual depth.

 

Keeping with the clear glass used in the center, I filled these narrow cylinders with tulips. Placing two small vases on each end rather than one seemed more interesting than a single larger vase.


To mimic the linen pattern and to add lots of height to the center arrangement, I used curly willow branches in tall glass cylinders. This added to the natural, outdoorsy feel.

The simple addition of 15 clear glass cylindrical votives subtly lights the buffet adjacent to the dining table.

After a wonderful and VERY filling meal prepared by Loretta’s loving hands, it was time for dessert. While this had absolutely nothing to do with the theme of the dinner party, I just thought it would be fun to honor our special guests with their monogram on the cake and cupcakes I made! These old arthritic hands could barely squeeze the icing out! 🙂


L to R: Incredibly patient husband Ramon, very helpful stepdaughter Robyn, our guests of honor Joel & Loretta Ayatode, and Robyn’s sweet & comical longtime friend Kamille Jefferson. (Joel’s eyes look a little tired in this photo. Poor thing was suffering serious jet lag from the 15+ hour trip!)

Pudgy little ol’ me just before the guests arrive. Notice how I placed the watermark on the photo to try to cover up my problem area! I’ll need much bigger lettering than this!!! 🙂

More tablescapes using curly willow on this site:
“Blushing Bridal”
“Copper Zen”
“Autumn Blues“

I hope it’s much closer to spring where you are today! Thanks for stopping by, and don’t forget to check out the work of all the other incredibly talented tablescapers at Susan’s Tablescape Thursday!

Just Us Girls

/ Alycia Nichols / 25 Comments

This week’s post is of a quiet, simple dinner for “Just Us Girls” when we want to relax, unwind, jibber-jabber, and have a good time in an elegant setting with minimal fuss. I hope you enjoy its simplicity.

Getting together with “the girls” is always fun. I have such a good time with them just relaxing, rehashing old stories from days gone by, and dreaming about the future. No better way to do that than over a hot meal in a quiet, relaxed atmosphere. Music for tonight: Soundtracks from “First Wives Club” and “Something’s Gotta Give”, a little Billie Holliday, and Patsy Cline.

 

Soft pink and velvety rich chocolate brown on a white background is the color scheme. It is a little on the contemporary side. A large round mirror anchors each place setting. Next comes a silver beaded edge charger. Then my favorite…fabulous glossy chocolate brown and white “Delfina” dishes with a silver rim from Z Gallerie! How I longed for these dishes!!! I was finally able to buy them a few months ago. They are classically clean-looking without fussy adornment. I love them! The rim of the Mikasa “Jamestown Platinum” stemware is a perfect match. The menus – generated on my home computer – are a brown underlay and a soft pink vellum overlay with pink velvet ribbon.


A peek at the plate. A bit difficult to pick up on the actual color, but believe me…to die for!!!


Keeping with the contemporary look, I chose these unusually shaped silver napkin rings. They remind me of a gentleman’s cuff link. Very snazzy!

The curvy J.A. Henckels “Bellaserra” stainless mimics the lines of the napkin ring. I love the way the knife sits on its edge.

The centerpiece is kept simple and streamlined. Pairs of clear oyster votive cups punctuate the “lamps” made of clear glass pilsner vases topped with a squared off bell shade in chocolate brown (from Walmart!). Click here and scroll down to Tip #21 see how the lamps were put together. While it is not completely evident from these photos, I must share with you a little secret: When using a clear lamp base such as this, try turning the LED votive used for illumination upside down. In doing so, you illuminate the shade and cast the light down into the glass which looks so cool!!! While I used white for this tablescape, it’s even cooler if you use a colored LED votive!  Try it and see what it does for the lamp and your adjacent florals! (For more candle lamps on this site, see“Raining Orchids“, “All A’Bloom In Pink for Spring“, “Should Have Put a Ring On It“, and “It’s All About Me!“.)

The contemporary look and feel is completed by a mass grouping of petal pink calla lilies in a simple clear glass vase. Nestled between the taller lamps, it brings a soft dash of color to the table.

 

Other pink & brown tablescapes on this site include:
Chocolate Traditional
Au Revoir!
Breast Cancer Awareness Luncheon

 

Be sure to check out the newest Table Twenty-One Table Tip, too! Coincidentally, it’s #21 on the tip page! Click here to find it or on the “Table Tips” tab above. Once on the page, just scroll down to Tip #21!

  Remember to check out my other tablescaping pals at Between Naps on the Porch for more tabletop ideas!

I am joining Susan and the bunch at Between Naps on the Porch for Tablescape Thursday.

And the Winner is…!

/ Alycia Nichols / 20 Comments

As a kid growing up and then as an adult on into my 40s and 50s, I can’t remember ever missing a presentation of the Grammys. Come what may, I’d park myself squarely in front of the television set, ready to “ooh!” and “aah!” at all the luminaries in attendance. I knew every word to every song and would – a la Beatles-first-come-to-America – scream and cry with joy whenever a cutie pie took the stage. It was all so magical. And then came the 53rd Annual Grammy Awards, and I was nowhere to be found. I didn’t even DVR it. What’s the point? I have no idea who 90% of the people are, I find many of the outfits abhorring, I took the antidote for “Bieber Fever” before it became an epidemic, I’m not gaga for Gaga, Nelly’s “It’s Getting Hot In Here” means something completely different to a menopausal woman like me, and most of the “music” just sounds like a train wreck to my ears.

I set this vignette up with the seating at the Golden Globe Awards in mind. The guests all enjoy dinner at a beautifully set table and then remain seated there for the awards program. For an occasion such as watching The Grammys, I think it’s perfectly appropriate to set the table up near the television in the living room or family room. Guests can then remain seated at the table for the show or retreat to a nearby sofa.

 

 

I started with a black floor-length linen. A red table runner mimics the red carpet that celebrities walk prior to the broadcast. Heavy glass gold-leafed chargers anchor the place setting. My sister-in-law Zatina’s whimsical black and white dinner plates are rimmed with piano keys, and the salad plates are dotted with various musical instruments tumbling across a meandering gold staff. Gold flatware shines against the black linen.

Gold painted Christmas ornaments in the shape of musical notes are used to further “jazz up” the place setting. They stand up easily in the recesses of the napkin fold.

I borrowed a couple of ideas from a table I created for an at-home event a few years back. One of those ideas was martini tasting during the appetizer and/or salad course(s). Cristal is often served at fancy awards dinners like the Grammys, but jet-setters might enjoy something a little different like this. Since each glass only holds about 2 ounces, guests are still lucid enough to enjoy the rest of the evening!

This is another idea I recreated from an at-home event we hosted a few years back. Each guest’s menu was placed in an envelope as if its contents held the name of the winner. Upon opening the envelope to retrieve the menu, the “surprise” was little musical note confetti. I made these menus on our home computer, affixing a red strip of paper across the top of each to again resemble the red carpet.

 

Finally, the centerpiece. I wanted to do something that was easy, inexpensive, and that created an ambience fit for a star. Nothing says “ambience” like candlelight, and by simply floating candles in glass cylinders at different heights and adding a few votives, I think the mission was accomplished.

This was a fun “idea” tablescape to do! Thanks again to my sister-in-law, Zatina, who presented me with the challenge. I’ll give you your dishes back. I promise! 😉  I hope this table will serve as inspiration for future parties (Grammy night, early supper before the symphony, late dinner after a concert, musical tablescape, etc.).

Rock on, Zatina! I hope you like it!

Other Black & Red tablescapes on this site include:
Little Black Dress
Year of the Rabbit 辛卯

This week, as I proudly do every week, I am joining Susan at Between Naps on the Porch for Tablescape Thursday. After checking out the photos from my Grammy Night table, boogie on over to Susan’s place to see the work of many talented tablescapers from around the globe.

辛卯/Year of the Rabbit

/ Alycia Nichols / 28 Comments

It almost didn’t happen because of the 12″ of snow Mother Nature bestowed upon us, but this was the first year that a few friends and I celebrated Chinese New Year.  It meant a lot to us to try something new! Of course, Chinese food is always best from a restaurant (at least at my house it is!), and we had plenty of it!

One of the most exciting components of this luncheon table was the red and gold brocade table linen. Why? Because I made it!!! While nothing like the highly skilled sewing talents of many of my blogger friends, this was my very first attempt at sewing under the tutelage of my (exceedingly patient!) friend and neighbor, Barbara.  Like many women my age, I took sewing in “Home Ec” class back in high school. I got a big fat D in that class. It took an entire semester for me to make an apron that wasn’t fit for use. It was the only D grade I ever got, and I frankly did not care. The class was a nightmare, and I just wanted out. Recently, though, my sadistic niece who has an undergrad degree in Fashion Design & Product Development gave me a sewing machine. After me watching it and it watching me for about 2 months, I finally decided to give it a try. I’m glad I did!

My original thought was to use a beautiful fabric set given to me by dear friends from Shanghai. After much consideration, however, I decided that set is best suited for a summer gathering with its more muted tones. This Chinese New Year celebration called for lots of red and gold which respectively symbolizes happiness and wealth. Black seemed the perfect neutral to best show off those two bold and brilliant colors.

I bought these cool red favor boxes for each place setting at Pier 1 at the end of the 2010 Christmas season. They worked perfectly with this theme! Guests opened the box to find red & gold foil-covered chocolate coins.

This 24″H black ceramic ginger jar from Home Goods – adorned with a shimmery gold tassel – makes a simple but stately centerpiece.

The buffet is topped with a Pier 1 red, fuchsia and gold bamboo runner to tie all of the separate elements together. A gold tray, also from Pier 1, holds a World Market teapot and a bowl of fortune cookies. Tradition has it that parents gift their children with brightly colored envelopes with money. For my guests, however, the envelopes contained a gift certificate to World Market.

Firecrackers are a big part of the Chinese New Year celebration. Lee’s Summit city ordinance prohibits the use of firecrackers within city limits (AND it was WAY too cold out!), so these English crackers were a fine indoor substitute! I bought them at the end of the Christmas season at…where else?…Pier 1. The red & gold colors made them perfect for this event!

Fresh fiery red grevillea, embellished with a faux gem-encrusted butterfly, shoots from a black urn. (Hint: You can purchase colored grevillea from your florist, but be careful! The color easily transfers to clothing, skin, and anything else in its path! My kitchen sink still has the slightest pink tinge going on! 😦 )

I found this graceful young lady at TJ Maxx. Behind her to add depth and height to the vignette are a pair of oversized decorative chopsticks and a simple gold platter on a black stand.

My Mother brought these silk Chinese lanterns back from China when she visited in 2000. They symbolize the Chinese New Year Festival of Lanterns that is traditionally held on the 15th day of the first month of the Lunar Year.

Other Asian-inspired tablescapes on this site:
“Bringing the Zing to Chinese Takeout“
“Chinese Takeout“
“Float Like A Butterfly“
“Mandarin Bling“
“Peaceful Peonies“
“Copper Zen“
“Blue & White 30th Birthday”
“Zen Garden/Mum’s the Word“
“Mikasa Giveaway”
“Diwali My Way“

I am once again joining Susan at Between Naps on the Porch for Tablescape Thursday.  After checking out my post, be sure to bop on over to see what the other tablescapers from around this great world of ours are up to this week!

Princess Pink Birthday Dinner

/ Alycia Nichols / 48 Comments

Last Friday before all the snow fell upon our fair city (a full 12 inches where we live!!), I hosted a Sweet Sixteen X 2 birthday dinner for my best friend’s daughter-in-law. Pink was the “reigning” color of the evening.

 

 

A pink, black & white evening of celebration in honor of “Princess” Stacy’s 32nd (Sweet 16 x 2!) birthday. (Elements used for this royal tablescape would also work very well for a pink, black & white bridal shower or wedding. With a little tweaking, it would also be perfect for a Breast Cancer Awareness Month luncheon or dinner.)

A pink birthday party takes on a new air of sophistication when after-five black, rich silver tones, and lots of “bling” work alongside. A black table linen is the foundation for this tablescape, topped with white rhinestone-studded chargers. My favorite Noritake “Spectrum” china sits atop yet another beaded silver charger. Black cotton napkins from Bed, Bath & Beyond with a sheer silver underlay from Pier 1 “crown” the place setting. Of course, I had to pull out the “Royal Danish” sterling, and the silver crown place card holders and diamond cut Cristal d’Arques Longchamps crystal stemware were the perfect finish! (I added a little temporary pink “bling” to the top of each place card holder.)

I found these fabulous crown napkin rings at…you guessed it!…Z Gallerie!!!

I made the menus using heavy black paper topped with fabulous rose petal pink paper I found at Hobby Lobby. I printed the menu in color on plain white paper and then blinged it out with faux gemstones to give it that purely regal look!

 

I bought these sweet pink rose balls at a wholesale place and blinged them up a bit with “diamond” head stick pins. Each ball sits atop a slender silver candlestick with a bobeche dripping with crystals to give it a little extra “ooo la la.”

Photo by Sheri L. Grant

To bring color closer to the table deck, I used these pretty little multi-hued rosebud kissing balls that I made several years ago when I was feeling kind of crafty/bored. Again, I added rhinestone stick pins for this occasion.

Rhinestone candle holders are perfect on this table! The “crowns” hold a Swarovski crystal-studded pillar candle from Kaos, while each of the rectangular holders brings another level of light closer to the table. All of the centerpiece items reflect nicely in the black framed door mirror. (Also used HERE.)

Photo by Sheri L. Grant

Photo by Sheri L. Grant

Photo by Sheri L. Grant

I don’t always change the decor on top of the rustic china cabinet in the dining room, but this time was an exception. Another style of rhinestone candle holder and another larger homemade rose kissing ball shared the stage with my usual iron cross and a bevy of mercury glass votives.

A confection bar fit for a princess!

OK…so I’m a sucker for baby’s breath!!! I can’t help myself!!! This just looked so great in this ornately carved silver epergne. (I purchased 14 of these epergnes wholesale for my fine rentals business several years ago and just haven’t been able to part with them!) I replaced the candle lamps that came with the epergne with plain white metal case candles. The little wooden princess signs were purchased at Hobby Lobby, and I affixed lots of “bling” to the crowns on them for a sparkly 3-D look.

Pretty pink confections on the candy bar include M&Ms, Tootsie Rolls, Hershey’s kisses and heart-shaped marshmallows in clear glass apothecary jars. Engraved silver tags identify the various candies. Sheri, the birthday girl’s mother-in-law/my best friend, baked the pink-sanded sugar cookies that just somehow kept leaping up into my mouth. 🙂 Party favors in pink organza bags were displayed on a silver beaded-edge stand. Each guest went home with the organza bags stuffed with candies and cookies, plus a vial of exclusive perfume.

 

What proper princess doesn’t have something with her initial prominently displayed? For Princess Stacy, it was a silver cake plateau full of luscious pink cupcakes! This tasty confection was served alongside a mini martini glass (Crate & Barrel) filled with strawberry ice cream.

Photo by Sheri L. Grant

The guests checking out the dining room before dinner.

L to R: Sheri, Kelly, Chris, Angie and Princess Stacy

This tablescape would also work incredibly well for Valentine’s Day, to honor a breast cancer survivor, a bridal shower, or as head table for a very blinged out wedding!

Other pretty pink tablescapes on this site include:
Peaceful Peonies
Days of Wine & Roses
Peonies & Pearls
Chocolate Traditional
Platinum & Pink Valentine
Blushing Bridal Shower
Easter Floral
Easter Bloom
Pink Plaid & Posies
All A’Bloom In Pink For Spring
Pretty In Pink
Showered In Pink
Easter In Pink & Grey
French Poodle
Peony Power
Fairy Princess Party
Fairy Tale Wedding Shower
Blurred Lines With Shades of Pink
Tea Roses
Breast Cancer Awareness Month
Pretty In Pink, Wicked In Spurs – Breast Cancer Awareness
Bald Is Beautiful – Breast Cancer Awareness
Pink & Purple Chocolate Christmas
Au Revoir!

I’m delighted to once again join Susan and the other talented tablescapers at Between Naps on the Porch for Tablescape Thursday.

Fete Noir et Gris

/ Alycia Nichols / 50 Comments

 

I was so taken with the black and white components of last week’s table! So when I volunteered to host an intimate dinner for friends who are running off to New Orleans to get married, I thought I’d use those colors again, this time infused with silvery gray. (Seriously, though…do you really “run off to get married” in your 50s? I’m in my 50s, and it would be more like “leisurely strolling off”…or “limping off.” I actually added the silvery gray to complement our hair color!) 😉  This time the colors are paired with more upscale china, stemware, flatware and other decorative accoutrement. I hope you like it!

 

 

There’s just something about decorating with black and white that renders such a profound sense of elegance! Adding touches of gray or pewter or slate seem to make it that much more so.

 

 

My sister’s classic Noritake “Whitebrook” china is always a lovely start to conveying formality and tradition. The china is set atop a double layer of chargers – one beaded silver and the other a rhinestone-studded white. Against the black of the table linen, the dishes really stand out. My favorite International Silver “Royal Danish” sterling flatware always looks great on a formal dining table.

 

When setting a formal dining table, I tend to forego fancy napkin folds and just go with something fairly staid. Adding a sheer silver organza beneath the black adds a bit of flair. The clustered dragon tear napkin rings add a bit more shine without going too far overboard.

 

These “Bella” wine stems from Z Gallerie are fast becoming a new favorite! The top color reminds me of the color of mercury in the old maximum thermometers. Very sultry!

 

Each person’s place is marked with a faux mother-of-pearl and rhinestone frame.

 

 

 

Million star gypsophila (a.k.a. “baby’s breath”) makes an airy, elegant statement in this ornately carved silver floral vessel. Baby’s breath floral arrangements are really quite striking and very easy to assemble using floral foam to keep them well-hydrated. (See this silver piece used again at “Rhapsody In Blue“.)

 

I found this fabulous “Josephine” table runner in velvety soft pewter at Z Gallerie. I love the gentle scrolling.

 

 

The table’s look is finished off with a couple of “lamps” which are actually tall silver candlesticks with ornately beaded shades from….drumroll!…Old Time Pottery!!!  The shade design elements complement the place card frames. The lamps are illuminated using LED votive candles on a follower. (Tip #20)

Other tablescapes on this site using baby’s breath:
“Shake, Rattle & Roll ‘Em!“
“Princess Pink Birthday Dinner“
“Ideas For Throwing A Winter Dessert Party“

This would also make a great New Year’s Eve tablescape!!!

I’m teaming up again with Susan and the other tablescapers at Between Naps on the Porch for Tablescape Thursdays. After perusing my photos, you’re invited to join us there!

Shake, Rattle & Roll ’em!

/ Alycia Nichols / 9 Comments

A black, white & silver table brings to mind an evening of elegance, often contemporary in nature. It can also work for evoking thoughts of sheer simplicity. But can it also work for a Bunco dinner party?!!?!!? This week, I answer a subscriber’s request for a game night dinner party table!

Last week, new subscriber Novetta Washington wrote in asking me to put together a dinner party table for her Bunco group. After a little research on what exactly Bunco is (no…I didn’t know!), I came up with this understated, relatively inexpensive table using black & white (to mimic the colors of dice) with a silver accent. Who says you can’t go a teensy bit glam with dinner before getting to the down and dirty of the game? 🙂

It was a little bit strange to set a table knowing that no one would actually be sitting down to eat at it, but it was fun just the same! With the weather as icky as it is right now though (7 more inches of snow predicted to fall over the next 24 hours!), I’ve not planned any dinner parties of my own to set up. So this was perfect timing, Novetta!

For those of you who don’t know what Bunco is, it’s a fun parlor game played with dice. It’s quite popular (I apparently live a very sheltered life!), and requires no particular skill as it is purely a game of luck. I wanted to give Novetta and her friends a chic, decidedly contemporary table to start off their evening with colors that would get them excited about the upcoming games. I started with a plain black tablecloth. The place settings began with two square chargers – one in silver with rounded corners (kinda like dice!) and one in black. A white rounded-edge B. Smith With Style dinner plate (again…shaped like dice!) was topped with a round black salad plate (resembling the dice dots!). I used simple clear glass water and wine goblets to break up  the black & white landscape just a bit. (Black & white polka-dotted plates and/or flatware would be another fun – albeit more casual – option for this tablescape. Likewise, a pop of color like deep red or purple or orange would be cool, too!)

Each place setting gets a menu with a pair of dice on it, the only overt reference to the theme. (Certainly a few dice tossed down the center of the table would be fun, too!) Even though the table has a sophisticated air to it, that doesn’t mean you can’t get playful with the menu. Notice what I would suggest for dessert!

I like to play with the flatware arrangement when I can, and this is an opportune setting to do just that! Simply banded stainless flatware is laid out with the forks atop a plain white cotton napkin in a perpendicular fashion for a little visual interest.

The lowly “baby’s breath” has gotten a bad rep from its extended misuse as a sparse filler for roses by the dozen. Used en masse like this, however, baby’s breath/gypsophila is a knockout! I used million star gypsophila which boasts very dense clusters. Placing the gypsophila in plain black powder-coated glass urns shows it off museum-style and keeps with the black & white theme. I suggest keeping the look of the gypsophila kind of wild and untamed as shown here. For a wedding or more formal tablescape, you might want to temper it a bit more. (FYI, gypsophila is so well-priced…you can buy it for next to nothing!)

 

I set these milky white votives down the length of the table in the style of dice dots.

A simple $3 door mirror from Old Time Pottery makes a sleek, sophisticated table runner that doubles back the striking images of the candlelight and florals. I used a mirror with black trim that melded nicely with the table linen and allowed just the shiny surface to take center stage.

The suggested menu included Chicken with Olives (olives…black dots!) and concluded with a fun dessert of chocolate fondue with marshmallow “dice” for dipping. Simply dip a Q-tip in black food coloring and dot onto marshmallows! Or, if you want a more 3-D look, use black icing. If you have coffee service after dinner, dotting sugar cubes in the same way is a cute way to make it special.

Well, Novetta and friends, I hope this will give you some inspiration for your next Bunco gathering. Cocktails, a nice sit-down dinner, then on to the gaming tables! Have fun, and please send pictures of your next party to me at table21tablescapes@gmail.com!

Other tablescapes on this site with baby’s breath arrangements include:
“Ideas for Throwing A Winter Dessert Party“
“Fete Noir et Gris“
“Princess Pink Birthday Dinner“

Other tablescapes on this site using a mirror centerpiece include:
“Roses In October“
“Happy Birthday, Barf!“
“Hooray For Vodka!“
“Breakfast at Tiffany’s“
“Contemporary Christmas – Fire & Ice“

It is with great pride & pleasure that I once again join Susan and the other tablescapers at Between Naps on the Porch for Tablescape Thursday. After checking out my entry, please pop over and take a peek at what everyone else is up to this week!

Proud As a Peacock!

/ Alycia Nichols / 26 Comments

Those of you who have visited this blog in the recent past know that I was recently selected as one of five designers to create a tablescape for the winter 2011 issue of EA Bride Magazine. All I had at the time the magazine hit the newsstands in December were some photocopied images straight from the magazine that I shared with you here. The kind folks at Phoenix Photography have since graciously provided me with scenes from the photo shoot which offer a much clearer view. (Or you can click HERE to go straight to the EA Bride magazine website to see the pages.)

 

Depicting a winter wedding table in these brilliantly bold hues was a bit of a challenge, but I certainly enjoyed it! When the creative director for EA Bride Magazine approached me for this Winter 2011 edition’s “Design Challenge” tablescape along with four other designers, it was a thrill to be considered.

Borrowed from Celebration Party Rental in Lee’s Summit, Mo., were the table, cool clear-seated silver-back chiavari chairs, ruby-red diamond pintuck table linen and matching napkin. From my personal collection I chose a square silver wooden charger from World Market, a fabulously intricate teal and silver charger from Home Goods, to-die-for rhinestone-studded silk napkins from Z Gallerie, and exquisite rhinestone-flecked snowflake napkin rings from Pier 1. I borrowed the snowflake from the creative director’s stash at the last-minute just before the shoot began. My Mikasa “Jamestown Platinum” stemware, International Silver “Royal Danish” sterling flatware, and intricately carved aperitif goblet. (Note: Yes, I know the champagne flute is on the “wrong” side, but aesthetically…it just looked so much better! To those of you who are purists on this matter, I humbly apologize! :-))

The 25″H mercury glass vase purchased from my friend Dana Nigro’s Village Gardens in Blue Springs, Mo., offered the perfect combination of vintage and modern. By slipping on a few borrowed crystal ornaments, the vessel was subtly transformed for our winter wedding. Arranging the 52″H peacock feathers from my own collection at staggered heights in the vase rendered a centerpiece that stood a total of 58″ tall!!! Perfect for rooms with tall ceilings!

Each of the 3 small arrangements surrounding the main centerpiece were created by Anne Kelly Acock of the Monarch Flower Company in Lee’s Summit, Mo. The diamond head centers remind us of both the occasion and the iciness of winter, while the peacock feathers bring the colors and texture of the peacock feathers towering overhead down to eye level.

After the photo shoot, we all paused for a few moments of relaxation and goofing around before going about the business of tearing down our very temporary creations. From left to right: Ashley Hotka of Good Earth Floral Design Studio, Heather Medley of Notting Hill Design Studio, Anne Kelly Acock of Monarch Flower Company, and li’l ol’ me. (Not pictured: Meghan Perlow of Poppy Floral.)

This was a really fun and educational experience for me. But seriously….I am out of the wedding business. I am retired! Seriously. 😉

Many, many, many special thanks to

EA Bride Magazine, Phoenix Photography, and Lone Summit Ranch

Magazine cover shot by Blixt Photography, Kansas City, MO

Photo by Phoenix Photography

The Winter 2011 issue of EA Bride is on sale now through March 15 at Barnes & Noble, Price Chopper, Hy-Vee, Hen House, Wal-Mart and several local hospital gift shops.

 Other tablescapes on this site with a peacock theme include:
“The Peacock Effect”
“Simply Peacock Garden”
“Pumpkins & Peacocks”
“Peacock Pizzazz”
“Pheasants & Peacocks“

I hope you enjoy! Don’t forget to also take a look at tablescapes from all over the world on Susan’s Tablescape Thursdays!!!