A Cue from Nature

Special occasion or not I love taking the time to set the table. Setting a table is more than making it look pretty . It is an opportunity to show your guests that you are excited to have them with you.

The beauty of setting a table is that you can make it be whatever you want. My general rule of thumb is layering with texture, heights, and color. For this table I started with a trip to my local garden center to take a cue from nature for my color theme. As I walked up and down the aisles admiring everything that was in bloom, my eye was drawn to this beautiful heather and I knew once I saw it it would be a great first layer for the table. So, I gathered the plants in my basket and carried them home. A bonus in using plants is that you can easily transfer them to the ground and then have a sweet memory to remind you when you used them for a dinner party.

Once I had them inside I made my way to the linen cabinet to find the base layer they would sit on. The brown and white gingham fabric that I purchased at a craft store made for an inexpensive tablecloth.Whenever I use fabric from a craft store I use fabric tape to secure the edges if they are frayed or to keep them from fraying. Start by folding in the edge about 2” and simply apply the tape to hold in place. It’s as simple as that! It requires no ironing or sewing. 

After I put the tablecloth on the table and before I added the plants (that I put in clay pots) I laid out 2 bags of sheet moss for color and texture. Fun fact about sheet moss is that because it has a sponge like quality , whenever I am finished using it on a table, I spritz it with a water bottle to liven it back up and store it in a large baggie until I need to use it again.

Since I took my color cue from the heather I pulled out my green and white seersucker napkins(similar ones can be found from dot & army) and green tulip cups (from Anthropolgie) for more color. I love to mix new and old for balance and interest so the vintage brown and white basket transferware and fish flatware were a must . Etsy has a great selection of both. To round everything out and for height, I married beeswax candles (from Perin Mowen )with maple stick candles( from Stick candles )and placed them in old brass candle holders.

There are so many ways to set the table, trust yourself and your creativity!