Easter Greetings!

Happy Easter to you all!!!!!!

Our family has been visiting with us all week from Ohio, and even though the weather wasn't that great, the love and fun sure were!!!  Since they just left yesterday, we are having a very laid back Easter Sunday and there will just be the two of us for dinner tonight.

This unusual egg topiary caught my eye at the floral wholesaler, and I planned a soft, almost neutral table to go with it. 

These latex cabbage leaves are perfect for adding a spring look, so I used them under the chargers.

I picked up the brown and soft green from the eggs on the topiary with these linens.  I layered this polyester dupiani over a natural burlap tablecloth.

Then I chose tan and cream plates and cream handled flatware.

The scalloped charger and salad plate are from Z Gallerie and the middle, toast colored plate is from that fine tabletop store, Kroger!  The scallops aren't exactly the same, but they complement each other.

Not a lot of color, but very soothing and natural.

See the feather ribbon I used as a napkin ring?

It has the same feathers in the centerpiece.  I was sort of surprised when I found it in my stash, to be truthful.  A happy coincidence!

I gave brown and green glasses a try, but they made things look too fall-like, so I brought out the Waterford and it seemed so much better.

These candlesticks aren't old, but I love the patina on them, even though it's a factory applied patina, not the kind you would find on a lovely antique. 

These good old salt and pepper shakers were the only accessories I added, since I'll be serving our plates from the kitchen.

It's a gloomy day!  Here's a shot from inside the window at this table.  (Part of the gloom is the fact that our sunshine went back to Ohio with their mothers yesterday!)  Maybe that's one reason I chose such a subdued palate for tonight's dinner.

This is my usual Easter table.  See more of this table here.

And last year I did a bright yellow and green table.  See more here.

At this same table, I served Easter breakfast here.

I'm wishing each of you who celebrate this holy season a wonderful day!

Joining:

Wow Us Wednesdays

Savvy Southern Style

Tablescape Thursdays

Between Naps on the Porch

The Tables of Boxwoods

This is where I go whenever I feel like I need a special little something, a gift, some inspiration, or just a pick-me-up.  Who needs a therapist when a stroll through Boxwoods does such a good job of lifting your spirits? The owners, Randy and Dan, have an eye for the finding the best inventory at very fair prices and have hired the perfect staff to welcome and help you.  You can see a post I did of their country home here.  I promise you that you'll want to live there!

Imagine my joy when they opened another store just across the street just for tabletop items.  Let me show you some of the tables that they have set with their beautiful merchandise.  There is a lovely pale turquoise room that they have set with linens and pieces of the same color combined with cream dishes.  They have the knack of layering and layering and then adding some more, but not seeming at all overdone.  Don't you want to just sit down at this table and pour some wine?

Here's another turquoise table they did with a totally different feel.

Every room has a charm and feel of it's own.

How about this breath of spring?  And those chairs?  I. die.

Downstairs they have this fresh little table for two.

And this green and blue designed with these plastic plates that look just like the real Italian dishes that they are made to look like.

Here's a more casual look with fun neutrals and lots of texture.

Look at how much interest is developed just by simply repeating the soft blue of the painting in the delphinium stems and the throw pillows.  It's so subtle, but lovely. 

And one more little shot of blue across the landing ties all of this together and keeps it from being too beige.  for me.  There's more, but I'm going back across the street to buy a hydrangea, shop the antiques, and talk to Tom and see what new fashion jewelry he has in.  If only they sold groceries here, I could do all of my shopping at Boxwoods!

To contact :

Randy Korando - interior design

Dal Belman - landscape design

Boxwoods Garden and Gifts

100 East Andrews

Atlanta, Ga. 30305

404-233-3400

A Grey, Grey Day

It's grey here.  Grey, grey, grey, grey.  In fact, it snowed this morning.  Yes,....SNOW in GEORGIA in MARCH.  This is not right.  But, a very fun couple are coming for a casual dinner tonight, and they will brighten things up a lot.  So I was inspired to set a grey table and keep it simple.

A grey table has been on my mind since I received this beautiful gift in January.  We had a lovely man here as a houseguest during the Atlanta gift show.  In fact he turned out to be the perfect houseguest with impeccable manners and incredible charm.  Thank you, David.  Thank you, thank you.  You're invited back anytime.

Here's a close up of this fabulous urn.  It is a composite material, but looks like grey carved granite.  It is distributed by a wonderful showroom at Americas Mart called Art as Antiques.  You can see their stock line here.  I am so crazy about this.  Can you see the incredible detail?

I knew I would use it with this grey and cream striped linen by Windsor Smith Home.  This is just a remnant from a project I did a while ago.

Here's what I came up with.  It's a very uncomplicated table that perfectly suits the dinner I have planned. 

The whole table.  It didn't bother me that the fabric didn't entirely cover the table.  I just felt it made it look a bit more casual and modern.

The only shot of color are these hot pink roses in old French seed pots.   

They look much better from this angle.

The chargers are some I made last year.  They are just inexpensive gold plastic chargers from Old Time Pottery that I sprayed with a primer, then chalk board paint, then covered with the side of a stick of chalk.  Then you wipe most of the chalk off and it looks like zinc.  I wish I could credit the blog I saw this on, but I have forgotten who it was.  

 

Then I chose this scalloped cream plate from Z Gallerie.

Next, I used a cream, linen faggot edged napkin with this chicken wire napkin ring from Pottery Barn.

These little zinc (well, tin) stands make interesting placecards with chalk names. 

To keep things very simple and clean looking, I chose these Tiffany water goblets and Reidel stemless wine glasses.

I started out with silverplate, but changed to this cream handled flatware that made things more casual.

The water pitcher is from Pottery Barn.

I have these small, square, cream dishes from Sur La Table that I was going to use as individual salt and pepper holders, but I decided that just one for the whole table was a cleaner look.

Rolls are going to go on this sweet little pedestal that I found in Cleveland at The Flower Factory.  Sadly, that has gone out of business.  It was a great source for inexpensive hobby products and giftware.

Ahhh.  Clean and simple and not at all fussy.  Just like our guests tonight.  (Well, I guess they ARE clean, but I wouldn't exactly call them simple!!!!!)

I'm pretty happy with this.  The only thing new is that wonderful gift from David.  Everything else is stuff I already had, but I have never put them together like this.

We'll have our coffee in the living room, so I set this up on a galvanized tray with a pewter cream and sugar set that I've had since we were first married.

We haven't entertained much since Christmas, so I'm thrilled to have this evening to look forward to.  Welcome, friends!!!!

I'm joining:

Tabletop Tuesday

A Stroll Through Life

Wow Us Wednesday

Savvy Southern Style

Open House Thursday

No Minimalist Here

Tablescape Thursday

Between Naps On the Porch

Feathered Nest Friday

French Country Cottage

Seasonal Sundays

The Tablescaper

Let's Dish

Cuisine Kathleen