“There is nothing more romantic than the celebration of love; the sound of two hearts beating as one”

~Penny ~

Life this year is different, and perhaps forever changed. The historic pandemic we are living in has made us vulnerable in a way we have never felt before. It has taught us genuine fear, a helpless loss of control, the desperation to protect our loves ones, the raw experience of isolation, yet, the hysterical desire to remain isolated and to fear each other with suspicion. This is our new reality…We’ve turned to our homes, our place of comfort and shelter, a place we can control, a place to protect us, a place where we can make our own rules, a place to be free from these new threats from the outside world. We’ve learned to slow down, to read, to talk with each other, to cook more, to bake bread and to break bread, to be kinder and more gentle to each other, to treasure and celebrate love…..especially on this day, Saint Valentine’s Day…I hope you will enjoy and glean some ideas from this Versailles-inspired tablescape I’ve designed. My hope is that you borrow elements to use for lots of different special occasions in your future; baby showers, bridal showers, bridal luncheons or weddings. The possibilities are endless…and you are amazing!

We lit a fire, cooked a beautiful dinner, listened to our favourite French music and talked. It was the best. As table design is what I love doing, I planned ahead, ordering what I envisioned for this special night, and waited for the deliveries. It had to be quiet, romantic and celebratory. We’ve been at home so much this past year, it had to be special. As I was adding and subtracting, which is how my creations evolve, my husband was on a ladder photographing the process (gotta love a supportive husband!). If you look closely you will see how some things are different in different pics. Evening came, we dressed up and made it a real celebration, always “making the ordinary extraordinary”….

My theme was romance. We had recently binge-watched the Netflix series Versailles, which played a big part in driving my subliminal inspiration and desire for sparkle, crystal, chandeliers, candlelight, doves, a roaring fire, tiny boxwoods reminiscent of the gardens of Versailles, and a small fireside feast.

I Love to move tables around in my house. If you’ve read my blogs or heard me speak, you know I’m a fan of moving tables into different rooms. And so it began…I moved our 36 inch leather-topped drum table from the foyer into the living room right in front of the fireplace.

Decorating the mantle is a year-round activity for me. It’s fun and adds that little something extra. Live greenery in the winter can be challenging, so I keep a supply of faux products. I suggest this for baby showers, bridal showers or wedding day banisters!

Crystal, crystal, crystal There is nothing more lovely, or romantic than sipping champagne from a beautiful cut crystal stemmed flute. I used our Saint Louis wine and champagne classes and placed votive candles around them to enhance sparkle and reflection. I also used some of exotica pieces from our Lalique collection, because after all….

Doves represent love & peace in Greek Mythology, heralding back to the mythological goddess of love Aphrodite and her Roman counterpart, Venus. When our daughter was married on a ranch in Ojai, CA there was a cage with two doves cooing at the entrance to the wedding garden. It was ✨magical✨. There are many beautiful things in life we draw inspiration from . Remember them and treasure them!

The boxwoods atop the place settings symbolized the famed gardens of Versailles. There is most always a boxwood to be found on my tablescapes and in my home!