A Yellow Daffodil Tablescape

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Vietri *Artel * Bodrum * Sabre

I’ve stared into the window of the Lion’s Paw on the island of Nantucket for 28 years feasting my eyes on their beautiful home décor wares. So it was incredibly poignant for me to have the privilege and pleasure of designing their table for their spring opening with the finest from Italy, Paris and the Czech Republic.

My first priority was to display the exquisite merchandise in a way that would make the store and table proud. There were so many options to work with!  I was like a kid in a candy store whose belly was never, ever going to be full! The beautiful 144 inch pine table which seated 12, served as the perfect backdrop to receive the 2017 Pantone colors of yellow and green, shouting out that spring had arrived!  The theme was an elegant dinner for ten to celebrate the opening of the island and of course, the daffodils. I began with a stunning ivory colored 100%  linen tablecloth from Bodrum as the canvas on which to begin my tablescape. I used two 120 inch overlapping. Their napkin and napkin ring selection was enormous!  I brought in a green linen hemstitched napkin with a green ring and placed them on a diagonal.

I always begin by "gathering my nuts" when designing...


Handcrafted in Tuscany, these incredibly designed dishes from their Lastra collection were inspired by the wooden slab used to create the outer mold in cheese making.  There were many pieces in this collection to choose from and I used most of them in alternating place settings to merchandise the options. I also prefer a less “matchy” and more eclectic use of dishes in a table design.

The Sabre flatware from Paris gave depth and livened up the table!

  The taupe color was exquisite and rich and served as the perfect counterpoint to the neutral palette.

The luxury bohemian crystal glassware from Artel, rounded out the foundation of my tablescape. 

 This crystal glassware , handcrafted by artisans in the Czech Republic, would stand out to those who passed by, adding just the right touch of whimsy with patterns of stars and sea life.

                   The Vietri dishes were undeniably my first choice.

The base products were selected.  Now on to the design!  I needed height, so I added my own ivory colored urns and filled them with combination of faux and real daffodils, greenery and tulips.

I broke up the long ivory look with four of my faux grass placemats on which I placed four of the ten dinner plates.  Since I am a huge fan of greenery, I decided to perch the soup bowls in little nests of faux greenery in the middle of each dinner plate.  From there I added my collection of 32 year-old “bunny” soup tureens for color and another touch of whimsy.  I filled in the length of the table with moss-covered containers holding moss spheres.  For added interest, I planted tiny 3inch clay pots with mini-daffodils and tiny chalkboard name holders at each place setting to be given out as favors after the dinner. I love the idea of cellophane bags on hand to put them in a guests leave.  It’s always nice to welcome and then to bid adieu with a small token of some kind.  

 

Resources:

  • Stoneware: Vietri

  • Flatware: Sabre

  • Crystal: Artel

  • Linens: Bodrum

  • Urns: Private collection

  • Clay pots: Michael’s

  • Faux grass placemats: Flowers on Chestnut

  • Faux greenery:  Michael’s

  • Moss covered containers: Michael’s

  • Moss spheres: Michael’s

  • Bunny tureens: Private collection