Mad about plaid! Plaid napkins, placemats, ornaments, plates, flatware. Wow! All from different stores, different manufacturers, but they all play together so nicely!
I cannot remember what came first. The fun plaid glass ornaments, placemats and flatware from Ross. The plaid plates from Cracker Barrel. The plaid organza napkins (which, honestly, wouldn’t sop up a drip, so they’re layered on top of white cotton ones that really will get the job done) from Pier 1. As I shop, I try to keep a mental inventory in place of what I have and what might work with it. Then, when I see things, I can grab them if they will fit in and not be a duplicate of something I already have.
One of the things I truly love about this Christmas table is that it comes alive at night. I used tiny, multi-colored, battery-operated rice lights wound threw the red and green flower arrangement and the plaid ornaments. Because the ornaments were nice and shiny, the tiny lights reflect off them beautifully and transform the table into something truly special.
Originally, I tried placing the placemats on the bare wood drop leaf table. It just didn’t look quite dressy enough for Christmas day, so I got out a red jaquard tablecloth and used it as the bottom layer. It took some emphasis off the placemats, but I decided that wasn’t a bad thing because there is an awful lot going on on this table.
Here’s a suggestion I have. If you are going to be setting several tables (rather than having 20+ people sit at one), decorate each one in a different way and allow your guests to self-select where they choose to sit. It is so interesting to watch how their own personal style very much influences which of the tablescapes they find most appealing. If you have guests fighting to all sit at a particular table, there’s your sign. You need to expand that style next year. Live and learn!
One more view!
Leave a Reply