A burst of floral joy spread out on a table.
I’ve noticed that every Easter I feel compelled to create a table setting to share with you. I’m not sure why I’m more motivated to bring you another Springtime way to dress a table versus another recipe for Easter. Maybe I feel you all have traditions and a menu you follow and don’t need another recipe. Or maybe the weather made me do it. I think I get so excited at the thought of longer days and warmer temps. It evokes images of flowers, sun and a bright cheery feeling that I want to spread out onto the table.
Colors are incredibly powerful. So much so that advertisers spend a pretty penny researching their affect on consumers. I love how a color can completely change your mood. When I look at the array on this table scape it’s no wonder it brings such joy. Here’s why.
Green makes you feel optimistic and refreshed. It also relaxes you partly due its connection with nature and ease on the eyes.
Pink is soft and evokes a sense of romance and sweetness.
Magenta is bold and energizing.
Yellow, of course, is reminiscent of sunshine, smiley faces and the start of a new day, which makes you feel positive, happy and raring to go.
With all those good vibes it’s clear why I love creating Springtime tables.
You know from previous posts that I have a ton of tablecloths and fabrics, but that doesn’t stop me from getting more. Lately, I have been thrifting at a local church and grabbing some fun and inexpensive finds. If you go back to my last post, Rose-colored Salad, the table had a remnant cloth that I recently bought for $2. I loved it because it was a color combo that I definitely didn’t have in my stash. I know, hard to believe there was a color gap in my linens closet, HA.
I have been wanting to use the ‘floral on top of floral’ theme for a while but could never quite achieve exactly what I was envisioning. So, when I saw the stark white cloth with bursts of Springtime flowers I immediately grabbed it. In my utter excitement, I never fully inspected it; just brought it to the register and paid. Once I got it home and opened it up to wash, I realized it was a sheet. You think that bothered me? Not in the least. Once washed, fabric is fabric, and everything has multiple uses. I also picked up the rose & gold rimmed plates and bowls to add to the floral theme. I got 12 of each for $15 (for those, like me, who use their fingers to count, that’s 62¢ a dish!) A fruitful shop of flora, for sure.
The line up: White Sheer for the base, Floral sheet for the runner, yellow/white napkins, Dinner plate with gold leaf pattern, Rose/gold/floral soup & salad plates, Peach candle sticks, Tiffany wine glasses, vintage green/gold water glasses.
In the past, you have seen me lay the more detailed cloth as the main base and then use a sheer or mono-colored fabric for the center runner. This go around I wanted the placemats and dishes to pop so they could take star billing. To do that I switched it up by placing a white sheer as the base. Then I twisted the floral “sheet'“ and threw it down the center of the table.
Using the white sheer material creates a clean base for the plates to shine.
Then I began to build the floral layers, first by using large leaf mats Instead of the usual placemats, Then the dishes with gold leaf pattern topped with my new rose/gold/floral plate & bowl. The floral motif is fairly evident.
In a previous post where I used the large leaf mats I provided this link in case you wanted to purchase something similar.
Next, I folded the napkins in a way reminiscent of a tulip and used green grosgrain ribbon to emulate a stem. I cut a few small leaves from our rhododendron tree and added them in for more floral flair. I then placed the ‘tulip’ napkins in the cut glass wine goblets which brightened the entire table up another notch.
Then it was time to place the silver and glassware, and candles around the table. To continue tying in the leaf and color scheme, I used my favorite vintage green and gold glasses. If you remember, those were another great find at the Lincoln Road Mall Street Fair in Miami. I am so glad I wrapped those up, stuffed in my suitcase and brought back to NY.
All the colors are working together, and the place settings are the star, popping off the simple white sheer base.
The gold and yellow play nicely together. All the designs of leaves and florals swirl around creating whimsy.
And how can we have a Springtime table without actual florals? I wanted to keep the flowers as close to the colors in the table runner. At Trader Joe’s, I found three that answered the call. All mums, in 3 varieties and colors: Yellow Sundance Chrysanthemum, Magenta Mums & Lilac Mini Poms. My vision was to make the florals feel like wildflowers spread out along the table. To achieve that I used all my mini vintage vases. Arranging and choosing which vase with which flower is a fell thing. Go with your gut and what visually looks appealing to you. Typically, I like monochromatic floral design. In keeping with that the yellow mums needed to stand on their own and be in vases that enhanced their vibrance. The magenta and lilac flowers worked beautifully together.
Side note: If you don’t have mini vases, you can achieve the same effect with small juice glasses, or those glass yogurt cups. Look around your own stash to see what works. The goal is to use what you have. Everything has more than one purpose.
Honestly, I am in love with this table. I finally achieved the floral on top of floral design I have been dreaming. It feels so fresh and light and cheerful. And frankly, cheerful is what I know I can use right now. Maybe you can, too.
Happy Springtime. Happy Easter. Happy Passover.
A floral explosion
I think the flowers in the vases mimic the flowers in the cloth.
Happiness running through the length of this table and in my mind.
Color your life with brightness & cheer!
