Be Colorful Coastal

Modern Chinoiserie Table Top

 

I love the Palm Beach design vibe and I wanted to incorporate it into my tabletop theme for our progressive dinner last weekend, but I didn't want it to look dated or cliche. I was looking for more of an updated take on this classic theme and here is where my search took me...

 

 

It was time to change things up a bit. As you can see by the photo below, my choices are slightly challenged by my vibrantly patterned dining chairs but not as much as you would think.

 

 

I like to mix patterns and feel like a different scale of floral, a stripe, or a geometric print work beautifully with the chairs.  

 

 

That runner wasn't even meant to be a runner, I bought it to go across the bottom of a bed but it was one of those times when I didn't have time to do anything but shop my house and came up with that look. I liked it and have used it while entertaining for the last year. But now I was ready to switch things up for something lighter.

 

 

 

The table runner and napkins can be purchased here.

The place cards were something I created on the computer using PicMonkey

 

 

The white and gold bamboo chargers can be found here.

I added a gold vinyl placemat to the chargers to give some contrast with my white plates.

 

I also wanted to change up the centerpiece. With eight place settings and the large chargers, I wanted to keep it minimal and low so we wouldn't be talking through candles or flowers. I love these glass stem holders that I found at Horse Of A Different Color. I bought two of them and added a low bowl-style candleholder in the center of the table for a bit of evening glow.

 

 

The progressive dinner was so much fun. We will be doing it again in September. I'm already thinking ahead for what my design plan will be then.. (insert winking face).

 

Colorful Table Top Concepts

Colorful Tabletop Options For Our Florida Home

 

Last week I hosted a book group here at the house and realized that my linen choices were ready for a refresh. I love a banana leaf print, but I'm getting a little tired of this one. I want another option.

 

 

 

This is our dining room. As you can see, I am not afraid of color or mixing patterns.

 

 

This dining room set was left by the previous homeowner. It was well made but was too dark and traditional for my Florida vision.  I decided to have the table and chair frames painted and then reupholstered the chairs in two vibrant fabrics.

 

 

I love the unexpectedness that this set creates but it does require a bit more thought when pulling together table linens.

That said, every colorful design also needs a place for the eyes to rest. For me, it is white dishes. My mom told me that food always looks good on white and I listened to her. 

 

 

This home was purchased as our second residence so that required buying everything new. It was overwhelming. I only wanted to purchase one set of dishes so I needed something that could check a casual and slightly more formal box. 

The gray dining table, like the dishes, has the same calming effect and I typically go with a table runner instead of a full tablecloth. It lets the table shine through and makes the setting feel a bit more casual.

 

 

I bought these Jaye Studio chargers last year and I still haven't used them because my dishes are also white. To have a contrast between the dinner plate and the charger I need to either paint the centers of these or find another smaller charger or round placemat that will fit inside the gold bamboo-style rim. In my head, it looks amazing.

 

 

find them here

 

Now that I've started looking at new linens, I know I want to make a statement. 

Bring on the corals and bold floral prints.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Maybe a stripe combined with a modern twist on a damask...

 

 

 

 

I also love this classic trellis and pair it with a coastal shell pattern.

 

 

But why limit my choices to the only corals?

 

 

I love the contrast with the green.

 

 

 

Bringing in blue is another thought...

 

 

 

 

 

 But it isn't just about the color. I also like to consider different design vibes like this colorful casual look

 

 

or this eclectic combo that I like to call the Matisse Collection.

 

It is so hard to decide!

Do you have a favorite look?

 

The solid napkins can be found on Amazon- here and here.

The green and white bamboo print placemat and napkins are available on Etsy from 33YellowClouds

The jade-green solid runner is from House of Burlap and can be purchased here.

All other napkins and table runners can be purchased on Etsy from Spoonflower Home

Happy shopping!

As for me, I have some decisions to make before participating in a progressive dinner next month. 

 

 

The Office Themed Birthday Party

 

Even during a pandemic special birthdays deserve a little something extra. We kept the guest list to just family but this was a birthday we wanted to recognize.

 

 

 

 

 

I started with the banner and balloons. 

 

For the table I began with an over-sized tub of cheese balls from Costco and embellished it with a computer-printed Michael Scott Paper Company logo. Then I created some other Office themed snacks with free printable labels that I found here. 

 

The Dwight Schrute figurine and a book covered in a photo of Michael Scott's book rounded out the centerpiece. 

 

 

I also found some free printables on the internet and either framed them or hung them around the house.

 

Even the dessert, ice cream cake AND cupcakes, had their own Office touch.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Coral Themed Table Top

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Palm Fronds

similar here

 

Faux Coral Branch

 

Coral placemats

also here

 

napkin rings

 

coral napkins were from Pier1 but unavailable now. Find similar here.

 

 

Tropical Christmas Table Top

The elements

 

 

Black and white runner with palm leaves: 

                                                                source

Green dinner plates:(similar)

                                                                source 

 

Red origami-folded napkins:

                                                                source

Gold seahorse take-away:

                                                                     source

 

Gold charger plate:

                                                                   source

Palm leaf placemat:

                                                                source

 

 

 

 

 

Tropical Flatware Layout

 

 

 

I must be rubbing off on him. This image showed up on my husband's Facebook home page and when he saw it he said he thought of me so he tagged me in it.

 

 

Love that man.

:D
xoxo,
p

Coastal Dishes

 

 

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For the time being, our coastal home is a second home. Simply put, we are keeping our home up north, so for now we aren't bringing anything with us. We are starting completely over right down to the dishes. I feel like a new bride. Well, sort of. :D

 

Amazon Prime has become one of my best friends over the past eight months. It was a one stop shop and ship romance when it came to the home basics. Among the first things we bought were pots and pans, dishes and glassware. The pots and pans were fine and we went with a basic white porcelain  dish set.

Amazon Prime Gorham

 

Yes, I was playing it safe. I was hoping to find something that was substantial enough for everyday but not too casual if I felt like putting on the ritz.

I didn't have a clue really. Little did I realize that we would eat almost every meal out on the lanai or how seldom we would cook now that it was just the two of us. It is just a different lifestyle here. There are so many more dining options and when we do stay in it is usually a very casual re-plating affair from Whole Foods. 

I found some clear glass glasses at TJ Maxx that I thought would work but within a short period of time I realized that we were eating and drinking out by the pool 90% of the time.

It was time to invest in some un-breakables.

I started with these cobalt blue beauties from Pottery Barn and I love love love them.

 

 

Wine connoisseurs everywhere will be shaking their heads but it wasn't long before I was embracing this durable dining concept and went so far as to order these hammered glass looking acrylic wine glasses (also from Pottery Barn).

 

At least I had them monogramed to help keep it classy.

 

:D

 

 It seemed like  these were becoming our go-to glasses and we were always running out  so I ordered a second set.  They are dishwasher safe and they don't get that cloudy look that has happened with other plastic glassware.

 

It was sale time at Pottery Barn so I added some melamine dishes too.

 

 

 

They call these red but to me they read coral. They work well with my color scheme and with the cobalt blue glasses. I am, though, what might be called a dish whore. So now I think I need some melamine dishes in white too.

 

 

The thing about white dishes is that food always looks great on them plus they mix so well with other patterns and colors.

 

I could combine those dishes and the cobalt glasses with any of these options for a fun colorful table.

 

 

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Actually there isn't much that these cobalt blue glasses and white dinnerware wouldn't combine with and I love options so let the entertaining begin!

 

xoxo,

p

 

1. Ocean Offerings

2.Ocean Offerings

3. Pop Sugar

4. Zazzle

5. Martha Stewart

6. HSN

7. Bambuzo

8. Wayfair

9. Galleyware

10. Le Cadreaux

11. Kate Spade