A Chinoiserie Autumn

Dillard's Southern Living Collection

September arrives this coming Tuesday and I for one am very excited. I love decorating for fall, Halloween, and Thanksgiving. My plans are already underway.

I am not the biggest fan of orange for fall decor, and I'll bet many of you agree. I can't stand traditional orange pumpkins, for example. But today with all the fabulous heirloom pumpkins, there are pumpkins in white, celadon, and blue - very Chinoiserie Chic! 

Not Your Mother's Melamine

Meri Meri Pink Vintage Botanical Small Plates

 

Melamine has come a long way. With today's designer versions, it is hard to believe they are not china. Meri Meri's melamine tableware is highly praised for its charming, whimsical designs and durable, high-quality feel. This beauitful chinoiserie design and scalloped edges look like fine ceramic but are shatter-resistant and perfect for indoor and outdoor entertaining.

Setting the Blue and White Table

Delft Bloom Tablecloth

 

The wonderful thing about blue and white is that it is timeless, classic, and beautiful in all seasons. This Delft Bloom tablecloth is such an elegant choice.

Setting the Chinoiserie Table

Caspari Scenic Songbirds in Celadon

Lovers of chinoiserie covet the look of hand painted chinoiserie silk wallpaper by iconic companies like Gracie and de Gournay featuring flora and fauna.

No Commitment China

Pavilion Paper

 

For the chicest picnics, al fresco dining, beach, boating, tailgating, parties, and more, I bring you disposable china! 

Spongeware and Chinoiserie

Tory Burch

 

Such a lovely tabletop - Tory Burch spongeware and Jardin napkins from her tabletop collection with blue and white Chinese porcelain and pink peonies.

Memorial Day & Chinoiserie

Caspari

Memorial Day is right around the corner. Setting the Memorial Day table is a no-brainer for the lover of chinoiserie. Use blue and white Chinese porcelain as your centerpiece(s). Fill blue and white ginger jars, cachepots, or vases with red, white, and/or blue flowers - roses, tulips, carnations, hydrangeas, lilies are all beautiful and easily found. 

 

Setting the Blue and White Table

French Toile de Jouy Salad Plates

 
I love color, but nothing more than classic blue and white. These are some lovely picks for setting the blue and white table.

Cocktail Napkins for Mother's Day Gifting

Vintage Swimsuit Linen Cocktail Napkins

Does your mother love vintage things, pickleball, the beach, entertaining? These cocktail napkins would make great Mother's Day gifts. I have three different sets of these at CCC, and have given them as hostess gifts. They are made of elegant embroidered European linen and are beautifully done. I contacted them about possibly creating a blue and white ginger one.

Setting the Holiday Table

Juliska

 

This is quite fabulous - a large crystal bowl filled with different varieties of oranges, kumquats, greenery (rosemary or Christmas tree cuttings) and orange protea. This would make a wonderful centerpiece for the holidays. And if your china is blue and white that is great - I love orange with blue and white. If protea are hard to find, apricot colored roses would be pretty or other flowers in the orange family. You can use floral stem tubes with water hidden in the oranges so the cut flowers don't wilt.

Setting the Thanksgiving Table

Tory Burch

This beautiful Thanksgiving table setting by Tory Burch has lots of great ideas to borrow. The color palette is orange and purple with hot pink. Chinoiserie touches include Imari vases filled with fresh flowers and berries and pewter bamboo flatware. Tealights are a pretty alternative to candlesticks and nice and low so as to not block your view of others at the table.

Gorgeous Placemats for the Holidays

Delft Blue Reversible Wipeable Placemats

 

Happy Halloween! It will be 85 degrees here today -  not very fall-like. And of course no fall foliage. I really do miss the seasons. Snow? Not so much. One of my girlfriends down here flew up to DC yesterday and called me and said she was freezing. I think it was in the seventies - LOL.

Scalamandre

Setting the Chinoiserie Thanksgiving Table

Southern Living

 

I love setting the Thanksgiving table with blue and white chinoiserie and turkeys. Here a blue and white Chinese porcelain jar is filled with hydrangeas, zinnias, pink hypericum berries, and surrounded by pomegranates. Blue and white dinner plates are topped with charming turkey plates.

Setting the Thanksgiving Table

Tuckernuck

 

It will be a bit of a stressful day here at CCC - I have a massive oak tree right behind my home being removed today that was damaged in the last two hurricanes. I am happy it is coming down because it is aging and falling apart and poses a serious risk to my home. It is not one of the beautiful live oaks that ages well and fares well in storms here in Florida. It is a laurel oak and they start decaying from the inside out as they age and come apart in storms. But it is massive and towers over my house and I will be glad when the process is over. 

Setting the Coastal Table

Kim Seybert

Posting late today. This is crazy - I got a new Xfinity modem in the mail the day before the hurricane. Needless to say I did not have the chance to set it up and I woke up today to no internet, no mobile, no TV.

They cut my service off although I am paying a fortune because I had not set up the new modem..... Seriously?

Setting an Elegant Table

Joanna Buchanan Coral Place Card Holders

I love using place cards when I entertain. Even for small dinner parties, it is an elegant touch and makes sitting down to dinner seamless with no guesswork for guests. I have Caspari coral place cards that I bought a ton of before they were discontinued.

Setting the Summer Table with Coral

Kim Seybert

Isn't this wonderful inspiration for setting the summer table? I love coral and turquoise and would definitely use this even for the Fourth of July in lieu of more traditional red, white, and blue. Here are some great ideas for setting your summer table with coral touches including a DIY.

Setting the Summer Table - Pineapples

Lenox British Colonial and Wicker Creek

 

Several people asked about the pineapples in the table setting in yesterday's post. The great news is that they too are Lenox and are available and are even on sale.

Setting the Summer Table

Wicker Seashell Charger

 

I'm sure you have noticed how popular wicker chargers are. Chargers serve both aesthetic and practical purposes. Not only do they help to keep table linens safe from spills, stains, oils, and food, but they also offer an additional chance to add color, patterns, texture, and layers to your table setting.

"Secret" Shopping Source

Juliska

I am a big fan of Juliska's tableware and more for the home and have many pieces at CCC. I saw this gorgeous tartan chambray blanket when it first came out but at $395 I didn't pull the tigger.