The bowl and plates each came in a set of four, both with red, yellow, green, and blue pattens. Since I love mixing patterns I knew I’d love these dishes! I played around with a few different dinner plates that I had just pulled out for the Fall season and decided the yellow/mustard color brought a bright pop to the table while the other plate (a green similar to the glasses) seemed a little dull. 

The little flower pitcher is also new, but the table runner, woven chargers, glasses, and flatware were all items I already had. I love mixing just a bit of new with my other pieces. I picked up the little floral arrangement from Safeway. 

Let me tell you how to make a large dining table cozy enough for a party of four. You’ll notice the flowers are in the center of the table and off to the side, sitting at an angle, is the wooden tray with plates/dessert forks, extra napkins, and candles. What the placement of that tray does is define a smaller dining space. A table that can easily seat 8 (or 10), now is cozy enough for a small gathering. 

When its time to be seated, simply move the candle from the tray and position it with the other two, then move the flowers onto the tray. Clearing the center of the table now makes space for you to bring out the salad (and even all the food if you choose). 

What do you think? Does my Early Fall Tablescape work for this in between season? I figure I still have plenty of time to bring out the pumpkins!

Shop my table look:

In case you’re antsy for the pumpkin table, here’s a Simple Fall Tablescape from two years ago.

Or you might enjoy this Pumpkin Floral Tablescape

The post Early Fall Tablescape appeared first on Joy In Every Season.

My home isn’t open concept, and the dining room is a bit smaller than I wish it were to accommodate our large family. I had my table custom made to utilize every extra inch I could. 

I was amazed, that I was able to set such a beautiful “perfectly imperfect” co-ordinating tablescape. Not one of these items was purchased with another in mind, I just loved each item separately. 

Shop the look: White Flatware  Green Acrylic Goblets 

Floral Runner  Crochet Trimmed Napkins

The Floral Plates are a few years old from Anthropology. My dining chairs and the white chargers were from Pier 1 (but sadly they’ve closed their stores). 

If you love the look of this Bright Floral Summer Tablescape, I’m sure you love these also!

Blue Floral Outdoor Tablescape

Pink & Aqua Summer Tablescape  

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The fresh tulips were probably enough, but I tend to add a few extra layers to my tablescapes. 

What purpose exactly do the layers provide?

• Table runners provide an extra layer of protection from heat, moisture and spills while adding a “pulled together” look. They also a base for your centerpiece (source credit-premiertablelinens-blog.com)
• On the table, a centerpiece is a central object which serves a decorative purpose. However, centerpieces are often not too large, to avoid difficulty with visibility around the table and to allow for the easier serving of dishes. Centerpieces are often made from flowers, candles, fruit, or candy (source-wikipedia)
• Charger plates can catch pieces of food, and prevent spills and messes that would otherwise stain the tablecloth or flow onto the table. Chargers also help to retain the heat in dinnerware since they are placed directly underneath plates and bowls (source credit-webrestaurantstore.com)
• Cloth napkins are cute and functional. “They hold up way better than paper napkins. No one wants to use paper napkins that are going to disintegrate after a few quick hand wipes during a messy meal. A cloth napkin can stand up to the messiest fingers — every single time” (source- Kitchn)
• What is the purpose of the small heart plate?  My response is because it makes the table look complete, however, this is actually a dessert plate, which wouldn’t be on the table until dessert is served. Oops. “The dinner plate is the center of the place setting, and the salad plate is placed to the left. The dessert plate sits just above the dinner plate in many cases. When the dessert plate is not placed on the table before the meal, it arrives after the dinner dishes have been cleared (source-classroom.synonym.com)
• Party favors or sussy “A small gift, given for no particular occasion other than love and friendship, usually not wrapped and often not given directly but left as a surprise to find. A little inexpensive present given from the heart.”
• And most of all, they’re fun and pretty!!

So there you have it, lots of info that I doubt you really care about. My thought, is set your table however it makes you happy!! 

It’s fun to use unexpected colors on a table. Like black on Valentine’s day! I’ve also used black on an Easter Table before! Go take a look and let me know if you’re in agreement that black is a fun addition to a tablescape. I’m not sure I’ll be able to pull it off for 4th of July, but I might try. 

If this post has brought you JOY, please feel free to PIN this to your favorite pinterest board!!

Here’s my Red & Aqua Valentine’s table from last year.

The post Red Heart Tablescape appeared first on Joy In Every Season.

I believe in two things when it comes to setting the perfect table:

• First, keep it simple! No one wants to sit down at a table that is so cluttered (even if it is gorgeous) that they feel uncomfortable. Now don’t get me wrong, I do love a pretty centerpiece and beautiful dishes and linens, but I want my family and friends to feel at home. No linen on my table is ever too fancy that they can’t wipe a spaghetti face on it!! If it’s not washable, I don’t buy it!
• Second, use and re-use what you have! Or as bloggers like to say, “shop your home first.”  I’ll admit to having a lot of dishes, but if you follow my tablescapes, you’ll also notice that I use the same pieces over and over. I just mix and match and add in a new piece here and there to achieve the look I’m going for.
• Ok, lastly (even though I said two things), the food must be good! It doesn’t matter if you spent hours in the kitchen preparing a delicious home cooked meal, or ordered take out. Good food and good conversation around the kitchen table with family and friends makes for the perfect evening!

I love the layers and textures that I’ve included on this table and the details of the simple centerpiece is just enough!

My buffet was decorated like this all Fall. I change my decor seasonally, but rarely change it out during a season. Except for tablescapes! I do love playing with my dishes in my dining room.

I can’t wait until we can actually host friends again. So far, we’ve had some family over, but I miss gathering with our friends. I love this sign (from Oh Sweet Skye), it says what my heart feels! Amen!

Be thankful, and be blessed!

The post Simple Fall Tablescape appeared first on Joy In Every Season.

For fun, I made some ice cubes complete with spiders! I don’t recommend floating spiders for the younger kids. I wanted an orange beverage for the table, so I served orange Gatorade with a splash of 7-Up. 

I love when I can set a table without purchasing anything new. You’ll notice I use the black and white plaid plates for just about every holiday. I had no idea when I purchased them a few years ago, just how versatile they’d be. A few festive dishes, simple decorations, a sprinkle of colorful kisses, and a cookie treat at each place setting, this table is ready to party!!

Now please be a ghostly good friend, and pin the image below to your favorite Pinterest board. 

Here’s a completely different look, using some of the same chargers, plates, and flatware. I hope you enjoy my Pumpkin Floral Fall Tablescape.

And here’s one more table, geared for the little ones! And a delicious Halloween Lunch that they’re sure to love!

The post Black and Orange Halloween Tablescape appeared first on Joy In Every Season.

Back when I was a younger mom, my girls never started back to school until after Labor Day. That’s probably why mid-August just isn’t Fall yet. Fall, for me, is prompted by back to school and the routines that came with school and activities. Did you know that the first day of the Fall season is actually September, 22 this year. That date confirms that it’s ok for me to make a slow transition into Fall. 

I’m seriously so in love with how this table turned out! Wouldn’t it be the perfect brunch or girlfriend lunch table!!  

I love every single detail in this Pink & Aqua Summer Tablescape! The only new item, besides the fresh flowers of course, are the aqua TAG bubble glasses. Purchased six of the glassware at The Farm Bakery, Cafe, & Gifts and two addition from Amazon.  The chargers and pink plates were from Pier 1. The table runner and floral napkins were Home Goods finds a year or two ago. And, the white flatware is from Antique Warehouse.  

The Iced Cold Brew was my post table setting treat!! You can get the info on that HERE.

I certainly think this is Pinterest worthy! If you agree, please pin the image below to your favorite board. 

Here are a few suggestions on setting a table similar to what I’ve shown you. Remember to layer your pieces, don’t be afraid to use color, and add texture to your table!! Have fun!!

       

         

  

*The above are Amazon affiliate links.

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Sur La Table has some great outdoor melamine dinnerware again this summer. You can check them out HERE. The placemats are from Pier1 and fyi, I’m so sad they’re closing! The red flatware was a HomeGoods find a couple years ago and the NAPKINS are from Amazon. I absolutely love these napkins and have multiple sets! They wash up nicely and don’t need any ironing!! Cute and easy to care for is a win in my book!

And can we talk about the cute little jars that I use as vases! I purchased heavy cream in them from the grocery store and now use them as a vase. I think they’re perfect for a casual vase of sunflowers!

I hope I’ve inspired you a little bit to play with your table settings. Remember that it doesn’t need to be difficult or expensive. Every item on this table I bought on sale or discounted. As much as I love boutique shopping, I’d rather get the deal and still get the results I want with the final product, for a fraction of the cost. 

If you love the look of this Blue Floral Outdoor Tablescape, please give this a PIN on your favorite Pinterest Board. 

*Please note, the above links are affiliate links of exact or similar items in my post. 

The post Blue Floral Outdoor Tablescape appeared first on Joy In Every Season.

I believe that setting a table doesn’t need to be complicated, but it is all about the details. I typically start with one piece (for this table it was the lemon salad plates), then build from there. I’m a bit of a dish hoarder, so I typically have what I need to “layer” my place settings.

I often get asked where I shop, and my answer is, “everywhere.”  If I like it, I think I have a use for it, and the price is right, I typically buy it. 

In this case, the yellow placemats and the white chargers were from Pier 1. I’ve had the yellow dinner plates for so long, I don’t remember where I got them. The salad plates I picked up from a little gift store/boutique in Stowe, VT when we were traveling a few years ago. The owner, Cristina, has become a sweet Instagram friend. I hope you’ll check out her online shop, The Country Store on Main. I’ve even ordered a few of my face masks from her. They’re adorable and ship fast!!   The yellow checked table runner, the wooden board, and the white pitcher are all Home Goods finds. The white flatware is from Antique Farmhouse. and the candle from Antique Candle Co.   I picked up the lemon branches from Target Dollar Spot.   You can find the cute the cute interchangeable sign from a favorite Etsy vendor of mine, Erica Dixon.  Lastly, the Lime Green Goblets are an Amazon find. 

We moved into this house eight years ago, and one of the first things I was going to do was change this chandelier. That still hasn’t happened. 

It’s all about the details. 

Details, details, details……

Remember to set it pretty, but keep it casual enough that your guests are comfortable and have a good time!!

I hope you’ve enjoyed this Lemon Themed Tablescape and were able to get some inspiration from it! I’d love if you’d pin the following image onto your favorite Pinterest board. 

The post Lemon Themed Tablescape appeared first on Joy In Every Season.

And please excuse the poor lighting, the table runner is a denim-y blue and white stripe, not the variegated blue like it looks. It was a sunny morning when I set up this table, and I obviously didn’t pull the shade to block the excess light. It’s real life folks, just like a simple table. A simple table that is perfect for a simple family dinner, or a casual evening with friends! And did you notice, that other than the silverware caddy, there is no centerpiece! Again, I’m just keeping it real. I don’t always have fresh flowers or decor spread across my table. Some days, getting dinner on the table is good enough! 

Thanks for letting me be real with you! 

And because I’m sure you want to know what we might be eating…… 

…..here’s the type of easy dinners we enjoy in the summer!

30 Minute Bruschetta Chicken

Chicken Caesar Salad

Caprese Avocado Pesto Pasta

Chicken Cobb Salad

The post Simple 4th of July Tablesetting appeared first on Joy In Every Season.

Our summer has gotten of to a slow start (weather wise), but we are finally seeing beautiful blue skies and bright sunshine!! If you ask me, this table screams summertime! The only thing missing is the lemonade, and that’s only because I forgot to buy it at the store. Ugh! We absolutely love BBQ’ing all summer long and eating outdoors! We purchased this outdoor furniture last year and it’s perfect for both relaxing and dining! Without the placemats, we can easily dine six around the table!If I remove the lemons and flags, this would be a typical “having friends over for a casual BBQ dinner” table. Nothing fancy, but it looks like I put a little effort into making it special for our guests. 

The white star chargers, yellow salad plates, and the white lantern are from Pier One. The blue plate is Fiesta Ware and I’ve owned that set for years. I found the placemats and red flatware at Home Goods.

Here’s a few recipe ideas that you might enjoy serving at your Lemony 4th of July table!

Red, White & Blueberry Fruit Salsa

Strawberries with French Cream

Tropical Fruit Salad

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