Caroline's Feast Gathering Table
I find that the last few days that lead up to Christmas are oftentimes even more exciting than the actual day. I love the energy that builds from last minute shopping for gifts and groceries, organizing the home with decorations and essentials for hosting guests. One of my very favorite things to do is set the table for a feast, whether it’s for just me and Jeffrey or a group. For a dinner we’re hosting this week, I picked a moody dark charcoal themed table with new pieces that just arrived in store and, so I thought I’d share it with you.
For this table and it being such a special time of year, I wanted to start with an elevated base, so laid out this light grey Linen Tablecloth. It's pre-washed for a soft touch, and works well for both formal and relaxed dining. I’m using my favorite hand-formed ceramic servingware, starting with the new Lace Piatra Dinner Plate. I’m layering on top the smooth Pasta Bowl along with our Maya Linen Placemat that I rolled up into our Cane Napkin Rings. Since the tablecloth is very lightweight, I thought the contrast with the heavy weight of the placemats would be interesting, plus I've never tried using them as napkins, so why not! To the right of each place setting is the Lace Salad Plate and the Lace Dessert Plate. This collection is one of my favorites - the organic shape and lace imprint is elegant yet rustic, and the moody gunmetal hue is perfect for the holidays and winter months.
I love adding special glassware to a holiday table to create light reflection and a romantic mood. So for this gathering, I’m using the Lyonnais Wine Glass in dark grey, which has a beautiful teardrop design with an elegant, yet sturdy stem. I’m pairing with the matching Lyonnais Tumbler for water and it also works well for juice or even specialty cocktails.
A few other special pieces that I'm topping the table with are the Lace Cheeseboard to display an array of delicious truffles (see blog post here on how to make them). This ceramic piece is part of the lace servingware collection mentioned above, which looks lovely all together as a set or used individually. And for each guest, I'm gifting a DIANI Custom Sage Bundle which is an assortment of dried wild flowers and grasses, and the sage wand they're attached to can be easily separated to burn for an energy clearing ritual.
A centerpiece is my final piece in the table setting puzzle as it really ties everything together. For the holidays, I pulled together a mix of color and texture using seasonal foliage, off black candles and our newest stoneware vases which are handmade in Valencia, Spain. To anchor my table setting, I used the handcrafted Lekytho Vase and Stamnos Vase in the center. Then I grouped together a few of my favorite antique brass candlesticks, topped with a mix of our Church Candles and Column Candles in off black. Lastly, for a pop of color and texture, I added in a few pomegranates and pinecones and filled the taller of the two vases with dried and gold dipped leaves.
Every table setting holds fond memories of the dishes and conversations shared. Setting the holiday table, whether it be big or small, is a wonderful way to slow down and cherish those special moments (and festive dishes). And many of the pieces that I used to create this table setting are ones I will use again and again in different combinations with other pieces I have. That's the beauty of tableware - it can be ever evolving depending on the season or where your taste takes you.
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