Intimate Springtime Gathering and Vintage Heirlooms
Honestly, there is nothing more exciting for me than having some of my dearest friends over my house to enjoy a nice dinner and catch up with one another.
When I was growing up guests always gathered at our family’s table to share laughter and stories while eating a delicious meal. Today, I have kept that tradition going in my home.
When entertaining, I alway try to create an atmosphere that is warm and inviting. It is my way of showing guests know how much I charish and appreciate them. It’s just that important to me.
I love to create a tablescape that is both casual yet sophisticated when dining with friends. I use both vintage and modern placesetting, chystal, flatware and linens together. The modern pieces keep my design in the current moment while the vintage items help layer a depth of intimacy to the design that is hard to replicate without them. Vintage items elicits feelings of deep meaningful relationships and warm memories. It is an important layered effect that I can’t find without using at least one vintage item.
Here is a spring table design I created for a small group of friends using items that I have come to love the most.
Beautiful 100 year old French linen tablecloth that I bought in Provence. I adore it and use it often. It washes and cleans so easily.
Cocktail Recipe
Pour 2 teaspoons of grenadine syrup into glass
Add Prosecco or rose’ over the syrup
You can either mix together or let the grenadine stay at the bottom of the glass. It makes for a lovely presentation.
I’ve added a few flowers from my garden as a pretty garnish.
The food that I serve is also an integral part of entertaining. I want my dishes to be hearty and delicious. Here is the menu that I served for my gathering. They are quick and easy.
Domino Potatoes
This recipe came from my cookbook, Provencal: Simple seasonal southern French cooking by Alex Jackson. I also found the recipe on Pure Wow’s website and have giving it to you as a link.
Hint: Lighting is so important with dining. Candles are a lovely added touch on a tablescape. This very important design element establishes warmth and depth to a tablescape. I love using votives as well as pillar candles. MIx it up!
Asparagus and Goat Cheese Quiche
Recipe found at Southern Living. Click on the picture to take you to the recipe.
This biscuit recipe is one of my own and can be found by clicking on the picture.
As part of my menu I also served:
Pear and Raspberry Baked French Toast by Martha Stewart
Bacon
Grilled Salmon
More Prosecco!
For dessert….I served a lovely vanilla cake with raspberry filling with champaigne buttercream frosting.
Cake perfect for a small gathering
“A party without cake is just a gathering”
The pretty little votives along with a modern French charger and a vintage spode dish really work well together.
All the little details make a difference when designing a tablescape. I love to use flowers when decorating my table.
Hint: Remember, the centerpiece should never be too high since guests should be able to see past it to the other side of the table. Guests should be able to see each other from one side of the table to the other without obstructions.
These champaigne glasses are vintage and I paired them with current water glasses from William and Sonoma. Decorating the drinks with little flowers gives a pop of color.
““The details are not the details. They make the design.””
“The thing is…using your charished vintage heirlooms for your table can create a warm and inviting feel. This table has both vintage and new linens and dishes that go well together. It gave this tablescape a warm and intimate feel that was exactly what I was looking for when hosting my dearest girlfriends.”
As with everything I post on my blogs, please feel free to comment or if you have any questions, please email me through my contact page. I welcome it anytime!
Design with your heart™️
Happy entertaining my friends!
Mary
“May your home be a place where friends meet, family gathers, and love grows. ”
