So, this table isย not at all what I had planned,ย but I love it none-the-less.ย Jenย and I are both a bit Type A, especially when it comes to design.ย Ok,ย maybe more than a bit.ย Hour–long conversations debating the subtleties of blue green vs. green blue probably indicate a real deep-seated personal problem, but letโs forgo any drawn out self-reflection right now.ย ย
BEST LAID PLANS OF MICE & DESIGNERS
Asย a โCreative Type A,โ onceย I have aย designย plan in my head,ย I tend to see it through in a rather anal-retentive sort of way. However, sometimesย sh*t happens, andย you just have to let yourself be fluid.ย Again, this is tortureย for me.ย Letting go and embracing change is not a characteristic of a control freak!ย ย ย
CALM DOWN WITH COLOR
Iย recentlyย found a modern watercolor paintingย saturated withย bluesย and greensย that Iย absolutelyย loved.ย I loved it so much that it inspired me toย create a coolย tablescapeย drenched in theseย calmingย hues.ย
I imagined lush greens, soft aquas, and a bit of bold blue, but somehow ended up with a very muted, none-the-less beautiful, version of my original plan. This was partially due to the fact that after purchasing blue Lagosย Glasses from Crate and Barrel and teal green Belmontย Dinnerย Plates from Target, I wentย a little crazyย over someย sageย andย goldย Artย Decoย Glasses from World Market and suddenly found myself reworking my entire plan.ย (Look at me being fluid.)ย
A COOL MIX OF STYLES AND TEXTURES
Althoughย tempting,ย I did not want to go completely down the art deco rabbit hole, so I decided to add several design styles and textures to the table. I started with aย casualย Grayย Stripedย Linenย Tableclothย from Targetย andย Blackย Tavaย Naturalย Placematsย from Pottery Barn.ย Then, I added some funkyย Alveroย Saladย Platesย from World Marketย for a bit of modern tribal vibe magic. I kept my flatware to an absolute minimum and tied it together with aย light greenย Cottonย Slubย Napkin.
The result was a mix of high and low styles: flashy glasses and fuss-free linens, shiny serve ware and matte metals, and last but not least, over-the-top tropical greens in a modern minimalist vase.ย
NOย GREENย THUMB, NO PROBLEM
Seriously though, letโs talk about this centerpiece for a hot second. First of all, itโs not going to break the bank. It is mostly greenery mixed with a few poppy pods and some hints of white with the Queen Anneโs Lace andย Veronica White Wands, neither of which are expensive blooms.
Second, so long as I kept my floral foam wet, the greens in this arrangement lasted well over a MONTH without wilting.ย Yes, you read that correctly โ thisย arrangement lastedย over a month. Iโve killed potted plants faster than that!
So,ย if you are hosting an event or dinner and want florals that you canย finishย well ahead of time,ย like weeks ahead of time,ย these are perfect choices.ย The long tropical leaves areย Variegatedย Tiย leaves and the main bushy filler is Plum Pine (Podocarpus).ย If you do want to add some flowers, like the Queen Anneโsย Lace, just popย a few stemsย in aย dayย before your event.
TREATS THAT BEAT THE HEATย
Obviously, this table is perfect for a warm summer day in the park. Seriously, it really didnโt take us long to transport and set up this table, and Jen and I had several passersby ask when we were serving cocktails and apps.ย
Just imagine how cute this picnic could be. You could serve up some yummy park-friendly treats like Broccoli Ricotta Toasts with Hot Honey, Orzo Spinach and Tomato Salad, and Carmel Pretzel Cookies.ย Maybe add some cucumber to your water or sip onย a Blackberry Cocktail. Sounds so refreshing,ย right?! So,ย what are you waiting for? Call some of those people youโre been missing and head to your nearest park!
Cheers!ย ย
Recent Comments