The inspiration for our August Long Weekend Table setting was our two latest recipes, Cinnamon Chicken and Tropical Coleslaw. We wanted something fun, casual and a little tropical to compliment our dinner. First we chose a bold but beautiful 1970’s table cloth with a stunning floral medallion in bright orange and olive green.
We wanted to keep the centerpiece simple for two reasons, we were setting the table for a casual meal so we didn’t want flowers or candles. And who would want to cover up that stunning medallion? Not us! So for inspiration we went looking for something around the house that would suit. This is one of the best tips we can give, don’t limit yourself to what normally goes in the centre of a table, look around your home for pieces that you love.
The three vases we chose are vintage Sgrafo mid century modern vases designed by Peter Mϋller. They are a part of my mother’s West German collection and were perfect for our centrepiece.
Tip from Jane: Use a tray to add emphasis to the items you have chosen for the centre of your table, this turns three vases on a table into a centrepiece.
We repurposed a teak relish dish to use as our tray, we removed the plastic dishes, oiled it and there you have it. A perfect tray to make our centrepiece a centrepiece.
For our place setting we chose a dark olive green napkin and folded it in a “picnic fold” so we could place the utensils in the napkin. This kept the place setting casual. The dinnerware is contemporary made in France by Luminarc. The wave in the plates add interest and to the tropical feel of the setting.
The glasses are mid century Libbey gold leaf glasses. For those of us who wanted to enjoy some ginger beer with our meal we used Libby pilsners instead. Although this was a very simple, and clean table setting it was perfect for our casual dinner of Cinnamon Chicken and Tropical coleslaw. Be sure to check out these recipes! We hope we have inspired you to set the table even for a casual Sunday dinner. Remember, look around your home for inspiration, you might be surprised by what you come up with.
