Panoply: Let's Bee [Farm] Friends

Thursday, August 25, 2016

Let's Bee [Farm] Friends - Tablescape!

Playing with dishes in the sunroom again, I've corralled a few farm friends from my barnyard of a basement stash to create today's tablescape.

Bee-lieve it or not, this entire tablescape was inspired by two things: this cute little dip/spreader in a bee motif (clearance, Horchow)...

...and the items pictured below, particularly the dish towels, which I purchased from Williams Sonoma earlier in spring.

Detail on the towels has the same bee motif as the teaspoons.

Lemons are a staple in my house, so they became part of the table decor.

The place settings took on a life of their own, starting first with my chalkboard chargers, each having a different phrase written on them, as the base.

Each place setting was then layered with my Fiesta yellow square dinner plates, followed by salad plates from one of my newest sets (Castleton China's Independence), and a TJ Maxx set of bread and butter plates with a rooster motif.

The flatware was a recent vintage find, and the Williams Sonoma bee motif spoons were added into the mix.

Cups and saucers are also of the Castleton China, and lead crystal glasses are vintage.

Notice the additional splashes of silver on the table besides the bee dip/server: some sterling, some plated, all vintage and antique finds. The antique biscuit barrel has claw feet, hinged lid, and an etched fern design.

A service bell by the Queen Bee place setting is for a little bit of whimsy, ironically placed alongside the crumb brush for self-service.

A mix of high and low, plain and polished, is the way I like styling things, and none of these items are necessarily pedigreed, just estate and antique finds over the years. For me, the mix is just a visual metaphor for my lifestyle. I like things casual, but also like dressy things, both of which appeal to me. I try not to take myself too seriously, whether setting a table, or planning for guests for any event. A sense of whimsy, humor goes a long way in conveying a casual feeling and making guests feel comfortable, and that's how I prefer to live and entertain. Even a dressy dining table in my home will, more than likely, have buffet or self-service style for plating foods. I may use various serving pieces at the buffet for an appealing presentation, but it's always an overall casual feeling. It's how we live.

Speaking of high and low, I have had this huge serving platter for many years, waiting for its proper debut on the table. Here, it sits on top of my antique white ironstone cake pedestal as a centerpiece, adding the height dimension while freeing space on the table surface. There are no backstamps on the more than 16" diameter platter, nor any other clues to help me date it. There's no crazing, so I don't believe it to be very old, but it is very heavy, much like old transferware. The detail of the roosters, hens is what appealed to me originally, and it complements the little bread and butter plates nicely.

I placed the coffee service (Castleton coffepot, sterling cream and sugar) on the platter. Lo and behold, somebody left the barn door open, and the cow came out for the party! I guess she didn't want to be without the other farm friends. ;)