May is truly the month of flowers, and what better way to celebrate than with a tablescape that feels like you’re walking through a peony-filled garden! I love décor that serves multiple occasions and while Mother’s Day is behind us, we still have lots of events on the horizon: bridal showers/luncheons, graduations, rehearsal dinners, birthday parties, etc. After this year I’ll never take “gathering” for granted again, so I wanted this table to include special details that practically scream “YAY for parties!” Read on for all of my tips about setting the scene, choosing the perfect place setting, and probably the only DIY (gasp) you’ll ever see on this blog.
I turned to Lenox for all of the beautiful place settings (paid partnership). Y’all loved my Christmas table how-to when Amos and I showed how to style their classic “Holiday” china, and it made me realize that I need to revisit Lenox’s full offering. Lenox is one of those timeless brands that has something for everyone, whether you’re a traditionalist, blue and white devotee, modernista, or whimsical spirit. There’s a real depth to their product line at a great price point; it’s no wonder Hugh and I pulled several of their pieces for our last IG Live.
For this table, I wanted to lean into the pink theme without going overboard, so I started with a white scalloped dinner plate from the French Perle collection. I get a lot of questions about the best everyday dishes, and I love anything white with some added interest (like the scallop). It’s perfect for weeknights but the extra oomph makes these ideal for special events, as well (always choose tableware that serves double duty). These pretty blush plates bring me to another tip: colorful salad/dessert plates are great for punching up a tabletop, easy to store, and layer effortlessly with white dishes. It’s an affordable way to expand your “tabletop wardrobe” without investing in a ton of 5-piece settings. My berry bowls are another “double duty” element here. Let food become part of your décor, especially if the color unifies different parts of your table (in this case the tablecloth and place settings). Also, you can NEVER have enough small bowls! Use them for food prep, a taco bar, nibbles with drinks, ice cream toppings…the list goes on.
I chose gold flatware for this vignette to complement my fabulous glasses. A quick note on silverware – I think it should have some weight in the handle (anything too light can seem a bit flimsy). This Kate Spade option is A+ and the gold tone is perfect: warm but not too brassy. I like to have fun with my stemware and am a firm believer that you don’t need to use glasses for their “intended” purpose. Here I use the flutes for water! This stemware is from the same line as the blush salad plates; I love the interesting shapes and gold detailing. For easy reference, all of the Lenox pieces I used are linked here.
Of course, everything on the table complements these gorgeous linens from Pomegranate, one of my go-to resources for tablecloths, napkins, and runners (paid partnership). I’ve worked with Pomegranate several times (see: 2020’s Thanksgiving and Christmas vignettes) and am a repeat customer because their product is just so good. This tablecloth and coordinating napkins are from the new Wildflower Garden collection and I love the versatility. While I honed in on pink for this table, these linens also have beautiful shades of green, blue, coral, and orange. For a different look you can play up each of those colors and set a totally different scene. I love multicolor linens for this reason – you can really go in any direction (again, double duty). Last but not least, I used their bamboo placemats to anchor each place setting. How pretty is that scallop edge?!
We must discuss this incredible floral overhang. I really wanted a WOW moment and, well, mission accomplished! I used an over-the-table rod and actually opted for faux florals to decorate it. I’m usually in the “nay” camp for silk flowers but they do have a time and place. I used oasis 4.5” spheres as the base for each flower ball and a combination of silk peonies and dahlias to cover each sphere. You want large flowers to take up space – just stick the stems into the foam and you’re done. Wrap a length of floral wire around each sphere creating a loop at the top (you’ll thread ribbon through this loop to hang the ball from the rod). Trust me that it’s way too much work to use real flowers here – I’ve organized very high-end events that use similar faux floral tricks for things like this! I also used a silk garland from Michaels to wrap around the poles. This is as DIY as I’ll ever get, y’all, but it sure is pretty and impactful.
I hope you love this table as much as I do. All of these pretty details really put a pep in my step and make me so excited about a summer full of entertaining friends and family. I’m really in the mood for making up for lost time (thanks, 2020) and can’t think of a prettier way to kick things off than with this table. We’re back, y’all! Cheers!
Resources:
- Plates, Flatware, Stemware: Lenox (everything I used on this table is linked here)
- Tablecloth: Pomegranate
- Napkins: Pomegranate
- Placemats: Pomegranate
- Over-the-Table Rod: Terrain
- Oasis Spheres: Amazon
*All photos courtesy of Lele Fain Photography*