Coastal New England Christmas: Help Me Set the Perfect Holiday Table

 

This past Fourth of July, while celebrating my daughter-in-law’s birthday, our family’s conversation turned to memorable holiday meals. Last Christmas, I hosted a Cajun-themed dinner with gumbo, jambalaya, and dirty rice—a hit! This year, I’m dreaming of a New England Christmas with clam chowder or lobster bisque, crabcakes, roasted vegetables, and my son’s suggestion of lobster macaroni and cheese. It’s a rich menu, and now I need your help to set the perfect table to match this coastal-inspired feast.

I’m torn about which dishes to use from my collection: the wintry “Tranquil Trails” by Pfaltzgraff, the elegant “Balsam Lane” by Lenox, the bold Williams-Sonoma crab plates, the festive “Yuletide” by Rosina Queen, or the nostalgic Johnson Brothers “Friendly Village,” the latter two inherited from my mother. I’m also unsure about the centerpiece and color scheme—should I stick with classic red and green, go for icy blues, or embrace sea tones? Your ideas will help me create a memorable coastal New England Christmas table, so please share your thoughts!

 Here are the contenders for my table setting, each with a unique vibe:“Yuletide” by Rosina Queen: I inherited these from my mother. She used them every Christmas, so they’re special. These dishes feature classic Christmas motifs with the holly and berries, so are perfect for a traditional holiday feel, but what coastal elements would work with these as part of a centerpiece? 

“Tranquil Trails” by Pfaltzgraff: With the earthy, nature-inspired designs, these dishes evoke a coastal forest in soft sea tones like greens and blues, ideal for a subtle seaside look, but are the colors too nontraditional for a traditionalist like me? “Balsam Lane” by Lenox: Elegant and wintry, this pattern’s delicate motifs suit icy blues and whites, creating a refined, frosty New England harbor aesthetic, but are they too blah for the excitement of Christmas?Williams-Sonoma Crab Plates: this playful and bold plates are really coming in from out of left field, these plates scream coastal charm and complement the crabcake menu, but they are such a non-traditional choice and would probably make for a stand out table, but I can’t imagine what else I would pair with them. 

 Johnson Brothers “Friendly Village”: These inherited dishes were favorites of my mother's. She had service for 12, the wine glasses, at all of the complete pieces. They offer cozy, rustic New England village scenes, perfect for a warm, traditional holiday table with a nod to the coast, but have I strayed too far off the road of intent?Speaking of Johnson Brothers, what about their “Night Before Christmas” collection?

 At this point, I’m leaning toward “Balsam Lane” with icy blues and a driftwood centerpiece for elegance, but the crab plates with a nautical rope accent are tempting for fun. What do you think? Which dishes, colors, and centerpiece would you choose for a New England Christmas? I’m planning early because, believe it or not, August is already here, and Christmas will be too! Share your ideas below to help me create a festive, coastal-inspired table.

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Champagne Brunch Alfresco Tablescape

 

Last week’s cool mornings were perfect for an outdoor breakfast, and I drew inspiration from my vibrant Williams-Sonoma lemon plates to create a stunning tablescape. The result was a bold, colorful setup that brought joy to the meal.

I started with a whimsical lemon-patterned tablecloth from SporGenix, available on Amazon, which set a cheerful tone. On top, I layered Bordallo Pinheiro geranium leaf chargers for a touch of elegance. Simple indigo blue stoneware dinner plates from Larder & Vine provided a grounding contrast, with the star of the show—the Williams-Sonoma lemon plates—adding a pop of citrusy charm. 

For cereal, granola, or oatmeal, I used handled bowls I’ve cherished for years.

 

The glassware was a mix of sentimental and striking: yellow chalices inherited from my mother, cobalt blue champagne flutes, bubble glass lemon juice glasses, and petite Bordallo Pinheiro cabbage leaf espresso cups for a cohesive look.I chose Urban Villa green napkins (available here) to complement the palette, paired with the ornate Keawell Versailles flatware, a new favorite (find it here). 

 

Each place setting was adorned with a double sprig of fresh lemon balm from my deck garden, tucked into small spice jars repurposed as charming mini vases. Lemon salt and pepper shakers added an equally whimsical touch.

  

At the table’s center, a bold Pottery Barn hurricane served as a striking focal point. To elevate the festive vibe, I paired our champagne with a playful touch: my trusty oscillating bubble machine! Though the bubbles were fleeting due to the constant breeze in my area, they added a whimsical moment to the morning. At one point, however, it ran a bit amok.

This vibrant, citrus-inspired setup made our outdoor breakfast unforgettable, blending bold colors, personal treasures, and a dash of fun. 

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 This post is linked to: Tablescape Thursday

Dinner at the Shore Tablescape

 

Despite the fact that the calendar insists there are three more weeks of summer, once September hits, it’s over for me. My official first day of fall is September 1. I’ve noticed a change in myself; I’m starting to gravitate towards fall colors, I bought pumpkin to make quick bread, and I’ve been digging out my favorite throws to launder and have at the ready. Why am I mentioning this, you may ask? I mention it because this will be my last table of the summer. I had actually started another summer table in pink and green with flamingos, but I just wasn’t feeling it, so I took it all down in favor of something more autumnal.

 

What I brought forward here from last week's tablescape is the salmon colored glassware. As I mentioned last week, it fits quite suitably on a table with an ocean theme, based upon name alone. 

The star of the show is the Dario Farrucci Italian ceramic pitcher at the center.  Isn’t he a cutie? The flowers came in a vase (that I donated) from Amazon (I chose the Burgundy arrangement, and it matched perfectly), to which I added fresh olive branches that I snipped off of my tree.

  

The table covering is from Williams-Sonoma, as are the matching napkins and crab plates. I love this combination. The woven placemats form the base of the plate stack on top of which I have painted tin chargers, and rustic brown plates that I found here. Next to the place setting are little fish dishes (from World Market) to do use for butter pats.

 

The hammered flatware is by Mikasa and I found it here. Joining the salmon colored ice tea glass is gorgeous cobalt blue stemware.

  

While dining at this table I enjoyed a new (to me) recipe for a clone of Chi-Chi’s enchilada casserole made up of crabmeat enchiladas. It was very delicious and the plate was perfectly appropriate. 

Be sure to come back next time to see what elements of this table I brought forward into my first table of fall.

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  This post is linked to: Tablescape Thursday

Sizzling Summer Tablescape

It’s amazing how one small change can alter your entire household. I recently discovered blanket hangers. You’re probably wondering where I’ve been all these years that I didn’t know about them; I can in no way defend myself. I chalk it up to cluelessness. I will say that these things are great! Instead of storing my quilts on the downstairs guest bed, stacked one on top of the other, making it appear as though there were three mattresses rather than two, I now have them freshly laundered, lightly pressed, and hanging up in my closet.

 

You’re probably wondering why I’m talking about these in a post that’s about tablescapes. It’s because this table is the result of my discovering blanket hangers, because at the same time I discovered the blanket hangers, I also rediscovered the quilt that I used here as a tablecloth. I bought this during my colorful bohemian stage just after Mr. O-P passed. I was eager to change things up to begin the next chapter in my life, and didn’t entirely think things through. This quilt, purchased six years ago from Urban Outfitters, was part of my effort to completely redecorate the guest bedroom. In giving it a fresh new look, I was curious as to how it would look on my table. I know a lot of people use quilts as table coverings, but that’s really not my style. I enjoy making my statement with plate stacks. Today, however, I threw caution to the wind, and honestly think it works.I decided to use every color that I found in this quilt beginning with the centerpiece, a green Tulipiere into which I placed a variety of faux tulips.

From there I was off and running, grabbing red, blue, and orange.
Water hyacinth placemats make up the base and they are topped with white washed rustic tin chargers that I purchased at a local shop. Rustic orange melamine plates from Williams-Sonoma will be used for dinner, the bold Sicily ceramic salad plates, also from W-S are on top.

Orange flatware and napkins are from Amazon, as well as the red rose napkin rings.

The red stemmed water glasses are by Villeroy and Boch; the champagne flutes that will be used for sparkling lemonade. I found here.

Cupcakes are for dessert, and they will be served in these darling domed cupcake stands that I found at wayfair.com.Make your summer and table settings awash with color. Stay cool!

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 This post is linked to: Tablescape Thursday

 

Rooting for Spring Tablescape

You may (or may not) have noticed that I’d taken a bit of a break. That’s because I decided, at long last, to clean. I am not a cleaner. My mother LOVED to clean; me, not so much. She came to help me clean before a party once, and said that she really enjoyed cleaning at my house because she could really see results. That pretty much says everything.

 

Why do I mention that, you ask? Because I was inspired by the great outdoors, and my budding vegetable container garden, to create this table. For those of you who enjoy vegetable gardening as much as I do, this one’s for you.

This past week I decided to tackle the conservatory. I divided it into quadrants, so as not to be overwhelmed.  For those of you who have plants, and I am talking a lot of plants, you know how time-consuming it is to care for each one individually, particularly if you grow citrus indoors, and that citrus has scale. Scale produces a type of sap, called “honeydew,” that is a clear, sticky substance that, I soon came to realize, pretty much had stuck to everything from the floor, sofa, cushions, to the windowsills, etc. I spent a good portion of last week on my hands and knees, with Dawn and a soft sponge, scrubbing. On the plus side, those trees are now outside and being treated, and the conservatory is sparkling clean, and all the plants look beautiful and healthy.

I became enamored with the carrot theme around Easter and that inspired the purchase of the Maxcera carrot mugs, the Spoonflower carrot fabric (that had me hemming napkins and the table topper), as well as digging out my plates for the summer, including this set from Williams-Sonoma featuring beautiful carrots.

 

The carrot fabric napkins that I made paired nicely with the green checked napkins that I had gotten from Pottery Barn. Naturally, I had to have orange flatware to go along with it. (Imagine how lovely these would look with dark blue, not to mention fall colors.)

Carrots have those wonderful green tops, so I thought my Villeroy and Boch glassware appropriate.

 

The Chantal carrot bowls (purchased at Home Goods more than a decade ago) alongside are favorites of mine. They are whimsical and fun, and perfect for serving small salads be it fruit, coleslaw, or leafy green. The Blenko pitcher reinforces the carrot orange. 

The chargers are my favorite Bordallo Pinheiro geranium leaf chargers. They are topped with wonderful bright oval orange plates.

 

The simple centerpiece features a nice variety of carrot seed packs to drive the theme home.

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This post is linked to: Tablescape Thursday 

Saying Goodbye to Summer Tablescape

Throughout the summer, my tables have been in rather quiet neutrals, so I thought I would end my summer of tablescapes with lots of color. Orange, yellow, blue, and green all combine to make this a very splashy and fun table.

The tablecloth is the star here and it is by Tommy Bahama. I believe it’s in the “Tortuga” pattern. On top of it I used water hyacinth placemats to give it that beachy vibe.

The centerpiece is a white pitcher full of orange alstroemeria. I felt quite fortunate to be able to find this lovely orange bunch when I was at the grocery store. I had to dig around because it was way in the back, but I was very pleased with myself for my efforts.

 

The yellow goblets you have seen many times, they first belonged to my mother, and then they belonged to me. I do believe my mother was sorry that she ever gave them to me, but she never out rightly said so.

The yellow flatware by Noritake was hers as well; it pairs beautifully with the goblets.

 

I generally don’t get my carrot soup/salad/fruit bowls out at any other time of the year than Easter, but I thought they really deserved a place here with their vibrant orange color, and summer feel.

The base of the plate stack is Bordallo Pinheiro geranium leaf chargers. The rustic orange melamine dinner plates are from Williams-Sonoma. The salad plates on top are from Pottery Barn in the “Coastal Curiosity” pattern. The green charger plates beneath belonged to my mother. I don’t know where she got them, and the bottom only says “Italy.” The green gingham napkins are from Pottery Barn as well.

I know I am not the only one who’s looking forward to fall. I’m in the process of swapping out summer tableware for fall tableware. Stay tuned for more tables!

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 This post is linked to: Tablescape Thursday