My Spring Table
A Spring Table, A Sunny Afternoon, and a Little Rosé
Yesterday was one of those gloriously sunny spring days that practically dares you to do something beautiful with it. A little cool, but the light was perfect. Around 2pm I decided I wanted to set a spring table…and so I did!
We're spending Easter in Charleston this year, so there won't be an Easter table at home. But this one could easily become one. Add a few bunnies, scatter some eggs, and you're there.
It all started with the green placemats I found at a local shop…Lisa Johnson Co. I'd been wanting to use them and they were the perfect thing for this spring table. Everything else I added built from the placemats. The tablecloth and napkins are from Christina Dickinson and were purchased last spring…they matched the placemats as if I'd planned it. I layered in my vintage mother-of-pearl flatware (knives and forks only), silver teaspoons from another silver pattern, and a mix of stemmed water and wine glasses.
The flowers are the thing I'm most proud of. My vintage marble top table isn't large, so I didn't want to overdo it. I started with a small vase and lined it with a single hosta leaf…mine are just beginning to come up and they'll be stunning soon. Then I added more hosta leaves and sprigs of my Lady Banks rose, which climbs on our outdoor chimney and is in full, splendid bloom right now! It was really the only thing blooming in the yard besides a few tulips and the azaleas just starting to bud. The flowers are very simple, gathered completely from the backyard!
When you’re creating a flower arrangement, most of the time, you can find a lot already growing right outside your door. You just have to look and use a little creativity!
"Live in each season as it passes; breathe the air, drink the drink, taste the fruit."
~ Henry David Thoreau
The small salad plates (similar here) are old favorites. I've had them for over 30 years and only have four, which makes them feel even more special. A vintage milk glass compote held the goat cheese, and a yellow Murano glass bowl corralled the pecans. Yes, I set the whole table just to photograph it. And yes, I'm absolutely bringing it back out for a brunch or girls' dinner soon.
I've been collecting dinnerware, flatware, glasses, and vases for years…and I’m not stopping anytime soon! I have quite a collection, scattered between a large closet in my office, three china cabinets, and the laundry room. Sometimes when I'm hunting for just the right piece, I rediscover things I'd completely forgotten I owned. A video tour is coming one day but the organization may need to come first!
The rosé is Lune Rosé from Dry Farm Wines…a biodynamic Côteaux d'Aix en Provence and one of my absolute favorites. Dry, French, and perfect all year long, as far as I'm concerned!
One last thing — a goat cheese trick you might already know, but just in case…freeze the whole log in its original packaging. Right before serving, pull it out, slice off the plastic, and set it on your dish. It thaws quickly but holds its shape beautifully. And…if you don’t have time to freeze the goat cheese, roll the log in chopped nuts, fresh herbs, or whatever spice combination you love. Either way, it looks intentional and takes two minutes.
Scroll down (and above) for links to similar pieces and more from this table. As, I said, some of the items I’ve used on my table are old, but I've sourced the closest I could find to everything you see here!
Above, you can see a close up of how I lined the vase with a hosta leaf…just add the water, bend the leaf and stick it in the vase. For a larger vase, use several leaves and they don’t have to be hostas, just large leaves!
Don’t be afraid to mix and match your flatwear, or anything…it’s what makes the table interesting!
I'm really proud of this table! It came together in about an hour on a whim, from things I already owned, flowers from my own yard, and a bottle of rosé I happened to have on hand. Beauty doesn't require an occasion or a budget…just a decision to make something lovely out of an ordinary afternoon.
I've scoured the internet to find pieces as close as possible to everything you see here — the tablecloth, the placemats, the glasses, the compote, all of it. Nothing is exact, but they’re the best alternatives I could find. Either way, it's all linked and ready for you.
Thanks so much for reading today!
~XOXO Suzanne