Bushel & a Pickle

Casual and Elegant Come Together for a Beautiful Table!

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Casual and elegant come together for a beautiful table!  Farmhouse blue check tablecloth, Lenox china, daily silverware and paper napkins come together for a casual elegant table!

My parents always said there was no use having china and silver and not use it. They also thought children learned manners when eating at a nicely set table in the home or out. I agree.

Plus, it is fun to be creative from simple to extravagant!

summer bold flower colors

Zinnias are old fashioned flowers. Mom always planted them. They are easy no maintance flowers to plant and grow. Their bold colors just say summer!! Jim plants some very year.

use colors from nature and china

Did you notice how those colorful zinnias have the same colors as the Lenox china? Colors don’t have to be match match; they just have to not clash!

When I chose the Lenox china I had no idea how much I would use in so many differnt ways both casual and elegant!

Looking with fresh eyes may help you to create a beautiful table for a casual yet elegant using what you have. That’s the beauty of basics. I have both the basic white dishes that are truly affordable and china like my Lenox Autumn.

https://rstyle.me/+KqQqp1UqPs7FKGmtLp6ToA

Picking up random items for setting a table like the floral paper napkins I used for this summer table get tucked away in my cabinet drawers for when inspiration strikes.

These napkins were leftovers. Aren’t they a great addition with the Lenox Autumn china, the blue checked tablecloth and the vibrant summer zinnias?

https://rstyle.me/+dskv9AU-D3VdsGCBGcw89Q

Grandchildren are my sweet helpers

I had a sweet helper who loves poking in the china cabinets for something that catches her eye. Her siblings often pitch in too.

Cor with Summer Zinnias
Cor with Summer Zinnias

Earlier that morning, Omega and Cor cut zinnias from Grandpa’s garden. Those folksy blooms look right at home on the blue check tablecloth. It’s from the Pottery Barn outlet years ago.

Extras for the table

Beginning of the Table

This graceful hand blown pitcher is from the Original Jamestowne Glasshouse. Old Jamestowne is a national park located on the original settlement in Virginia.  (https://www.nps.gov/jame/planyourvisit/glasshouse.htm)

I also used one of the oval vases from Colonial Candle collection. 

The summer floral paper napkins are a nice touch with the flower colors and the blue that is often used in Williamsburg textiles. 

dinner is served

We were having spaghetti and meatballs so I used the Autumn soup plates. I don’t have enough for all of us so I also set out dinner plates to fill out the table.  

On the dining table, I set out luncheon plates for bread plates. anf little dishes for herb and olive oil dipping sauce. The warmed loaves were served on the bread cutting board and ‘Blessings’ platter.

assorted serving pieces

I have an assortment of small china round and odd shape dishes for the herb and olive oil bread dipping sauce. My family loves the dipping sauce so the herb shaker is set on the table along with the olive oil bottle.  

The warmed loaves were served on the bread cutting board and ‘Blessings’ platter.

I used our regular Oneida silverware and bistro glasses. Amy made us salad and just grabbed dishes out of the cabinet for serving. Casual, remember!

CASUALLY ELEGANT

Mixing fine china with paper napkins and classic checked picnic tablecloths with old fashion flowers makes us feel special. We hAD our easy meal of spaghetti and meatballs.

Casual and elegant can come together for a beautiful table!  

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Reader Interactions

linda

Comments

  95. The checks with the bright flowers are so pretty. I loved looking through my grandmother’s china cabinet when I was little, but everything was off limits! Wish she brought out all her pretty things more.

    Reply

    • Thank you Marie. I do have special things I rather not have broken. The kids know which ones those are andcome ask me it they can open whatever cabinet and hold, look and touch. I still help the youngest with his looking.

      Reply

  97. My mother-in-law had this gorgeous china and I always loved it. I would never have thought to pair it with blue and white check … what a brilliant idea! It works! And, a great reminder to get out the good stuff and use it everyday. Your spaghetti and meatballs looks so scrumptious … always a mistake to read blogs when hungry. 😉 xo

    Reply

  98. I love that you get the good stuff out… my grandmother always said to keep things for special occasions. She is 98 now and I asked her shouldn’t life be a special occasion? She has table linens she received as a wedding gift all those years ago and she has never used them, saving them… I think we should use our nice things for everyday life. Thank you for this post!

    Reply

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