Vintage dinnerware summer garden tablescape

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If you have a thing for vintage dinnerware like I do, you know exactly what I mean when I say the last thing I need is more dishes. But you also know what I mean when I say there’s no such thing as too many dishes! So that’s essentially the battle taking place in my mind whenever I come upon a stack of, say, twelve pretty somethings marked $3.99 at Goodwill. What’s a tablescape-loving girl to do?

If you said, “buy the dishes,” you are invited to lunch at my pretty “Summer Garden” tablescape!

I knew it had been awhile since I had set and posted a pretty table – but I didn’t realize until I looked it up that it was actually in April! I was still hobbling around on my broken foot at that point!

Anyway, we’ve had some very hot weather so far this summer but for the past several days we’ve had a bit of a reprieve. So I’ve been outside as much as possible, enjoying the cooler temperatures before August rolls around. (It is an Iowa law that it has to be in the 90’s during the State Fair, which takes place in August.)

This table is all about the summer garden!  Our place setting includes three beautiful vintage plates:

The smallest plate is hand-painted Bavarian china by Heinrich & Company. I found just a few of these about a week ago for 99 cents each, then over the weekend I found quite a few more. Same price, same maker and pattern, but a different Goodwill store! Because these are hand-painted, each one is just a little bit different.

The vintage dinnerware also includes this beautiful salad plate by Edwin Knowles. These were the “stack of twelve” I mentioned earlier for $3.99. They are not marked with a pattern name, but the backstamp does note that the specific shape (smooth unsculpted edge, size of shoulder) was called “Hostess.”

And our luncheon plate is by Baum Brothers. The series is called “Formalities” and the pattern is Bernadotte.

Oooo those edges…

Vintage dinnerware often has that pretty gold rim – and I wanted more than a little bit of gold on this table to represent that summer sun! So I’m using my American Golden Heritage flatware set by International Silver. I first used this set for my Golden Glow of Christmas table last December. It was an antique store find, service for four plus a few serving pieces at just $12.

Our tablecloth is a beautiful lined drapery panel by Pottery Barn Kids, in a soft green and white stripe. This was also a Goodwill find.

The taper holders were thrift-store finds in the softest green with sculpted roses, and our napkins are in a deep botanical green by Pier 1. I believe the gold napkin rings (there’s more of that summer sparkle!) are also by Pier 1.

Glassware is all from Dollar Tree – they have so many lovely colors in stemware, but availability varies by location. These are two different shades of green, but the short brighter one seems to tone down a bit sitting next to the taller one.

The centerpiece is a beautiful handpainted Lefton pitcher I’ve used as a vase. I’ve simply set the salt and pepper shakers on one side, but on the other… I placed a bit of summer reading material: my antique field guide to wildflowers, which belonged to my great-aunt.

You are welcome to pick up the field guide and take a look – it’s organized by flower color!

I love the way this table looks with two distinct kinds of chairs: the “storybook chairs” I made over last year…

… and my casual painted cottage kitchen chairs (remember Elinor?).

Since my tiny “dollhouse” has only an eat-in kitchen (no dining room), all pretty tables take center stage in the open-concept main living area. (My OCD friends will please ignore the thing that will drive them nuts in this picture.)

Here are a few more views around the table –

And by now you know that one of my favorite pictures of any tablescape is the “put-away shot.” This is where everything is just gathered together, waiting to go back into the cupboards!

Are you ready to go sit on the patio with a glass of lemonade? We can watch the Eastern Goldfinches and the hummingbirds enjoy their treats! Plus, the sunflowers are just about to burst open!

Here’s an image to Pin if you would like!

 

I’m sharing my Vintage Dinnerware Summer Garden Tablescape for Tablescape Thursday over at Between Naps on the Porch! I’m also linking to Dishing It and Digging it at Rustic & Refined. Be sure to visit these wonderful blogs for much more table inspiration! 

 

 

 

 

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