Your CartAutumn offers a refreshing, new start. Just the fact that it IS FALL is enough reason for me to want to have a party!
Fall also ushers in a new school year {yay, for all you Moms!}, kicks off football season, and gets us ready for the holidays.
While I’m still away in Europe sourcing what I hope will be the best antique finds ever, I’m sharing this dinner party with you. As soon as I’m back home – we’re having one!
Autumn is really the perfect time for a dinner party for family or friends, a celebration of autumn’s beauty.
Nothing over the top labor intensive. Just a cozy, let’s-get-together-before-all-the-holiday-season-crazies-begin.
Anytime in autumn is a good time for discovering the delights of warm, cozy food and glowing candles.
For this intimate dinner for six, the dining room seemed too expected, so I put a smaller table at one end of our living room, so that we could see the crackling fire-place while we ate dinner.
Covered by the Autumn Forest table runner in a muted sage grey neutral color enlivened with forest animals and leaves, the table is just the right size for dining in this space.
I was inspired by the cozy nature of the linens and used natural materials for the centerpiece. Annabelle hydrangeas in an antique ironstone pitcher join fall leaves, acorns and a pumpkin colored taper candle on one of our new enamelware platters.
This cozy table setting distinguishes this more casual dinner party from the more elaborate Thanksgiving and Christmas gatherings that will soon be here!
I chose to use hotel silver flatware, to add some sparkle amidst the more rustic elements of this table top. It echoes the shiny rims of the enamelware plates beautifully!
After much deliberation {!!} I opted to use the matching enameled napkin rings for the napkins and just placed them on top of each place setting.
I set up a simple dessert service on the little tea table that holds our antique angel. A natural wreath of eucalyptus cuttings encircles the little cake for a touch of fall.
After dinner, it’s easy to slice and serve the lemon cake I bought at Trader Joe’s, and serve it with vanilla bean ice cream and coffee.
I couldn’t resist showing you how cute the matching apron and double oven glove is in this fall woodsy pattern. There are matching tea towels, too. I’ve used these to wrap around a home baked cake that I brought to a favorite host, and also tied one around a bottle of Merlot for another hostess. A little touch of the season adds a note of graciousness to any gift.
I used these new linens to accent our kitchen, they are perfect with our fall decor. This design reminds me of my family’s forest in Europe, where I spent so many happy days as a young girl!
For some easy to make fall dinners, you can find some ideas here:
As a starter, this soup is wonderful. Ladle into bowls, and the scent alone will transport you to the countryside in France. OR…serve up big bowls, add a salad and plenty of warm, crusty French bread and one or more house specialty herb butters…and you have a meal.
At this time of year, a chicken roasting in the oven makes the whole house smell like “welcome.” Delicious, and easy too!
Feel like baking dessert yourself? These individual apple pies are delicious, and every guest will feel so special to receive their very own pie!
{I’ll share the herb butter next time! It’s so easy, and this butter never ceases to elicit compliments from our guests!}
SHOP THE l’AUTOMNE COUNTRY FRENCH COLLECTION>
DO YOU ENTERTAIN MORE IN THE FALL?
DON’T FORGET ABOUT THIS FANTASTIC GIVE-AWAY I’M HOSTING TOGETHER WITH VENDOME PRESS:
à bientôt
Shop for the best in French Antiques, furniture with the patina of age, vintage accessories to delight you and your family & friends, and French Country utilitarian pieces. Treasures that make your home fresh, beautiful, inspirational and uniquely yours. Visit our shop FrenchGardenHouse.com
Love your linens with the adorable fall decor.
Looking forward to make one or two of your recipes.
Enjoy your last days in Europe.
I can almost smell that wonderful chicken and apple pie.
That Chicken looks wonderful – think I’ll try it this week since it is supposed to be rainy!
You have me thinking ? Always so nice to have friends to share a meal , food brings people together .
Enjoy your day and good luck with the hunt ! ??? Chris
Hi Lidy, I am such a fan of woodland animals and putting them in print like this is so darling. I love the table setting and the great recipes. WOW what a great post.
Hi, Lidy. Another great post with such creative ideas. Love the recipes! Thank you— Janet
Lidy,
It is so rewarding to see your blog. I love the sweet little animal linens and the fall table scape not to mention the delicious recipes. You always deliver. Please enter me into the drawing.
Thanks, Denise
I love the table scape used for the dinner party. The animal linens are wonderful. I would never have thought to use that pattern I am definitely making the Roasted Lemon Chicken. I would love to win a copy of Dior and His Decorators Thank you for all your inspiration.
Your table settings always look so beautiful and inviting. I can’t wait to try the Roasted Lemon Chicken. I think that sounds like a wonderful Sunday evening dinner for my small family of 3. Thank you for all the inspiration, and please enter me in for a chance to win the Dior wonderful book.
Your soup recipe is in my near future and so are the black napkins. The Napoleonic symbol has been a favorite of mine for many years. I guess it was Charles Faudree that started that obsession with me as he enjoyed using that Bee in his designes. Regarding the time of year I entertain the most I suppose Summer and CHRISTMAS are my favorites as we have a large screened porch that is surrounded by a pond and terrace that keeps us cool much of the Summer. Of course when the house is fully decorated with the CHRISTMAS trees and fires going in the fireplace and the smells of good food filling the house, who would not love having family and friends to enjoy it with us. Looking forward to the treasures you find in Europe to share with us,
I am going to try those recipes…soon!
Thank you for sharing them.
The fabulous spongeware plates/chargers are a perfect compliment to the ever so charming tablecloth and linens…that pattern could not be more perfect for Fall…and I love your apron model!…You make me smile and inspire me every day!
The fabric on those linens is absolutely adorable!! Love it!
J’adore !! Merci!