Every afternoon precisely at 3:30, grandmama would pour the tea from her silver tea pot, a pot that now proudly resides in my home.
Every dinner, we used her fine silver. {And again, I was blessed to inherit her beautiful set of flatware.}
I've adored silver forever, and everywhere I look in our FrenchGardenHouse, I see the evidence of my enduring passion for this shiny bright antique.
Not just for formal occasions, you can display silver at home to create the feeling of relaxed elegance.
Here at home, I love the mix of refined with rustic. Elegantly formal with casual. Relaxed elegance.
This is my decorating style, and I think it's a style many of you love, too, it creates a visual contrast that brings personality to your home. YOUR personality.
Don't leave formal silver pieces like trays or tea sets languishing in your cabinets.
Experiment with your silver at home, and display your collection in their full, glamorous beauty! Bright, shining silver is one of life's little luxuries.
Some Places to Display and Enjoy Your Silver:
You will find antique silver dotted around our home. Silver trays and platters are the base for many of the displays on my tables, and serving places.
For a cheerful "welcome" at a holiday party, I often press one of our antique silver trays into service to hold a small drinks set up. That way I can pour a glass of champagne right there, by the front door as guest arrive. It brings them into the spirit of the season and feeling comfortable in our home right away!
Another tray on our bed, to hold a small bouquet of white roses and hydrangea, one of my favorite books, and a cup of Earl Grey tea.
I have a fondness for antique English silver toast racks. I love everything about them, how they make breakfast feel instantly so very, very British {channeling my inner Miss Marple.} But honestly, the times that I get to use them are not as often as I'd love to.
Not just for crisply done toast, using an antique toast rack as a letter holder, or to display holiday cards is a beautiful option. Another way I've used these is to hold napkins for a buffet table. That's the fun thing about antiques and the age we live in, we're not bound by the same rules our grandmother's were {or thought they were} - we can repurpose our antiques to be and do something totally different.
{I think they secretly enjoy it! }
Not just for flowers, small antique silver objects often get put to use here to hold a small votive candle. I love how the small candle inside flickers and glows...I don't recommend you do this with an heirloom piece, or a very large candle, you don't want to melt the silver off a part of a silver plated piece.
For a beautiful mantel display, I nestled holiday greens and my favorite red roses in antique trophies. Silver is meant to be used, the more you use it, the more beautiful it becomes!
In the office, I often use Victorian silver cake baskets to hold small boxes, such as our packaging samples for jewelry boxes from FrenchGardenHouse. Much prettier than just putting them in a plastic bin, don't you think so too?
In our bedroom I've used this antique goblet to corral sterling button hooks and some of my bracelets on my antique vanity. Another time, the cup might hold my favorite Chanel lipsticks.
I want to make our world as pretty at home as I can {and trust me, it's not all beautiful....not at all!} in the places we live. To surround my family with beauty is one of the things that are important to me, I firmly believe that beauty for the sake of beauty adds pleasure and fullness to our life.
In the guest bathroom, this vintage silver plated cup inscribed with "Guest" is displayed on a towel and a bar of our soap. It's just a hint of glittering silver, but that's all this small bathroom needs to bring it from plain to something a little special.
I don't really like a lot of clutter, but some of my precious silver is just too pretty to hide. In this display, I used a collection of sterling pieces to highlight the velvet pumpkins on a French sideboard.
For me, the more silver shines, the better. I know some people like that gray, dark patina on silver, I polish my silver every few months.
The glow of silver makes our home feel a little more inviting, and especially during the holidays, silver adds a special layer of beauty, a wonderful place to welcome our guests.
I've added some beautiful silver to the shop to grace your homes during this festive time, and to bring some light to the darker days in the early new year too.
26 comments
I think it is our Dutch roots, Anja! I’ve found some gorgeous silver in Holland!
Just like you I adore silver( must be our Dutch roots, LOL).
The way you’ve incorporated your silver in your daily life is very inspiring.
Catherine, thank you so much. I’m not aware of any products like that, but I do know that when you use a good quality polish, it supposedly helps your silver stay shiny longer!
As always, breathtaking photography and beautiful inspiration. Are you aware of any products that can be applied to larger pieces to lessen the need for polishing?
Jane, thank you for that sweet sentiment…I loved being reminded of that, friend. xo
Allison, I love the idea of your dog dishes being on a silver plate tray…it catches the drips, and makes your dog feeding place look beautiful at the same time!
Pat, it’s always a great idea to use our antiques in as many ways as possible, I think it makes them happy!
Hi Lidy! What a lovely post. I’m going to steal your idea of the silver toast holder to capture holiday cards. Love that. Hugs, Pat
I so love the detail of silver pieces too…whether plated or solid. My little Eskie dog even has a beautiful extra large silver plate tray that holds his food & water bowls. Pedestal sugar scoops hold odds & ends, round hinged lidded sugar bowls are soap dishes, and butter dishes house extra reading glasses under cover. Yes…use silver wares in unconventional ways, and beautify your house at the same time. I’m thrilled to know there are many silver lovers out there among us! Let’s keep the bygone era current! Merry Christmas to all!
Jane, thank you for such a sweet sentiment. Just the thought of that made my heart glad!