Autumn is my very favorite time of year to invite guests to my FrenchGardenHouse! If you have been my friend for any length of time, you know that when I entertain, I prefer fairly easy food prep, so I can spend my time setting a beautiful table with my antique dishes.
Setting a beautiful French Country table is easy! I set my table with a linen cloth {can I just share that I love linen?!} and layered an antique grain sack runner over it. Originally produced in big rolls, each hand woven roll had a unique pattern so that the miller could identify whose grain it was. Farmer's wives and daughters often not only wove the fabric, they sewed their own grain sacks to take to the miller.
On top of the linen tablecloth and the runner, I placed a few antique French compotes. Stacking is my favorite way to get some height on a table. The centerpiece doesn't always have to be flowers, I arranged these glorious dark purple grapes, bright chartreuse green pears and miniature white pumpkins on the compotes. I love how they look, and guests could take the fruit and eat it together with dessert.
I mix and match dishes for almost every place setting. Sometimes I stack or layer a few plates, for this meal, we were having a huge bowl of Alsace Soup, so I set each place with just one large antique French shallow plate. I love this kind of plate, they are shallow, so you can serve soup, or a large salad, or use them to plate a meat and potatoes dinner too! On this end of the table I'll bring out loaves of crusty bread on an old French breadboard right before dinner.
The napkins are these fantastic linen embroidered hand towels I just got for the shop, embroidered with "Bon Appetit", they are large, and get softer the more times you wash them. They make the perfect napkin. Each place setting features mix and match silverware, rediscovered and collected from some of the prettiest antique and vintage silverware pieces from 1800 to 1940, and then regrouped into delightfully mismatched sets.
I stacked a few antique leather covered French books and missals and topped them with a glass Saleron {Salt cellar} for fun. Your tables should always be interesting, and have a little touch of quirky!
The pretty name cards are copied from an antique card, I photographed it and printed it out on my computer. You can buy name cards, print your own, or make your own. There is something about writing a guest's name, and setting a place at your table just for them that makes every guest feel welcome and special. That's the kind of gracious entertaining I love. Entertaining doesn't have to be a grand affair, one little touch like a hand written name card is what will make your guests remember what a special evening they had with you!
As I said before, no flowers on this table. I bought this amazing pumpkin at the Farmer's Market, I love the cream and green color. It looks perfect atop a stack of plates. I picked it out because it still had the little leaf, of course it promptly fell off when I took it from the car inside for its photo moment. A little dab of glue and it was back to how I envisioned it!
My English teacart is set for a simple dessert after dinner. Nothing really fancy, more of the shallow bowls, vintage silver spoons to serve a fruit cobbler with coffee or tea. {Maybe some vanilla bean ice cream too!}
Having friends over for dinner doesn't have to be overly grand. Make easy to prepare food, set a pretty table, and enjoy being a gracious host or hostess!
{ps. You can find all the compotes, dishes, linens and more in the Kitchen and Linen departments.}
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18 comments
Jane, I’ve had great fun reading your latest blog posts. Relaxed and European, that’s a good thing! The soup is good, you know I’m more about spending time decorating than actually cooking. I want to food to taste great, but be easy. Let me know how you like it!
Joanne, thank you. I know you love blue and white, it’s always crisp, fresh and classic!
Thank you Diana, I am so ready for our temperatures to drop to fall. Sweater. check. boots. check. fall decorating. check. pumpkin coffee. check. I’ve got it all! Fall, I’m ready, please arrive!
Hi Jean, thank you! I love her too, she was one of the very first things I ever purchased at an estate auction, she was my very first “keeper”. {She weighs a ton, she is made of marble!}
Hi, Lidy,
I really enjoy seeing all your pretty settings and get so many ideas as well, I have your MILK MAID I just love her and have had her for about 40 years and it is such a pleasure seeing all the pretty dishes, good job and happy Oct.
Jean in Sunny Ca
I love your tables, Lidy. They have that relaxed European feel that so many of us love. I sometimes feel that when I set a table for company it feels sort of stiff so I glean a lot of ideas from you. I love linen, too…I’m going to have a look at your shop. The fruit rather than flowers is so refreshing. Love everything and I’m going to check out the soup recipe! :)
Jane x
Lidy your table setting is so lovely. I adore blue and white it’s so timeless. XO Jo
Such a lovely fall table, Lidy. Your layered table cloths form the perfect foundation and I love your stacked compotes filled with fruits of the season. You are a wonderful hostess!