Decorating Tables

Today, we discussing table decorations in the Show Us Your Life Series.  I have already mentioned previously with this tour that most of our table tops are used to display photographs.  Our side tables are limited to lamps and minimal objects.  Our family room coffee table is still decorated with candles and a small vase. (William George's small hands are getting closer to destroying them daily!) The coffee table in our keeping room is bare, except for underneath where we keep 1) a decorative hat box filled with toys and 2) a basket containing wooden puzzles.  Obviously, we are using these surfaces in practical ways, what with the three small children who regularly use them. 

The dining room table needs immediate attention.   

 

 

My mom has a close friend who keeps her dining room immaculately set all the time. She incorporates colors and centerpieces for various holidays and seasons, creating a room that is inviting and festive.

For example, for summer she might use an Americana motif.  For fall, she would have a seasonally appropriate centerpiece, and fall colors for placements and napkins.  She changes out her centerpieces, tablecloths, and napkins seasonally or whenever she gets the urge.   

Obviously, having small children in our house makes using the nice china and crystal a tricky proposition. However, out of necessity, we are using our dining room increasingly, because our kitchen table (for four) has a maximum capacity for five (if we scrunch in). 

Since there are five of us, if we have even a single guest, we move to the dining room. On the one hand, I love the idea of using the space -- even every day. 

This room has never been "off limits".  Instead, there is a Disney castle in one corner, and all three children play in there frequently.   We need to add some touches to make the room useful and friendlier. 

Truthfully, we save the crystal and china for special occasions.  I usually set the table a day or two early so that we can  Our children are all about birthday parties now, and they like that we have adult birthday dinners in the dining room.  When Skip was asking me where I wanted to go for my birthday this past year, Gracie interjected, saying, "We can have your party in the dining room!"  Skip and the girls went shopping for the menu, and we had a truly wonderful dinner.  We were talking about that recently, and we commented on how, one day, we would love for our children to be excited about sitting around our table to celebrate every birthday. 

For ninety-nine percent of our meals, we stick with the every day dishes. To transition from the kitchen table to the dining room, we replaced our old, worn and very chipped every day dishes with a simple china pattern from Crate & Barrel. 

And that's our dining room table.  Have a wonderful weekend.