The Vintage Table ***** by Jacqueline de Montravel (and the Editors of Romantic Homes Magazine)
I’m joining Jain with my Edible Book Review at Food for Thought, where pages from your book magically mix with the kitchen and your camera.
This book is a feast for the eyes, chock full of beautiful photographs and inspiration for setting your table with vintage pieces~ combining them with modern-day finds and unexpected accents. Divided by season, there are instructions and principles on proportion & scale, linens, glassware, flowers and more. You will be inspired to create themes that are nostalgic and channel yesteryear, but are a modern version of vintage~ a freestyle approach that exudes a twenty-first-century sensibility. If you enjoy vintage style and tablescaping, this book is for you.
“Your table is not only the place where you gather for meals– it is also a canvas for your creativity and for the treasures you’ve gathered over the years. Each day offers you a chance to surround yourself with what you love. . .”
“Vintage pieces are timeless and classic. They are marked by superior characteristics such as an appealing texture, a bold print, or a particular delicacy, for example that of a porcelain tea set. Vintage items have an enduring appeal due to their palatable colors, make, or design. They originate from a past time, usually at least twenty-five years ago, but their aesthetic value endures beyond the flighty trends the future will bring.”
I keep this pastry roller on a shelf in my kitchen~ I picked it up at a flea market, not because I’m an enthusiastic baker :-), but because I liked the graphics on the tube and it was a fun accessory that looked good against my black shelving when we redid our kitchen about 8 years ago.
“The vintage table setting does not follow precise rules. Arranging one is not a chess game but rather an easy, playful round of checkers. It is textural and layered. A variety of unlike pieces somehow come together.”
This kitchen scale I found at the same flea market~ I loved the bird decal which may not have been original. I keep it over my cabinets in the laundry room with some other vintage garden-related items. Since the bird is feasting on cherries, I couldn’t resist feasting on some myself. . .
No mention of a cherry pie in this book, but I took this advice about meshing food and style:
“Food and style mesh as a feast for the eyes, and become more enjoyable when you eat them using beloved possessions.”
Cherry Pie, recipe here
These vintage S&P shakers were transformed and repurposed into a tassel/napkin ring, by someone who cleverly beaded them and gave them a new life, when the mate to the salt/pepper disappeared or was broken :-)
“Color is the go-to accent to make eyes widen, to soothe, or to excite.”
“Invite Mother Nature to your table and you will be delighted by her earthy contributions. Cachepots of herbs, clusters of pinecones, seashells, and other beach bounties are dependable contributors.”
“Practical and durable pieces, such as a classic teapot, are always a smart investment for your arranging arsenal.” . . . ‘arranging arensal’~ don’t you love that?
“Day-opened roses in an elegant silver vase are always a harbinger of easy romantic style, while gerbera daisies in luscious colors looks as friendly as a Labrador puppy. Whatever kind you choose, flowers are an essential element to the vintage table.”
” ‘Check the forcast for a bright day, which is the best time to catch fairies’ –such is the wording on the invitations sent for a party that would have made Walt Disney smile.”
“Spring fosters a lighter mood that will be revealed on the table. It can be a simple, elegant affair where a few star pieces glimmer under sunnier light. Or you might surrender to spring’s seduction and forgo the ironed napkins for more informal linens. They say that wrinkles add character.”
“Red is the trusted unifier when there is an overwhelming display to choose from. . .”
“Summer encourages a simple way of life, one that celebrates the treasured traditions of a more innocent time, a time that feels as if it will never end– if only because you don’t want it to!”
“Since summer moves at a slower pace, retro pieces fall perfectly into this mode. They remind us of days when we anticipated the sound of the Good Humor truck’s bell, soda pop from the bottle, and Radio Flyer wagons.”
With the suggestion of breakfast being an opportunity for creating an eye-catching table, I decided to set a tray with oatmeal adorned with “drizzles of glistening honey” . . .
“Though it may not be a spa nestled in the valley of a mountain range or a seacoast retreat, a stellar tabletop is like a serene sanctuary. On this tiny island, the world’s axis seems to spin at a slower speed. Crystal and silver do dreamy things with light. Food tastes better when eaten from timeworn china.”
“A vintage table celebrates the beauty of unlike things grouped together.”
“Like a child who becomes a skilled writer from the enjoyment of reading, find a style that you love. You need not create it on a grand scale. The only requirement is that your tabletop reflects your personal flair.”
Thanks for the visit! Mary, I love Vintage Table. Its so full of magnificent pictures. Thanks for sharing your beautiful pictures. It was mesmerizing.
Anne-Marie
Mary-I cannot believe I looked at this post at breakfast time–so unfair :) I love both the philosophy and the photographs in this book. I do think food tastes better served on pieces we love. Only a real cook thinks of a rolling pin as an accessory :) Your photos are gorgeous!
Gorgeous! That pie looked PERFECT!
Oh Mary, I am sooooo getting this book! What fantastic photos & ideas for vignettes! You make me want to dig out my Mom’s vintage tablecloths & go play with my dishes right now. I think I need to go shopping to stock up my ‘arranging arensal’. LOL
My mouth is truly watering right now as I drool over those cherry pie shots. OUTSTANDING!!
What a totally charming post! I am crazy about vintage wh makes me regret for not being aware of its value when i was younger. I could have kept so many things that belonged to my parents. Like a lovely red weighing scale that used wieghts in pounds and ounces. I still remmeber it. ANd a 50 year old cast iron Made in England stove n fridge that were still solid and beautiful until neglect enterd after my dad passed away. I feel so sad now tht I did nt salvage those things.
you have such charming thngs and the pictures are so pretty. I wld love to peek into that book.
tq for your kind comment. :)
This is absolutely delectable, everything about it…beautiful. A
I would love this book! (and everything you made for breakfast!)
I’m joining in on this event for the first time – I love the idea behind it!
Looking forward to spending more time on your blog.
finally getting back to enjoy fft again, its been one of those mornings i could so do without, i miss fft when i can’t start my day here~
your pics are such a delight, i love love love the cherries!
“Each day offers you a chance to surround yourself with what you love. . .”
don’t you know it! what a fun book and terrific inspiration, it could not be better received then by this group that loves pretty things and food!
those cheery cookies are driving me wild, beyond cute! did you make them too? i need those… and then to wash it down with pie~ your pie shots are scrumptious, the napkin ring idea is fantastic!
we have the same silverware, i was going to do cherries with them too!
oh your gardenia shots are delightful, i am breathing them all in…love the glasses on the book… so many fantastic overlays. i love to watch adults play with their food and books :-)
what a stunning little breakfast trays, i LOVE the colors. and that quote is perfect. mini waffles? i think i need to go shopping after seeing so many new things i seam to adore! and those cute daisy glasses…
ANOTHER FANTASTIC POST! we sure hit the jackpot when you took up blogging, what a wonderful respite in my day, i loved loved loved it ALL! as always thanks for playing so well with others~
Another fabulous post! You know I’m your “groupie”! — lol
I can’t imagine how I’ve missed this wonderful book—a must-have…
Thanks for asking about our beach house. No oil, thank goodness!
I don’t have this book as yet, but you can be certain it will be ordered today. Love the way you used your treasures to show how one uses vintage to make beautiful settings. Like Jain, I adore those little cherry cookies. Too cute for words. And the scale has my heart singing just thinking about the image. The food has me gaining weight just as I scroll through these photos time and again. I can’t get enough of the beauty you share in these posts, Mary. I’ve been eating fresh cherries all summer. The cherry pie makes me think I need to get busy baking. Thanks for the recipe.
As always, any stop on your boat is sheer delight for my senses. Thank you! ~ Sarah
Thanks for everyone’s generous comments. . . those “cherry cookies” are actually Mary Engelbreit Cherry Toppers for cupcakes I picked up at Michael’s to embellish my pages instead of cupcakes :-)
I am in lust with it all, wow how lucky you are to have all this! That quilt is just over the top and why I like to do estate/garage sales to find something that special.
Oh! I want one of those Cherry Colanders and the Cherry measuring cup. What a charming picture. Thanks so much for sharing.
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♥•.*.from Vicki.*.•♥
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What a book! I must find it. I love all your treasures. I too have regrets about things I did not hold on to. I just love the “arranging arsenal” quote! What a beautiful breakfast tray! Thanks for this great review.
P.S. Love your photography!
Hi there!! I NEVER miss a pic of a bichon!!! You just happened to comment on Completely Coastal and I saw your two little cuties…what a beautiful blog you have here!!! Have you ever seen the book Artful Blogging? Your blog would be perfect for it! The pictures are amazing!!! Your whole blog is amazing!! I’m adding you to my blogroll!!! So glad to have “run” into you!! Your bichons are very, very cute!!