The Vintage Table

 

 

 

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.”

 

 

 

 

 

Be sure to visit Food for Thought and find out what everyone is reading & eating!