It’s August and it’s Hot!
I realize that’s redundant :)
To survive the heat, I’m thinking cool thoughts at a table with white dishes, shades of weathered gray, and accents of soft purple that seemed fitting for the temperature. . .
Along with a few shells dotting
the shoreline of the plates and table~
Conch shells, found by my husband on a fishing trip at the Outer Banks this spring, have a sun-bleached & weather-beaten appearance~ much like my pots of annuals and plants do this time of year.
Lacy Queen Anne is one of the few flowers
thriving in the heat~ so a few blooms
are tucked in shells, multitasking as vases.
Napkins are layered~ a pattern (Target) with a solid (World Market) as well as the napkin rings~ one of abalone shells found beach combing the aisles at Kohl’s this spring, and another shell napkin ring from Stein Mart found several years ago.
A quilt, from Kohl’s used before here, multitasks too~ alternating between beds and tables, and best of all, requires no ironing for the table.
Since I comb the aisles at HomeGoods like a shell seeker, I found round trays a couple of months ago~ drawn to the filigree edges and soft gray color, picking them up not quite sure how I would use them.
The smaller size tray turned out to be ideal to serve
as a charger for plates~ Paula Deen Whitaker/Target.com.
Lanterns from Pottery Barn, are also soft gray and weathered in appearance, with an edge treatment that echoes the trays’ filigreed rim.
Amethyst goblets from Target are
blooming with Queen’s Anne Lace ~
And more shells are scattered
in the candle-filled lanterns ~
Flatware from Pottery Barn is vintage-inspired with a worn patina and marked with a script I love~ handy too in case you don’t know your knife from your spoon :)
Filigree and Gray Shells Table Details:
Tablecovering-Quilt/ Kohl’s
Dishes / Paula Deen Whitaker
Napkins/ Target & World Market
Napkin Rings/ Kohl’s & Stein Mart
Flatware & Lanterns/ Pottery Barn
Trays/ HomeGoods
Hoping you find a way
to stay cool this August!
Thank you for your visit, I’m joining:
Metamorphosis Monday,
The Scoop, Inspire Me Tuesday,
Wow Us Wednesdays, Tablescape Thursday,
Home Sweet Home, Feathered Nest Friday
Welcome to UGHUST! :D :D I love gray. Such a clean, “interesting” color. Target and Homegoods — thank goodness!!! If there was a Kohls closer to me, I’m sure it would join the list of *thank goodness* places!
The colors you used on your filigree and gray shell tablescape are so reminiscent of a day walking the gray wet sand on a beach and finding sun drenched treasures from the sea! I love your ability to mix so many elements and how they blend together into one beautiful theme! Those round “chargers” are perfection! The purple makes this such a rich table!
Again…. LOVE LOVE LOVE!
Love the colors of the soft gray and purple. Then all the shell pieces and lanterns, so perfect, such a beautiful table.
Absolutely beautiful! Love the combination of grays and lavenders. Live near the beach, so am partial to anything involving gorgeous shells. Mary, am constantly amazed at the amount of effort and creativity you put into each of your postings. Your “eye for beauty” has no limits! Thank you once again.
Textures, elegant patina, and rich color are so lovely in this tablescape.
Mary, I love the textures on this tablescape. So pretty! I also appreciate the subtle patina of the metals….Your quilt ties everything together beautifully. Well done, my friend!!! :D
Oh my gosh…the color are fantastic…love how you used the trays with the place setting!…love how you layered the linens to perfection!…Truly a great table for a warm summer day!!…I would definitely put up with the heat to sit at such a beautiful table!!!…
I love this table, Mary! The trays as chargers, absolutely wonderful.
Those PB lanterns are super slick, Mary! I like the way they look as if they’ve been out to sea with George Clooney & Mark Wahlberg with their shirts off in “The Perfect Storm”. Oh, wait….my thoughts kind of got away from me there. ;-) I love the way you used the Queen Anne’s Lace tucked here and there! I don’t know why that and carnations are scorned because they both look fantastic and bring a lot of texture. (Plus, carnations smell so wonderful…they remind me of the Cloves gum from years ago!) Gorgeous silver trays! I’m sure they will come in handy for a lot of decorating in the future!!! Beautiful pattern on the outer napkin, too. I need to start peeking into Kohl’s every once in a while. There’s one within 10 minutes of our house right near TJ Maxx, but I just never go there. Maybe I’m always just too spent (literally and figuratively!) by the time I come out of TJ Maxx! :-) I love both of those napkin rings, too! They look great together! I hope cooler weather finds its way to you soon!
adore how you share your ‘resources’ .. and all so wonderfully affordable! ha! now all i would have to do is add a third story to our home to ‘store’ all these lovelies! however do you ‘organize’ your seasonal/holiday treasures? Thanks for another lovely ‘visit’ to the boat! xo
a beautiful setting, how you managed cool is beyond me, 104 here all week, but you still can trasport… and so many twin items always makes me smile~
Mary, I’m echoing Anita’s statement above. You are amazing in your ability to continually create post after post of elegant and unique tablesettings. I’m equally impressed that you are doing many of these in the heat of the summer. The grays of this table take my thoughts right to the sandy beaches of the coast. Makes me long for a trip to by favorite beach destination. The filigree trays are an unusual touch that make a statement, and adding in the purple accents pull this all together with the perfect touch of color. Another stellar tablescape! ~ Sarah
I am enchanted with grey recently Mary. Your table is cool and pretty. It has rained here everyday, thankfully, so it has cooled down a bit. I have a wee quick tablescape up my sleeve coming soon. hugs, olive
All these treasures go together beautifully and have such an old world charm! The purple and weathered shades of gray create a wonderful background for your pretty white dishes and shell accents. A very cool look on what I’m sure was a very hot day.
Hi Mary, Thanks for sharing this beautiful coastal inspired tablescape at the Open House Party this week. Everything is gorgeous and you sure can’t beat the fabulous view.
Mary, I love how you go beach combing at Kohl’s and HomeGoods! Just goes to show that treasurer can come from anywhere, and you’ve used them beautifully on your summer table.
August came in with a blast didn’t it? A hot furnace one! egads it’s been miserable. Love your table in the shade.. The colors just pop with the green backdrop. I love your purple and totally love those trays. They are wonderful pieces. How nice they worked out for your table. It’s just perfect.. xo marlis
Elegantly understated…Beautiful backdrop for the end of (still very hot) summer…
Lovin’ those round candle holders-great shape and cool look! The thing I love most about August is… September at the end:@)
Your table is a nice, cool setting for HOT August! I love those trays you found and that quilt is perfect for your tablescape.
Another beautiful tablescape! I love the colors!
I really like that beautiful quilt and the napkins match so well. I LOVE that you used those trays for the chargers!! Well done….I hope you are having a wonderful week!
Your shells remind me of when I was younger – my mom had a huge conch shell and always used it as a centerpiece with fresh flowers! Love the QA Lace in them – so delicate…lovely setting!
I love how you say you come the aisles of HomeGoods like a shell seeker! Me too! I know it sounds crazy, but I would love to somehow monitor the brain waves of people as they comb the aisles. Just looking at their face, you can see they are deep in thought – creating, inspiring. I can only wonder what is going on up there! LOL!
I never saw those trays or I too would have snagged them.
– The Tablescaper
Just lovely! I love that quilt.
We are all tired for the heat but your tablescape has crossed the threshold to the cool and classic side of creativity! The shells and the white are perfect for a summer retreat. You are speaking to another one who “haunts” the aisles of HGs. Just glad you found the trays and do you get that sixth sense that what you find you know will be great to use! Happy Hunting HGs! Pam
What a beautiful tablesetting. Love the Queen Ann’s lace in the conch shell…so lovely.
I love those trays. You can use them for so many things but as chargers, they are fantastic. Great idea.
You must always have your eye open for a quilt perfect for a table topper. You’ve even got me looking and wondering how you would incorporate it/them into your tablescape.
This is such a beautiful table! all the grays and the purple with all the silver vintage looking pieces is fabulous! You created a stunning table! Visiting from Kathleens!
The fact that you schlep all your linens, dishes, lanterns etc. OUTSIDE, i this heat is amazing and we are VERY GRATEFUL that you do!!!! I love shells in the summertime, on a table or around the house. The Trays/chargers are FABULOUS! You never disappoint but continue to delight us, your followers. XO, Pinky
Your tablescape is beautiful, Mary! Have a great weekend and thank you for sharing your project at Potpourri Friday at 2805!
One word. Ahhhhhhhhh. Ok, it’s a sound but it describes perfectly how your table makes me feel. Cool and soothed from the heat.
I loved all of this, but particularly the Queen Anne’s lace tucked into a large seashell–what a lovely idea!
Love the touch of lavender with the shells…what a beautiful late summer tablescape!
Hi Mary, another expertly done tablescape. I think you should consider compiling a coffetable book. You could probably have a whole series of them with all the lovely tablescapes in your copious collection. The distressed grays and purples of this particular post remind me of the old cedar shingles that are on so many of the quaint cottages on Old Cape Cod here in the Northeast. One of my very favorite summer places. –Lucinda
This is so pretty! I love the color combo, very different. Those trays are great, good combing! Just lovely, so many elements to look at!
Thank you for linking to Let’s Dish!
Alma and I were combing the aisles of HG, PB, and a few other places Thurs. We spent a bag of shells too! Stay tuned!
Good thing she goes back home in a week, very bad dishfluence! :)
I love the cool serenity of the gray, lavender and white. So calming and pretty. That Pottery Barn lantern is calling my name. ;-)
This is just lovely. I love the color palette …so soft and pretty and so many wonderful details.
Loved this post. My husband also goes fishing at least once a year at the Outer Banks. You are so creative and have a wonderful sense of color.
It is hot but your pretty tablescape sure makes it look cool…Christine
Yes! It has been extremely HOT everywhere this year it seems!! It also seems like you and I share a love of all things Pottery Barn!! Love that place! Gorgeous setting Mary!
So pretty! Thank you for joining Home Sweet Home!
Sherry
Love everything but the trays are my favorite! Wonderful ideas!
Mary I too did a post using purples.I love your quilt on the table what lovely colors.Don’t seashells make you happy knowing that every one is so unique and un duplicated? your purple goblets are stunning too.Susie
Oh, so beautiful! Oh, my goodness!!! I love the combination of purple and silvery grey. One just seems to beg for the other’s company! I have a table coming up in those colors, and it warms my heart to know someone else out there saw the value in pairing those colors. You just make it look so effortless and wonderful in the same swoop!
Those trays are magnificent! I know you will find multiple uses for them in the months and years to come. They seem to me to be able to transition from casual to regal formality without much trouble.
The seashells are so pretty! That washed out silvery grey color is just so unique…at least to a Midwesterner! :-)
I love all the galvanized accessories you used on this table. They really bring that sort of beachy or nautical feel to the table without screaming it. I also really like the way you softened everything with the Queen Anne’s lace. Very pretty!
Enjoy your weekend!!!