Tablescapes from Savannah's Paris Market

As promised in my last post,

today I'm taking you back to Savannah's Paris Market

to share some of their gorgeous tablescapes.

You know you'll be lingering awhile when you step inside

the door and this is the first thing you see.



Just beyond it is a beautiful European cafe.

Note the pretty little acrylic chair.

This is a more seasonal table set up in another section of the shop.

How's this for a harvest table and buffet?

Cocktail anyone?

A third, more informal table was set up on the lower level.

The utensils are wooden, and merchandised as picnic ware.

So, there you have it.

Three tablescapes,  plus a cocktail table from

The Paris Market.

If a trip to Savannah isn't in the cards just now

you might want to visit their website.

This week I'm linking with

Tablescape Thursday at Between Naps on the Porch

Dressing the Dining Room Table for Christmas

Because it will be decorated for a while, I like to keep my dining room table "dressed" fairly simply for the holiday season.

Starting first with a bare table...

I add a holiday runner.

This runner is one I sewed myself. It's reversible.
Because my dining room is a bit dark,
I need the livelier of the two sides to brighten up the space.


This is a painted terra cotta pot.
Doesn't it look as though it's wrapped in ribbons?


It holds a small artificial tree topped with a simple twig wreath.


Next comes a collection of small pots which belonged to my grandmother.
She always had them filled with violets.
I don't use a lot of green in my house,
but I love to bring these pots out at holiday time.


I'm going to fill them with these tiny trees purchased at a craft store several years ago.



I'm also going to use napkins inside the pots for a bit of layering and color.
For several years I chose a new holiday fabric
and made napkins each year.
Now I have quite a collection.
Those of you who sew might recognize some of these fabric patterns.


These are the napkins I'll be using.
Looking at them against the runner, they look a bit discordant, don't they?
It will work, I promise.


The folded napkin is placed on top of the pot...

...and in goes the little tree.

Finally, they are all lined up and down the table.

It's very organic, don't you think?

I have to confess,

this is how I have dressed my holiday table for many years.

Am I lazy? I prefer the label "traditionalist."

I find I still like it after several years,

so why reinvent the wheel?

Just a word about the french doors behind the table.

They are real doors I found in an antique shop,

but I had them backed with mirrors.

They simply "lean" against the wall.

I love that they give my dining room some depth and more light.

I had no floor space for a piece of furniture and

they solve the problem of needing something large on the wall .

This week I'm visiting

"Boring to Better" Party at Savvy Southern Style

"Thursday Tablescape" Party at Between Naps on the Porch

"Fabric Fun Thursday" Party at Cheap Chic Home

"All Things Merry & Brite" Party at All Things Heart and Home

Joining a Tablescape Party for the First Time!

Since discovering Susan's blog at Between Naps on the Porch, I've wanted to take part in one of her Thursday Tablescape Parties. To be honest, I haven't "dressed" the table and taken pictures of it this entire summer. So, I resorted to the past. About this time last year, Buttermilk Cottage was included in our neighborhood's garden tour. Nancy, my sister, the gardener, and I invited a few friends for lunch afterwards. What you see here is our luncheon table.

Before lunch, everyone had a chance to tour "The Catbird Garden." Nancy loves gardening, cats and birds. I'm not sure in what order they should be listed!

This is our garden shed, which was, when we bought the house, one of those "lovely" portable buildings. We had the lattice added and are slowly softening the whole effect with English ivy and other plantings.

The front of the house was all in order for our guests.




After the tour, we celebrated with lunch and friends. I'm sorry I don't have close up pictures, particularly of the napkins, which are from an aunt's estate and were hand painted with representations of seed packets.


Be sure to join Susan's other "guest" and many more tablescape inspirations at


Between Naps on the Porch.