My Dining Room's Identity Crisis!!!

In the span of less than two weeks time,

my dining room has gone from this....



...to this...

and back to this,

with a little of this...

...and this, in between.

Finally, to this, today!

My decorating is done.

Let the holidays begin!

Whew!

This week I'll be linking with

Wow Us Wednesdays at Savvy Southern Style

Open House Party Thursday at No Minimalist Here

Feathered Nest Friday at French Country Cottage

Show & Tell Friday at My Romantic Home

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