Intimate Fireside Dinner

There's a brief interlude of time after the bustle of summer subsides, a new season takes over, and it's not yet "The Holidays." Don't blink too long, because that moment has arrived. Maybe you get a leg up on housework, planning, rest. It's time for just a little deep breathing, and if you're lucky, a wee more family time.

A nice dinner at home for two might be in order, or maybe long past due. We've been on the hamster wheel for two months running. Something cozy by the fire has big appeal.

The centerpiece for our special night isn't in the center at all, but on the hearth. And I've taken a couple of sprigs of millet from it for our settings. The deep colored fluffy stalks accent the dark tones of my harvest themed Staffordshire plates, and dress up the simple muslin towels we're using as napkins. I love a generous swath of absorbent cotton that'll cover your whole lap. It's probably a holdover from the days when dinners were active, probably a little too loud, and often messy with a table full of busy children. But not tonight!

I go crazy for English country style for a little while when the weather gets chill. This china makes me imagine myself standing next to a little thatched cottage in a country village somewhere, with everything that goes with it, like in the movie The Holiday (Cameron Diaz, Jude Law, Kate Winslet).

There are only four plates, but I'm heavy into mixing and matching, especially transferware. For a lot of years our Thanksgivings had a different setting at each place, and you could choose your favorite. The practice works well for large gatherings, and you never have to worry about incomplete sets. This would be a great one to include in the mix.

I have lately been keeping my eye out for vintage glassware, and these are my two most recent finds. I love mixing glass as well. It's often recommended that if you mix place settings the glassware should all match to unify the table. I break that rule too. I do like the glass to all be the same color, however.

My tablecloth is a perfectly square thick and luscious vintage French matelasse. It has the homespun quality and earthy tone I'm going for.

I found a set of six newish bowls at the thrift store that I think may originate from Williams Sonoma (don't quote me). They just say "made in England" on the bottom.

A single votive in the center will work when the lights get dimmed.

Two of a small group of vintage Spode bread and butter plates get pressed into service too.

Flatware is vintage Wallace, an unknown pattern to me, with a fabulous patina.

Matches, and one of my indispensible magnifyers.

Attack! Bon appetit, bonne soiree, and Ciao! for now!

Thanks so much for stopping by!

Jacqueline

I'm joining Between Naps on the Porch for Tablescape Thursday,

 and Common Ground for Vintage Inspiration Friday