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Thursday, January 15, 2015

Setting A Cozy French Country Table







The inspiration for my table this week was this white ceramic pair of poule et coq that I just changed out from somewhere else. I thought they made a nice and simple centerpiece. Hens and roosters are seen everywhere in country style, but they are also a popular theme for French decorating.




I would like to serve a nice French onion soup with a crusty cheesy topping and thought about these big soup spoons I had tucked away.




I'm not a very good housekeeper and have the habit of stashing silverware here and there and everywhere. Trouble is, I was having to polish up things I didn't use very often before I could use them! So the last time I went on a polishing jag I got clever and wrapped everything up in muslin dish towels.




Exposure to oxygen tarnishes silver when it is not regularly used. Flannel bags are often used to store silverplate, but plain cotton dish towels work fine. I just bundle flatware up like you see here. If you are really organized and love that sort of thing you can label them too! I just tossed mine in a small box to store in a cupboard.








I was thrilled to find these pieces all ready to go.




I am using my darker brown transferware and a mix of a few white pieces here with a dark tablecloth as a base. I found this beautiful smaller round crocheted tablecloth at a wonderful price to layer over. It's thick and cushy with a wonderful texture and design. . . .









These are part of my vintage towel collection, but beautiful linen is still a staple in a modern French household. 



















The plates are antique and without a maker's mark so I can't tell you the pattern. Maybe you already know it?









I decided on these heavy woven napkins with a monogram for this hearty winter meal.




















You may notice that I have changed up my empty wall frame with a new scene from an old calendar. I may collage it up a bit more later.




I finally tweaked the garden wicker planter a tad. The large round platter is a recent find. But the little lacy towel layered on top has been making its rounds on the blog quite a bit lately.




The look of love. . . .























































Bon appetit!

Maybe you have something yummy cooking up too!
Hope it's cozy for you. . . .

So nice that you stopped by! I love hearing from you!

Jacqueline





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39 comments:

  1. love jaqueline, what beautiful pictures !!! I love the lace, the cutlery, china and everything is soooo wonderful and unique !!! love greetings from angie from Germany

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  2. I'm so envious of your lovely linen collections and especially the way you display them. There is so much loveliness to look at in your home.

    hugs
    Sissie

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  3. I looked through my English Transferware book, and found several patterns very similar to your dark brown plates; but nothing just like it. They are still very pretty, and don't need identification to enjoy them!! Sally

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  4. I have up polishing mine... liv8nh in North Central Florida... all the humidity, it's a loosing battle. Luv the brown transferware, and all your yummy linen.

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  5. I never tire of seeing your wonderful linens and how you put them together! Using cotton or muslin tea towels sounds like a great idea, I still have a lot of silver to unpack, so I'm going to keep that trick in mind. xoxo

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  6. Hi Jacqueline,
    The linens timeworn, faded with perfect charm, the silver flatware, the stoneware all fitting to your signature style and I admire it's aged romance.
    Love the header....
    You always soften our heart melting them with what you have gathered and collected in a beautiful sharing here.

    I could so dine in your home with the beauty of all things French, English cottage, rustic romance and feel the sense of a dinning experience.
    It's all so lovely with a big dose of inspiration.

    Xx
    Dore

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  7. Such a lovely post! I always enjoy stopping by. Love the brown transferware with your beautiful linens!
    Nancy

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  8. I love your linens, dishes, silverware and your beautiful photos. I will never get tired of viewing your posts. Lovely

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  9. Viewing your French Country dining is so soothing to me. There comfort n the layers of vintage linens you use and just how you use them. I think it is all beautiful...beautiful Cottage Living...Beautiful White Living.

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  10. Your photos are incredible. They belong in a magazine. I love them all. Your linen and silver and collection is stunning.

    Have a lovely weekend.

    Janet

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  11. This reminds me a great deal of the table my host in France set -- lovely transferware (old, of course) and old silver, lovely fresh whites. A nice memory. I do love your brown dishes!

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  12. Ooh la la! Jacqueline, I think this is my favorite post of yours. Amazing photos, beautiful silver and crisp white linens and I love the Hen & Rooster. Dianne

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  13. I just love everything and the way you display your treasures. I especially love your silver...each piece is extraordinary. As always, your linens look so pretty!

    Jane x

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  14. You never disappoint.....it is all so lovely!! xoxo

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  15. Gorgeous! I was just going through my linen stash and wondering how best to display some of my favorite pieces. You have done a beautiful job here. Love it all.

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  16. Your photos are so pretty. I love the idea of your hearty winter meal, but I think your table could stay set just to enjoy looking at it. Great idea for the silver, it would be cute to tie up with raffia or twine

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  17. I particularly like the arrangement of the garden planter. xx

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  18. Quel BONHEUR ... tout est magnifique, les tissus superbes, les couverts absolument magnifiques et la vaisselle ravissantes ... Merci pour toutes ces belles photos ...
    Douce journée, A bientôt
    LAURENCE

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  19. Hello Jacqueline
    I love this post in all its freshness, Your linen and lace collection is superb
    Helen xx

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  20. LOVEly! This direction of a more French Country style really tugs at my heart strings.
    Have a beautiful day today, Jacqueline!
    xo,
    Lin

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  21. ...sigh...
    So lovely ~ I love each piece and all of them together is just perfection!

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  22. I love it all Jacqueline! It's so pretty.

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  23. Ah, Jacqueline, this post is total museum quality, and I don't mean mothballs and stuffiness, just that it is all so pristine and beautiful. Your collections are so warm looking and completely breathtaking and sometimes I feel like a stalker but please don't take it that way. It's just that it is always simply gorgeous and I have to say it. Thanks for the tip about silver, such an easy fix and so practical..Happy Friday..Judy

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  24. Comfort and generously heart-warming is what all this loveliness brings to mind.
    Just beautiful.

    I saw the wooden acorns. I have some of those. Love to just hold them in my hands.

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  25. Hi J,
    Yes! The look of love indeed!! I LOVE seeing all your pretties. French Onion soup in your cozy home sounds divine, I'll be right over :-)
    Hugs!!

    ps... "I am not a robot", doesn't that word verify crack you up!!!

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  26. So excited when I see your post come up in my inbox! Your photos are so beautiful and so inspiring. All your collections are so wonderful and the vignettes you design are so gorgeous. :)

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  27. Gorgeous pictures, and gorgeous vintage linens, silver, china -- it all comes together beautifully!
    Well done. :-)
    Cass

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  28. your lace covered garden planter is so charming, jacqueline! beautiful pictures, as always!

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  29. Always love how you pull things together; especially the different linens and tablecloths. You have created a very nice table setting. Good to know about storing the silverware too...thanks.

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  30. Oh please, dear Jacqueline, may I come over for your French dinner?

    Funny, it must be something about wintertime - I have been cooking a lot of French dishes lately too. In fact am having a dinner party on the 27th that is French inspired. : - )

    Of course my table won't be anything like yours - warm, inviting, comfortable and absolutely awesome.

    Mine will be a shiny winter's table this time. But I like yours lots better. : - )



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  31. You have the loveliest silver and linens Jacqueline. I went through every beautiful photo more than once to soak it all in.
    I use cotton too for the silver but my mom kept hers out in the velvet drawer in our built in. Maybe that's why I always seemed to be shining it before big meals :)
    hugs...

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  32. Jacqueline,
    Oh, my. . .c`est magnifique!
    I adore the monochromatic color palette in this post, dear friend!!! The new platter find has my heart all a 'pitter~patter'!!! The embossed Grecian Urns along the rim are exquisite!!! Your silver flatware is so~o~o stunning!
    A hearty soup sounds divinely delicious!!!
    Fondly,
    Pat

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  33. That sliver is gorgeous and anytime I get a glimpse of that cupboard I just swoon! Love it all Jacqueline! Thanks for linking up with Home Sweet Home!
    Sherry

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  34. I discovered you through another blogger and so glad I did! I love your linens and how "heavy" and "weighted" they seem to be - my favorite. The heavier, the better for me. Just want to run my hands over them. Thanks so much for sharing and if you ever feel like you have too many and need to unload some....well....I am only a click away ;-)

    Thanks again for sharing,
    elizabeth

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  35. Simply stunning and elegant! All of your whites are gorgeous and love those transferware plates. Beautiful!

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  36. What a very charming post - I love all the silver and white - perfect for this time of the year.

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  37. I love the old linens and the brown transfer you have. I have a few antique pieces of it left from my aunt. Beautiful photos.

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  38. Hello again, Jacqueline ~
    I was wondering what you could tell me about the smaller plate in your first photo. I adore the pattern!
    Thank you!
    xo,
    Lin

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