Elements of Style ~ Setting a Beautiful Table

Well, over the years I’ve learned that NO not
everyone can style a beautiful table
so…
perhaps that’s why we have
those aforementioned shelter magazines!!!

Magazines like
Romantic Country Style, Romantic Homes,
French Country Style, Country Living and
[British] Country Living,
and 
my old favorite introduced to me by my mother
when I was newly married,
Victoria,
help us “see” elements of good design.

Setting a beautiful table begins with 
bringing out your most beautiful china.
For someone who has just moved into their first apartment
that might mean using your parents’ hand-me-downs
and a few new pieces that you found at
HomeGoods
while browsing with your mother.
For someone just married,
maybe you received a few place settings towards
your eventual goal of twelve.

Bring these out and try mixing and matching
with your usual kitchen china to start!
Begin slowly (like most things in life) and when you go out
with the girls to shop at thrift stores or flea markets,
see what interests you and buy a few pieces.
🙂
One never knows 
where our hearts will take us when it comes
to the pitter patter palpitations that finding 
a lovely
 old Haviland plate with tiny rose garlands
encircling the edges
or a Bavarian pre-WWII creamer & sugar bowl set
with the tiniest of lavender pansy bouquets on each side.
I don’t know about you
but
these lovelies make my heart swoon!

I know my china has evolved from my first set of
Villeroy & Boch 
called Botanic.
I still use this set as my everyday china
but
I tend to use my white china more often now.
😉