So this blog goes out to all my friends who desire amazing centerpieces. Show stoppers. Not the type of centerpiece where you just drove down to the big box store and bought something already put-together. No. No, no no. Remember, this is about using what you have to make something original and special.
Yep. Today's blog is a freebie. Because everyone probably has something in their house that can be brought to life again!
I love centerpieces because they can be very beautiful, functional, and whimsical. My mom has literally called me to say that her small group leader had a drop-dead-gorgeous centerpiece.
Yep. If you think people aren't staring at what's in the center of your table/island/breakfast nook/coffee table, think again!
I'm going to go ahead and use this rule of thumb: WWMD?
What would Marilda (Cuthbert) do? Well if you didn't watch Anne of Green Gables as a child, I'm very very sorry for your poor soul. Because Anne's adoptive mother, Marilda, was absolutely brilliant when it came to centerpieces.
In WWMD, 'M' can also refer to my great-Grandmother Mary. She had a knack for centerpieces too. Whenever we'd travel to their small home in up-state New York, she'd have a fresh bowl of concord grapes in an antique glass dish placed in the center of the peninsula. The next morning she'd have a tiny silver tray complete with sugar, cream, and home-made black raspberry jelly in the center of the breakfast cart. Usually, the round dining table had a grouping of antique soup terrines on a lace tablecloth staring down at me. Oh these centerpieces were usually functional too. My Grandma Mary was all about function. But she loved something elegant. She'd do this sweet little gasp when she loved something. She was pretty amazing.
Marilda reminds me of Grandma Mary. If you watch the beloved movies, you can see clearly that Marilda has absolutely perfect taste. Her kitchen was lined with crocks and her tea service sparkled. She always had fresh flowers, polished silver spoons, and baked goods beneath iridescent cloches.
Alas, this is what we aspire to. So... Shall we?
First. Start with a base. If you start with a tray or cutting board or basket, this allows for easy movement. For instance, when the kids gather around the table, or your friends come over for a game of cards, you can quickly scoop the center piece out of the way. Another rule of thumb, contrast. If your table is dark wood, don't use a wood tray. Do something that contrasts your piece of furniture.
Some examples. A metal tray on a wood table, a wooden cutting board on a painted table, a rattan tray on a fabric ottoman.
Second, think color. This can be fresh flowers, faux herbs, a colorful bowl of vegetables, or a photograph. A small child's painting works well too. Try a stack of fiesta-ware dessert plates! Copper mugs, or a hand painted flower pot can be pretty as well. My sister once had a pretty antique bowl full of onions on her kitchen counter top. Onions? Yes, onions. Something simple and ALIVE can be just what you never knew you always needed. Especially in the winter time!
Third, layer in something textural. I like a stack of cloth napkins, a doily, or a folded dish towel. Sometimes a bit of rust, or a rare patina on a trinket can function as texture. If your sugar and creamer is tarnished silver, throw it in the mix anyway! Perfectly polished silver belongs on "Downton Abbey". Insert silent prayer asking God why you were not born in the early 1900's. Oh it was good. As Mary Crawley or Sybil Branson of course.
Finally, add in something functional: mug coasters, silverware bundles, bottled sparkling water, or a tasty treat. My grade-school girlfriend lived on a huge farm. Her mom always had this big glass bowl full of goldfish crackers on the island. The bowl had a little tin lid. I'll never forget digging my hand into that dome for the salty sea creatures. Functional items, like Grandma Mary's concord grapes, usually spark a happy memory for guests.
Other options can include: a scented candle, a conversation piece, good books, or something unexpected. Unexpected items could include a vintage camera, a victorian bust, or a favorite knick knack. We all know how I love trinkets. My mom called that day after small group to explain a very unique centerpiece. Her girlfriend had displayed a vase full of summer's gardenias in a little child's suitcase. Quite memorable!
Don't forget to think seasonally. Spring commands a little nest or a tiny ceramic rabbit. Summer begs strawberries or hydrangeas. Fall asks for gourds or wheat. Winter would be a perfect time for pine cones or to showcase a fresh bowl of cracking walnuts. How festive?!
So you'll need:
A base
A color
Something textural
Something functional
Something unexpected
Done!
With this piece the base is the tool box because it has a handle and is easily moved out of the way. The color is the sprig of greenery. The texture is the contrast of the silver with the ceramic with the wood. The function is the use of the silverware. The toolbox itself is very unexpected on the breakfast nook.
With this island center piece, the base is the scale. Though the scale is not easily moved, it does ground the piece. The color is the fruit. The texture is the rust contrasting the stainless tray. The function is also represented in the apples. The unexpected is the fact that this is a vintage postal scale in the middle of the kitchen.
This is a grouping on an entry table. The base is the tree slice. The color is represented in the wildflowers. The texture is the clean glass bottles contrasting the rough disc of the tree bark. The unexpected is the deer antler. Please note that this piece has no real function. However, the wood slice was given to me by a friend, and the antler was from a deer harvested by my dad many years ago. So beauty and memory is sufficient for this centerpiece.
In this centerpiece, the base is the butcher's scale. The color is the greenery and the pears. The texture is the terra-cotta pot contrasting the wooden bowl contrasting the cotton scarf. The function is the fruit bowl. The unexpected is the fact that the scarf is just that, and not a true table runner.
So go for it! Spruce up your table. Dress up your peninsula! And don't forget to share your pictures with us! We all want to see! Tag @thebirchwoodblog in your instagram posts! I can't wait to see y'all go!
Love Y'all!
Ashley