An Impromptu Holiday Table for Two

On the spur of the moment we decided not to cook dinner but instead order from one of our favorite restaurants. We had just begun getting the Christmas decor out and didn't want to break our stride so I only had a few minutes to pull together a table for the two of us. 

    

I hadn't had the chance yet to use the cardinal plates my MIL had given me last Christmas. Their design would fit into any winter tablescape as readily as tables set for the holidays. I love their varied texture, on not only the cardinals, but also the background. I placed them on tartan plaid dinner plates that I have often used at Christmas, such as in A Casually Festive Holiday Table and  Twelve Drummers Drumming. I picked up the bright green chargers on a whim several years ago.

      

                 

I laid snowy pine cones amid sparkling snowflakes on a bed of leaves for a centerpiece. The little raffia birds just settled in!

 

I chose napkins that repeat the leaves and add red berries to the mix. Red ribbons simply tied around pewter candlesticks add zest to the centerpiece.

 

                   

Stemware for chocolate martinis (it's holiday season after all!) have intriguing dabs of red and green in their bowls that become swirls down the stem. They are joined by tumblers as water glasses that depict reindeer, Christmas trees and Santa in his sleigh.

 

Echoing the cardinals on the plates, small songbirds perch on the napkin rings  — a good closeup of the rings can be found in A Winter's Song.

 

I don't think I've posted any tablescapes on this pub-height table. We generally use it for charcuterie setups when we have a group of people over, or for snacks when we're watching movies on the larger TV that's located downstairs. The pub table is perfectly sized for two! 

 

             

I've always loved the shape of the table's legs and the apron beneath the top. I especially like the subtle hand-painted designs on the top. Iron stringers connect the legs about twelve inches from the floor. Through the doorway is the built-in bar we designed which faces the piano you see in the photo.

 

Opposite the pub table is the mantel and fireplace surround that my husband and I built and tiled ourselves. I like their light colors against the chocolate wall. We have not yet replaced the autumn flowers with the frosted pine garland we purchased last year. Upstairs decorations come first LOL!

 

With the days getting shorter — and darker sooner — I'm excited to use more candles on our tables. These are battery operated and provide a nice amount of light with no worries about drafts extinguishing candles, or at the very least, cause them to burn poorly. The glassware sparkles alongside the snowflakes. This photo was taken without any other light source.

Even in the midst of holiday chaos, spontaneously setting a festive table just for yourself (and perhaps one other) will celebrate the season. And it might just re-energize your decorating efforts!

 

 

Happy Holidays! 

    

Table details

Dinner plates |  Williams-Sonoma 'Tartan Plaid'

Salad plates | Eli + Ana 'New Cardinal'

Martini glasses | Pier 1 'P1C41'

Water glasses |  Williams-Sonoma 'Twas the Night Before Christmas'

Napkins | Etsy 

    

* Table details are provided for identification/information only. Dinner at Eight does not receive any type of compensation.    

    

    

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