DOSSIER

SHOP YOUR SPACE

Before buying anything, “shop” around your house for items that might liven up your table setting. Simple candles and candleholders add great ambiance and you most likely have some hiding in a corner of your home already. Vessels for flowers are an easy find, I bet if you rummage through your kitchen you’ll find a few pieces that can be repurposed as vases.Pitchers,carafes, jars and drinking glasses will work perfectly. Double-check the bathroom for vessels that you use to store q-tips or makeup brushes, they could work as votive candle holders and/or vases as well. You know that sculptural bowl you have styled so perfectly on your bookshelf in the living room? Use it to serve baguette slices or potato chips (stick to dry, room temperature foods if you aren’t sure if the glaze on your bowl is food grade safe). As for serving dishes, it is ok to use your wood cutting boards, pizza boards and even daily dishes to serve the food. Be sure to lay out all your serving dishes at once and assign each dish to its perfect vessel.

INHERIT HEIRLOOMS

One of the things I remember most about setting the holiday table as a little girl was going through the drawer full of heirloom table linens my mother had collected over the years from her family and from her own travels. I remember taking time to look through the hutch to find the perfect table cloth and serving dishes for the occasion. So again, before buying anything, speak to your eldest family members: grandparents, great-aunts, in-laws. It might be the ideal time to inherit the Belgian lace tablecloth and crystal punch bowl that have been in your family for years.

FORAGE

While foliage isn’t a must-have for every tablescape, it is a nice touch. It’s important that your foliage (be it flowers, greenery or fruit) is festive for the occasion. If possible, look just outside your door. Take a walk around your yard and clip anything that inspires you. If you live in the city, take a walk through the park and gather leaves, long grasses, anything of interest (but stay away from clipping blooming flowers, you don’t want to take the beauty from the park). For Thanksgiving I foraged around our property at the cabin and found a variety of dried grasses and flowers that felt perfect for the occasion. I always gather more than needed since they are wild, not all pieces will be as perfect as you want.

If you don’t have anywhere to forage and you are left with buying flowers or other foliage, opt for items that will dry nicely, that way you can enjoy them long after the dinner party is over. Some of my favorites are baby’s breath and eucalyptus.

OPT FOR ORGANICS

To finish off your table setting, whether you need place card holders, or a sprig of something on the plate, check your local grocery store for fresh herbs, small fruit or vegetables that feel seasonal. For Thanksgiving I chose chestnuts for my place card holders. I encourage using perishables for tables capes and then eating them afterwards, that way there is no waste and you don’t have to find a place to store them until your next get together. This is great for small spaces with limited storage!

If you end up having to buy something for your dinner party, invest in modern-day heirlooms that you can see yourself passing on to your kids. Or at the very least, spend your money on non-denominational pieces that will work for any occasion. Classic table linens, silver candleholders, tapered candles and wood trays can be used during the week as well as special occasions.

Pro tip: Next time you are on vacation, keep your eyes peeled (and your dining table measurements handy) because you never know when you might discover the perfect Moroccan textile that could double as a table cover, or a ceramic vessel fit for flowers and food alike.

Here are a few modern heirlooms that you will get use out of for years…