Easter Bunny Coming Early

Entertaining
March 25, 2014

If you’re anything like me, and you’re hosting Easter, you have already started brainstorming your Easter table. I tend to do this with holidays, and I get really excited about decorating a table perhaps a bit too early than I need to. I’m hoping that we have good weather in Charleston because I would love to host Easter in the garden, as I did last year. Above is the Minton China I just scored from my parents basement. I am absolutely in love with it, and feel like it just screams, “use me for Easter!”. I want to pull the colors from the plates and incorporate them into other pieces of the Easter table.Next, I’m seriously considering a Roberta Roller Rabbit tablecloth in the Jemina print. I want the table to look bountiful and have lots of colors and textures – so I like the pattern of the plates atop this block printed favorite.If I go with the Roberta tablecloth, I think I might have to jump for these Trimmed Napkins from Wisteria. Currently the only color napkins we have in our drawer are blue, and as Easter signifies spring, I want green to be an overarching theme of the table.Now I am not usually a big fan of napkin rings, but since I am going for the bountiful table look, I really love these Queen Anne’s Lace napkin rings from Crate & Barrel. I’m sure a lot of you are better at floral DIY projects than I am, and might take it upon yourself to make real Queen Anne’s Lace napkin rings, but I am not that crafty. And I could see these becoming a tradition at the Easter table in our house. Can’t have a table in my house without adding an accent of blue somewhere! I really love these tried and true Fleur-de-Lys Tumblers from Anthropologie. These glasses pull the blue from the china pattern, and are a great contrast with the bright green of the napkins. Flowers … I’m flirting with the idea of lilacs. I’m not quite sure that we will be able to get them, but I just love the smell and their generally floppy nature. If you look at the china pattern, there is the slightest bit of lavender in the pattern, and I would love to get that to pop. I’m thinking these lilacs could do the trick. What are you thinking for your Easter table? Would love to hear about it!

Click on the photos and the names of the items to be rerouted to the websites.

California Dreamin’

Garden/Floral
March 18, 2014

On this grey and rainy morning in Charleston, I am really enjoying the photos of Sonoma in this month’s issue of House Beautiful; specifically the photos that feature the outdoor spaces. Although I am an east coast girl at heart, I spent four years of my childhood in California and that time definitely had an impact on my appreciation of California style, temperatures, and flora. Last year I had my husband plant bougainvillea in our garden, but this is a plant that requires good drainage and a drier climate … how do you think those plants are doing in my tropical Charleston garden? Looking through the photos of this Sonoma property, I was reminded of Ellen Degeneres’ beautiful Hidden Valley ranch that was featured in Elle Decor. The majestic trees and the casual and rustic nature of these outdoor spaces are absolutely magical.One of my favorite California outdoor spaces has to be the terrace at Reese Witherspoon’s Ojai, California home. Also featured in Elle Decor, this wood topped table with cream colored legs combined with the wicker and iron chairs was definitely an inspiration for our Charleston garden. Seems silly because California and South Carolina’s flora and climate could not be more different, but I loved the mixture of materials and furniture types.Right down to the hanging lantern.

Photos of the Sonoma, California house via House Beautiful, Degeneres’ and Witherspoon’s houses via Elle Decor, and my garden via Southern Living.

Piling on the Palm

Garden/Floral
March 3, 2014

Last week I went up to Connecticut to collect some things from my family, and being up in the cold for only a few days gave me a real chill. It was just too cold. I am so thrilled to be back in the palmetto state. Today, in order to completely rid myself of the chill, I want to surround myself with tropical greenery, just like Tom Scheerer did at the Lyford Cay Club above. However, I am going to do it with wallpaper and fabric. Below are some of my favorite fabrics and wallpapers featuring lush, tropical greenery. Happy Monday!