What a weekend! Our first snow and our first show on the same weekend! We got to see how the Raleigh Convention Center went from black curtains with nothing on the floor to the amazing transformation of a buzz center of home focused vendors. Our mission was to remind the visitors that their space can be transformed into an amazing dinner party or a fun tea party. We hope we met the mark!
Joining us with the tablescape are two great vendors, Beau Papierer, who created the seating cards, and Ora Teahouse, who baked some of the yummy treats and brought the tea samples. Thank you, Terry and Trista.
Thank you, Erin Calibritto, Show Manager for inviting us and for the help from your excellent team. We enjoyed being a part of the show. Pssst – Do you see our table and the two ladies eyeing the tea party setup? 🙂
The Downtown Raleigh Home Garden Show serves as a gathering spot for home enthusiasts, designers, and folks who love to entertain. Amongst all the terrific vendors and exhibitors will be Booth 1233. Here you’ll find a unique take on classic table settings for special occasions. Our two submissions, a dinner party tablescape and a charming tea gathering, offer inspiration for those seeking to elevate their entertaining game.
Setting the stage for the perfect tablescape isn’t just about arranging plates and napkins—it’s about telling a story, creating an atmosphere, and curating every detail so that everything feels just right. Here’s a behind-the-scenes look at some of the elements pulled together for both designs.
Stop by Booth 1233 and let these vintage designs spark your own creativity, providing ideas for your next gathering or event. And, most importantly, enjoy the art of hosting in a way that honors the elegance of the past while celebrating the joy of gathering with friends and loved ones.
Interested in a free ticket? Visit our Instagram or Facebook page for more information.
“Learn from yesterday, live for today, hope for tomorrow.”
Albert Einstein
Oh, 2024, you have brought us much joy through the lovely clients and vendors we have met and worked alongside. We are getting ready for you, 2025, filling ourselves with hope and optimism.
Getting ready for the holidays? We have just begun at home and have pulled out some of most treasured decorations collected years ago. On the dining table are some of our nesting “dolls”. They are so fun to open to find the smaller ones inside. The greenery came from the back yard.
Below is the mantle-scape which features a collection of vintage cats, crates, trays, books, and thrift-store petite trees. The tall wooden kitty in the middle is very special – it was an 18th birthday gift from my boyfriend who is now my husband. (He hit the mark on this one and we are definitely vintage!)
We also played around with a couple of holiday tablescapes at the studio. The green and deep red layering of plates are a nod to the holiday colors but with a bit of vintage swag. Our favorite decor items are the little trees that are nestled in the vintage milk glass vases but we think the grass chargers are not needed after all. Too bad we didn’t get that photo!
That’s it for today’s post! We need to dig out a few more holiday decorations, go online to do a little shopping, attend a dinner party with friends, and meet with two potential clients this week. Just the right amount of busy for us!
Next year’s calendar is filling in nicely as we finish out this year. Today we will introduce you to two wedding clients who have designed very cool tablescapes for their guests and one client who offers tea parties, complete with speciality hand-crafted teas and treats.
First, here are Natalia and Sharon, her future mother-in-law. It didn’t take long for us to see how much affection is felt between these two. Natalia and Trent, who will be married next September, wanted a fall inspired look but with a twist. Oranges, greens, pink, and peach are found in the assortment of vintage plates, goblets, and even the bottle bouquets. We are excited about crafting these for their tables!
Meet Trista, owner of Ora Teahouse. This delightful business woman first rented from us this past spring and this November she hosted two more tea parties. With her speciality hand-crafted teas and delicious savory and sweet treats, her tea parties are heavenly. What a honor for us to help with her tea-centered gatherings! For more information about Trista and her business, go to this article on Shoutout North Carolina.
Our third client is Margot, accompanied by her cheery planner, Rebs, owner of Events by Reb. They both came to the studio with an open mind, ready to explore our offerings. This was her first stop in her wedding planning because she loves vintage and wanted her reception to work off the choices she would make here. How nice for us! They landed on a vintage blue and white theme, with glass salad plates, green goblets and tumblers, clear wine goblets, and silverplate flatware. Her decor will include a wooden centerpiece, brass elements, and brass-framed table numbers. Blue and green are a favorite color combination for us!
It was such a pleasure working with these clients and we have more coming over this month. Looking forward to our creative meetings!
We’d guess that no couple wishes for a rainy day wedding, but hey, it happens. And, there are reasons to embrace the raindrops! Folklore says rain signifies a lasting marriage with fresh beginnings. For certain, the newlywed and guests probably will remember this day quite fondly, especially with the amazing rain photos!
Heather and Paul’s rainy wedding day was gorgeous and joyous, as captured by MKM Photography. Rain or shine, the Chapel Hill Carriage House offers both beautiful grounds and an open, covered pavilion so the ceremony easily was moved inside, as shown in a photo below.
The vintage reception tables were both fun and enchanting! The couple chose vintage wildflower stoneware and goblets in greens, blues, and amber, vintage stainless flatware, and dessert plates. This bold blend of colors was a winning combination for this misty day.
Bravo, Heather and Paul! We enjoyed being a part of your wedding day and are especially grateful to Paul for picking up and returning the rentals as we continue to recover from our hip surgery. Be sure to visit MKM’s blog post to read and see more about this gala event!
Think hosting a tea party is beyond your comfort zone? Well, wipe that notion from your mind because we are here to help you through every step of the way.
Here’s Madison. When she came in to our studio last year to plan her reception tables, she took note of our extensive collection of vintage teacups and told us that one day she wanted to have a tea party. The perfect opportunity came up when she offered to host a baby shower tea party for a dear friend. Yay!
After selecting the tea cups, she then matched them with salad-size plates. Next came teapots, tiered stands, curd bowls, goblets, napkins, and gold flatware. Notice the teeny spoons in the teacups? They are demitasse spoons and perfectly sized. Finally, Madison chose vintage clear goblets to complete her place settings. We also had two vintage pink tablecloths that became the first layer of her tablescape. Now, see how beautiful everything turned ou!
Ready to be inspired? We’ll help you get everything you need for your guests to enjoy this long cherished social gathering!
“In the right light, at the right time, everything is extraordinary.” Aaron Rose
Vintage colored glassware lit up with twinkle lights creates a rainbow of beauty. Not quite sure if they would make any difference with the shelves filled with plates and teacups, Taylor strung the lights across the back walls. Well, you can see for yourself how magical and enchanting everything appears.
This week we were working on an upcoming wedding, and after stacking the tall vintage coupes in wired racks and putting them out of the way in the back of the studio, we were struck by their beauty against the twinkle lights tucked in the shelving.
On the shelf or in front, these lights emanate the irresistible, extraordinary beauty of everything vintage.
Although we could not personally attend, Brenda, owner of the Carriage House of Chapel Hill, visited our studio and we created several designs for the honored visitors. Of course, we adore these looks and hope the visitors thought so as well!
Thanks, Brenda, for the invitation to be a part of your venue showcase! Looking forward to returning to your gorgeous space!
