Modern Thanksgiving Table Inspiration

When thinking about Thanksgiving, it had me dreaming about the whole holiday season. I thought it would be fun to imagine a table that could transition from Thanksgiving day  to a more universal table for the winter season. 

To add dimension and a special touch, each napkin was wrapped in gold bakers twine with lavender and a watercolor leaf with the word "thankful".

I love the idea of mixing patterns and using the nontraditional fall color of blue to create a fun modern Thanksgiving table. This table and many of the elements could transition to a winter/Christmas table with some simple color and floral changes through out the season. (I'm thinking maybe wine colored tapers and adding glittery baubles among the pine cones).

To keep the warmth of Fall present and the table relevant to Thanksgiving, I included warm metallics like the gold chargers, flatware and the brass candle holders.

To include the theme throughout the room, I added a simple chalk-board sign to the sideboard pulling in the florals and pinecone. These signs are perfect to quickly change simple greetings, add a favorite holiday drink menu, or keep score for a family game after dinner!

Decoration:

Calligraphy: Lina Lulu Paperie | Dinner Plates  | Bowls | Salad Plates | Silverware | Table Runner from T.J. Maxs | Place Mats (Similar) | Brass Candle Holders (Family Heirloom ) Simular Item | Blue Glass Candle Holders (Family Heirloom ) Similar Item | Pine Cones | Napkins,Target Dollar Section | Chalk Sign, Target Dollar Section | Wooden Server

Traditional Thanksgiving Table Inspiration

When I think of a traditional Thanksgiving, I think of warm Fall colors (like brown, red and orange), leaves and happy turkeys. Those thoughts became the inspiration for this traditional Thanksgiving table, including almost all my favorite fall items.

To add a special touch to each guests seat, I included a custom coaster doubling as a name card. Underneath the name card, I placed a peice of paper that each guest could jot down what they were thankful for as a keepsake and reminder for the year to come. 

Filling the table with pumpkins gives a fun nod to the bounty of the first Thanksgiving pictures of the event often depicts. I chose silver plates and silverware to offset the warm tones reflected in the placemats, pumpkins, acorns and pinecones.

Calligraphy : Lina Lulu Paperie | Table Runner, TJ Maxs | Silver Ware | China Setting | Napkins, TJ Maxs | Wooden Coasters | Pine Cones | Acorns | Glass Candle Holders | Fairy Lights

Dream Patio

Summer is so close! With our move to a new apartment last Fall we gained a patio space. I must say this was one thing I felt was lacking in our old apartment. With the days getting warmer, I can't stop dreaming about what our patio will look like and spending time there! Here are a few dream patios of mine...

String of Pink Light | Chair | Pillow | Rug | Table | Gold Plant Stands | Black Plant Stand

I have been loving the fun black and white trend with a pop of color. I'll be honest, I don't love the color pink. Look at that lounge chair though! I love the scallops and the way it would pops with so many black and white accents. Just imagine the space filled with leafy palms and how the soft light would look at twilight bouncing off the gold plant stands. Dreamy!

Lounge Sofa | Teal Pillow | Bird Pillow | Outdoor Rug | Side Table | Hanging Planters | Ferry Lights | Geometric Lantern

My second dream patio mixes fun patterns and the ease of the boho trend. Pulling in more bright colors, beautiful wicker lounge chairs, and teases of copper and gold—this space would be great for relaxing on any day of the week. I love the idea of hanging plants to give a "surrounded" feel to the patio, but creating more foot space. Wouldn't it also be fun to fill that pretty geometric lantern with fairy lights?

I'm still figuring out what would fit in our smaller patio space (as well as in our budget), but I'll keep looking around and combining my dream patios till I find my "can't part with "pieces. 

Links to Love: May, vol. 2

Original Image  by Jenny Causey for Sara Saipua

Well, May is almost finished - and it has been a good month. Birthdays, graduations, and all kinds of celebrations in between. I'm sad May went by so quickly, but I'm looking forward to a sunny June.

Here are some links I have been loving this last month:

- The National Stationery Show posts have been filling up all my feeds this past month, and I couldn't get enough! To see some of the beautiful new stationery, check out Oh So Beautiful Papers great reviews. Make sure you don't miss their Paper Party post - I just love that garland!

- With a recent inspiration from my sister redoing her apartment - I have been obsessed with  "IKEA hacks" on Pinterest - especially this bar cart one!

- In need of a good read this summer? Check out these lists here , here, & here
My favorite reads right now include Unbroken by Laura Hillenbrand,  and The Fault in Our Stars by John Green

- Rifle Paper Co. launched their wallpaper line at NNS this year, and officially to the public today. So much beauty - I'm in love!

-Think you can tell a persons age off of their first name? Maybe you can - read more about it here

- Long summer nights call for quick but delicious meals. The girls over at The Daily May have the perfect fix for this with 15 Minute Creamy Avocado Pasta. They are also giving away the cookbook the recipe comes from, The Oh She Glows Cookbook, so check it out!

Artisit Admiration: Paola Navone

Plates | Chair | Table Cloth | Fish Bowl | Lounge

I have had a fond love for Paola Navone's collections at Crate & Barrel since they started collaborating. Her gorgeous patterns, whimsical shapes, and Mediterranean influence place a joyful and easy air to each piece that would enhance any space. Her three new collections exclusively through Crate & Barrel are: Pic-nic Collection, Party Collection, and Fish Collection. Being a sucker for the black and white combo lately - it was love at first sight for me. With the strong accent colors varying between deep blues and vibrant teal, with watermelon patterns thrown in-  I'm head over heels for all three collections!

Check out more about the collection and her process with the video on Crate & Barrels page.

Living in the Midwest my entire life you would think that when winter came I would be well equipped to face the cold. Thankfully, lots of hot tea and cocoa have kept me sane and warm through this unusually cold season. It doesn't hurt either when they are served in a pretty or eye catching mug! Do you have a go-to mug or desiring to find a new favorite?

Here are a few I would love to ad to my ever growing collection:
1. Fox  2.Handwritten  3. Monogram 4. Tree 5. Owl 6. Orange 7. Heart 8. Geometric

Color Companions: Spring Colors 2014

Looking for inspiration, I strolled into West Elm this weekend. Now, I have received catalogs for West Elm for a few years, but a catalog can not do these beautiful pieces justice like the real life store can! The open show room displayed the modern lines of the furniture and accessories perfectly. I could see each space being in my future home! The store also boasted West Elm's signature "living" wall display  (Top right picture). I just swooned over the lush green back drop.

I was most impressed by the cheerful and sensational color pallet displayed for the 2014 Spring season. ( Is it too soon to be thinking about spring admits these chilly winter days? I don't think so) Among the popular choices:  Raindrop Blue, Tanager Red, Proper Grey, Parakeet Green, and Lemon Twist Yellow. These cheery color combinations popped against the lovely patterns scattered on kitchen goods and home linens alike. Instant inspiration! Among my favorites on display were the mid-century printed bowls, Hive vases, and basically all their lovely pillows.  I snagged my own piece of inspirations with this adorable ceramic plant holder and succulent.

Check out more upcoming color inspiration for Spring & Summer 2014 by Sherwin Williams for West Elm here.

I came across these beautiful packaging designs for honey. I love the unexpected aspects of each design and package. It makes me want to collect them for my own cabinets.

1. Klein Constantia Farm by Terence Kitching

2. Cosmopollen by Louise Twizell

3. Hexagon Honey by Maks Arbuzov

Need a quick and inexpensive change to your room? Pillows can change any room in an instanceinstant! With a variety of shapes, patterns, colors, and textures - there is a pillow for every occasion and every person. I love the way the colors and patterns you choose for your pillows can change the whole mood of the room. Mix and match solids,  and patterns, and colors, and textures to create a fun conversation piece. I'm just gushing over that fox pillow!

Check out  some of these fun pillows for your own home:

Top Row: Red Flowers, Flock of Birds, Black Flowers, Red Berries, Whale, Dipped-Dye

Bottom Row: Tassel, Geometric, Yellow, Tree House, Fox, Ampersand