a new look with blue and white

We're skipping ahead one season today, just for fun! This vivid Villa Vaux blue and white tablecloth from August Table simply goes hand in hand with this pretty little Crab Cheese Board from Vagabond House.

 

Throw some white hydrangeas into a vintage blue Calico pitcher, and I feel transported to the middle of July. 

Summer sunshine is in my thoughts, probably to help block out all the rain we’re having today!

 

And check out the same August Table Villa Vaux Tablecloth and napkins with the most adorable Easter cookies found at Whole Foods. 

 

I love how easily these blue and white patterns mix with all my vintage blue transferware plates!

 

Be sure to check back soon, as I’ve got a pretty red, white and blue version of this Villa Vaux pattern ready for all the patriotic holidays this summer!

 

ciao! fabiana

 

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You can check out some of my favorites here at “Tablescaping Essentials”*. 

 

 

 

Please note that this post may contain affiliate links.

hosting a 4th of July brunch

 

July 4th is almost here! Today’s creative combo is Red, White & True Blue featuring two vintage-inspired patterns: Buffalo Check and Capri Stripe!

 

Why be all matchy-matchy, when you can create your own unique look?

Here I combined two classics from for a fun nod to patriotic décor  using coordinating blue stripes and red checks by Solino Home.

The tablecloth in the Capri Stripe pattern, coordinates so well with so many different napkin styles from the Solino Home collection, but especially love it with the bold red check.

Texture is brought in with raffia placemats and my new napkin rings. This pretty bamboo flatware is my “go-to” for so many of my tablescapes. It adds an elegant but casual note to any table.

Yummy croissants and ripe, red strawberries are welcome addition to this table and make it an official "brunch" setting!

Singular Shasta Daisies stand watch over the center of the table in individual vintage glass bottles.

 

What better reason than the 4th of July to go all out with the red, white and blue décor? I get so inspired just by the stars and stripes flying proudly on so many beautiful homes in our neighborhood.

 

Remember to "Making it nice" for Independence Day! It's so fun to pull out the red, white, and navy and set a beautiful table or two for this long holiday weekend.

Shopping info:

Capri Stripe Tablecloth

Red Check Napkins

Raffia Placemats

White Farmhouse Plates

Rattan Napkin Rings

Bamboo Flatware

 

One tip is to start with an inspiration piece and then lay the foundation with a pretty runner or tablecloth. It’s as easy as pie! And speaking of pie, I’m off to make our favorite Apple Crumble pie.

 

ciao! fabiana

 

 

For lots of fun extras, follow me on instagram!

 

 

 

You can check out some of my favorites here at “Tablescaping Essentials”*. 

 

 

 

 

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4th of july decor and beautiful gifts

July is finally here, and that means the 4^th is literally around the corner, so let’s talk about red, white and blue table décor! And while we’re at it, I have a couple of my favorite recipes that I recently made to share with you again.

 

Isn’t the American Flag Banner cute? I used it here as a backdrop for this gorgeous Sailboat Topped Decanter, but I plan on taking this outside to my front porch later today for a touch of patriotic curb appeal.

It's also right at home indoors or in the backyard as an easy way to add a festive touch to the weekend barbecues and cookouts.

 

I found a big set of these funny little piggy napkin rings last week and thought they deserved some farmhouse style to make them feel right at home, and nothing does that better than gingham. 

Big, bold gingham is perfect for that nostalgic look that I love so much.

 

Here's another recent table I styled using coordinating blue stripes and red checks by Solino Home for a fun patriotic look.

I love these new Nautilus Double Old-Fashion Glasses I recently got, and although they’re so luxurious for imbibing your favorite elixir this summer, I think they would also be fabulous as votive candle holders… stay tuned!

 

When I think of Clam Bake, I also associate it with summers spent in Cape Cod and Martha’s Vineyard, so of course lots of red, white and blue accents come to mind!

My favorite recipe includes clams, shrimp, potatoes and corn on the cob. I love how the top of this stoneware tureen features so many quintessential creatures and seashells.

 

This is what a yummy Italian dinner looks like on a glorious summer evening. These two serving pieces from Arthur Court Designs, and I'm totally obsessed! 

 

They're most definitely my "Summer Entertaining Essentials" Recipe for the Baked Penne with Chicken and Sun-Dried Tomatoes, check out my recipe here.

 

In addition to the Chicken & Penne dish, I also prepared a little antipasto of Cherry Tomato Bruschetta, Marinated Mini Mozzarella, and Marinated Olives, served with Italian breadsticks.

 

Can we talk about this gorgeous 3-Bowl Clam Server? Isn’t it so cute for summer? This is one of three beautiful coastal themed items I recently got from Arthur Court.

The warmer summer weather calls for something cool and refreshing to eat, that’s why I love indulging in fresh veggies and salads this time of year. Last weekend I put together a large platter of veggies on my new Arthur Court Chip and Dip Platter.  

It’s called the "Oyster with Pearl" Chip and Dip, not only is it perfect for chips and salsa, but it’s also just stunning as a crudité server. And it's large. These are full sized carrots pictured.

I simply choose some of my favorite veggies, scrubbed them really well, and arranged them by variety on the chip and dip bowl. The smaller “pearl” bowl is just the right size for holding my favorite Ranch Dip.

Check out my favorite homemade version of this delicious and luxuriously cool Ranch Dressing recipe here, and it just so happens to be paleo.

 

ciao! fabiana

 

 

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let's set an easy red, white & blue table

My favorite way of adding just a touch of red, white and blue to a table is to use red transferware and blue transferware plates combined with a pretty set of napkins like this Aster print from August Table.

This is such an easy look to put together and could be used for Memorial Day, 4th of July, and right through to the end of summer!

The secret to making this table fun is the three-dimensional fan fold of the napkin. It’s really easy to do. Just check out my tutorial HERE.

This Aster print napkin from August Table is so perfect for this technique, because of the fun and cheery pattern. I know they’re flowers, but they remind me of 4th of July fireworks! 

Also, a necessity, fun napkin rings like THESE.

Here’s the fanned napkin look again, this time in a different color palette and with the Juniper Slate napkins from August Table.

 

And now here’s a third look, back to the patriotic theme with some vintage napkins from Serena & Lily. 

I’m hoping for some sunny weather for the weekend so we can set up a fun table outside with these cute Aster napkins, and lots of other red, white and blue details.

 

An easy dessert tip that I love is to get a yummy store-bought cake, like this one from Trader Joe’s, and dress is up with a few strawberries, blackberries and raspberries like I did here.

 

It only takes a minute, but ends up looking so cute and festive!

 

ciao! fabiana

 

 

For lots of fun extras, follow me on instagram!

 

 

 

You can check out some of my favorites here at “Tablescaping Essentials”*

Please note that this post may contain affiliate links.

 

 

happy 4th!

photo by Serena & Lily 

Just wanted to wish you a very

 Happy 4th of July!

Blue Door Cottage on Little Balboa Island

My favorite house in Geneva, Illinois

Such a pretty porch!

Another photo from Geneva, this time on Third Street.

Taken at the amazing The Ivy restaurant in Beverly Hills

Geneva, Illinois and those gorgeous Annabelle hydrangeas!  

My patriotic decor for Farmhouse Style

A tablescape for Farmhouse Style

A vignette from Romantic Homes.

stay safe this holiday...

ciao! fabiana

a fun 4th of july tablescape

What better reason than the 4th of July to go all out with the red, white and blue décor? 

I started working on this tablescape about a week ago, trying to get just the right combination of plates and colors established before I set the rest of the table.  

The inspiration for this table setting was using red and blue transferware in an interesting combination, but for an extra patriotic twist, I decided to use vintage souvenir state plates for fun!

  

Of course, they’re called “state plates” but many just depict cities. For the sake for this theme, I was lucky to have some states and cities represented that play an important part of our American history!

New York, San Francisco, Williamsburg, Chicago and Philadelphia are all included in the mix. The sixth plate from Lake George, New York is an unusual one that I added for sentimental reasons.  

I visited Lake George a few times while I was growing up in the Hudson River Valley. This plate is actually displayed on my wall the rest of the year, but I temporarily took it down for this table.

You may already know, I love a good theme, and in this instance, like in many, I incorporate several themes into one.

Since I live in Newport Beach, I thought it would be fun to add coastal twist to this patriotic table.

Placemats trimmed out with tiny seashells are the perfect contrast to the vintage plates and antique pine table.

And starfish are the PERFECT 4th of July accent and they play perfectly against the blue and white stripes of the table runner. It’s so reminiscent of the American flag, but in a fun, quirky sort of way.

Fallen red petals from the geraniums adds color!

Here’s an up close and personal look at the many layers and textures of this tablescape.

For the flowers, I was fortunate enough to have the blue and white hydrangeas in the garden. I recently planted these and a few others that were left from my photo shoot with Cottages & Bungalows.

The red ivy geraniums have been growing out by my pool for over twenty years, and proved to be the perfect color to add to the mix.

Well, now we’re ready for our small gathering on the 4th. I’m not sure what’s on the menu yet except I know we must include burgers, hot dogs and watermelon!

What do you suggest as a side dish?

Wishing you a safe Independence Day!

ciao! fabiana