pretty linens and a glass of wine

This week I did some styling work here at home for my friend Elizabeth who owns Pacific & Rose Textiles. She has a great eye for color and pattern and started her own line of hand block-printed home fabrics in 2001 that features gorgeous tablecloths, napkins, pillows, aprons and even adorable bandanas!

She often travels to Jaipur, India where skilled artisans carve the printing blocks by hand. While there, she also oversees the mixing of colors, the way the patterns are printed and the making of samples. This is where her designs come alive. 

These patterns and colors are so perfect for setting beautiful tablescapes, so I’m all in! The pattern I’m featuring today is called “Grape Vineyard” and is hand printed in classic shades of red, sage green and cream.  

The old-world European charm of these table linens gives me a sense of earthiness, so I paired them together in an intimate setting highlighting good times, fine wine, friends and family.  

I chose simple vintage Wedgwood plates to contrast with the overall grape pattern. At the center of the table I used classic white ironstone pitchers filled with hydrangeas and Queen Anne’s lace from the garden.  

A wood slice pedestal elevates the objects at the center of the table, all while contributing a rustic texture so perfect with this Grape Vineyard pattern.   

   

Each place setting is highlighted with a single olive branch, which is not only beautiful , but also has an underlying message of peace and harmony. 

I love how the border of the tablecloth really frames out the table with its vibrant red color and fun geometric patterns. 

When setting a table, think about textures, and the “mood” you‘d like to evoke. At this table, I thought “vineyard” and the natural textures that would lend themselves to complimenting these pretty table linens. 

Round raffia placemats from Serena & Lily and wooden chargers from World Market perfectly frame out the elegant Wedgwood china and let the tablecloth carry the theme perfectly throughout the room.  

The counterspace in this room comes alive with the Grape Vineyard table runner. I also took this opportunity to showcase some of my favorite collectables like these vintage crocks and an old cheese crate.  

The graphics on these linens are so fun, and they also lend a homey quality to the gathering. Tomatoes and rosemary from the garden add the perfect seasonal touch too!    

Lovely kitchen towels perform double duty! They’re so pretty for a party, but also practical enough for everyday use and to brighten up the kitchen. 

It’s so fun how a pretty pattern can just add so much inspiration to a room. I just love starting with one inspiring fabric and creating my own unique look to go with it! 

It’s all about layers, layers, layers... 

  

And of course, a little cheese plate complements everything here! 

As you can see, the hand-painted quality of this pattern is really dramatic and subtle at the same time. This classic grape motif could transcend so many different themes for parties. 

Imagine an authentic Italian dinner, a California casual dinner party, an alfresco gathering with a hint of Provence, a special birthday, and what about an elegant Christmas dinner?    

If you're in Southern California, you can stop by Seaside Gallery in Newport Beach and check out Pacific & Rose's gorgeous line of home goods, accessories and linens. I also just love to browse the website at pacificandrose.com .

ciao! fabiana 

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Contact info for Pacific & Rose:

Office & Showroom by appointment: Pacific & Rose Textiles 
276 Victoria Street, Costa Mesa,  California 92627
Phone: 949-633-1080 

Pacific & Rose at Seaside Gallery
124 Tustin Avenue Suite 100  Newport Beach, California 92663
Phone: 949-438-7277 

Email: elizabethjames@pacificandrose.com

the coastal issue

I have to be honest...  

I've been stalking my mailman for the last few weeks in anticipation of the arrival of this issue of Cottages and Bungalows. 😉  

I'm so grateful that three of the projects I worked on last year are coincidentally all featured in ONE issue! We shot my backyard last June and then my good friend Laura's home in August. 

Then there's the cute 1928 Little Balboa Island cottage belonging to our friends Angi & Pete also known as "Blue Door Cottage". We photographed that one in September, so all in all, last year was a great learning experience for me in the styling department! 

Now for the fun part...  Here's a little peek at each story. 

Laura’s stylish backyard appeared in last month’s Cottages & Bungalows. We actually shot the whole house last August, but so far, only the backyard and kitchen have been featured. 

One of my favorite shots from that day was the firepit area we styled with toasting marshmallows and cozy plaid blankets. Hopefully that vignette will also be published soon. It’s just darling! 

So here we have Laura and Dennis’ cute cottage kitchen. You can read all about how they designed it for maximum efficiency and style. They both love to cook and entertain, so the modernization of their kitchen was an important part of the whole remodel, which also had to fit historic guidelines.     

Here are a couple of behind the scenes photos from that day. I love the simple color palette that sets the stage for Laura's colorful collection of vintage treasures featured in the cabinets. 

Fresh vegetables and herbs are always a part of the "counterscape" over at Laura's. 

Custom-made open shelving is Laura’s favorite part of the kitchen! 

Next, we’re headed to Little Balboa Island. This was a really fun day of shooting, but very long! Jickie, Kelly and I all joined in on the styling fun, with me concentrating mostly on the entertaining vignettes like the tablescape, bar and beverage stations.  

I brought in a car full of accessories for this one, so it’s fun to see some of the vintage treasures I’ve found at thrift stores in a lot of the shots. You'll see a pretty blue glass vase and another tall ceramic vase, used on the mantel, that I just love!  

Kelly and I had so much fun styling the front patio!  

Don't you just love red geraniums?

And these pillows by Pacific & Rose really add the perfect pop of color and pattern to the living room. I just finished working on a fun collaboration with Elizabeth from Pacific & Rose that I’ll share with you hopefully by next week. (It's a tablescape.)  

I think you’ll really like it! 

The third project I styled is my own home. We took the best of my outdoor spaces and created fun coastal inspired entertaining vignettes. Of course, I did use my favorite shades of blue in accessories and accents throughout this layout. 

I just love blue, what can I say?! 

In the weeks leading up to this photo shoot, I had Brenda Kristine create a few fun custom pillows for me, like this one made from vintage blue and white Ikat fabric. 

We trimmed them out in hot pink so they’re reminiscent of the pink geraniums in the blue and white pots on the porch.    

Our sweet border collie & spaniel mix Sammie gets a starring role in this photo shoot! Yay, Sammie!!  

I'll be sharing more behind the scenes peeks from these photo shoots again soon. This August/September 2020 issue will be out in stores by the end of the month. It's really packed full of lots of coastal, seaside style. 

I hope you'll check it out! 

P.S. It's also available HERE.

ciao! fabiana 

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