Mix and match china, glass and linens on your table setting to create something original and unique. Bring the best of old and new together to delight your guests, even before they sit down to dinner.
Painting with dinnerware, and accessories, too.
A new Irish tea towel, in a linen and cotton blend, can work as a bread cloth to line a basket of rolls, muffins, or slices of soda bread for your St. Patrick’s Day dinner. The woven-in motifs just shout “Ireland.” The fiber blend makes for easy care.
This cloth happens to be new, brought back from a trip overseas. You can also find vintage linens in patterns to inspire your decor and table.
A towel like this will age gracefully, as you use and display it in your green or Irish-theme kitchen décor.
When it comes time to set the table, add white dinnerware or glassware to light up the combo. This vintage white milk glass pitcher, shown here in a Hobnail pattern, gives brightness and texture to your eclectic mix.
Fenton and Westmoreland are just two companies that made milk glass, and in this vintage version of the Hobnail by Anchor Hocking. If there was a pattern and a material that says “vintage charm,” this glassware would be at the top of the list.
Milk glass goes for a cottage style, shabby chic or even traditional table, too. “Milk glass” is heavily opaque, and predominantly found in white, though other colors are also out there, including new wares in pink, blue and green.
If you love milk glass enough to collect it, you already know your pieces can be used as well as admired on display.
Vintage china dinnerware can add color as well as charm, like this plate in the Brookdale pattern by Lenox.
The company made this pattern for about 30 years, which shows its enduring popularity and classic style. The glazed flower petals are slightly raised, and the golden centers stand out a bit more. Brookdale is especially sweet for a spring table setting.
You can also go Irish with dinnerware made in Ireland, such as the Keltcraft line by Noritake. Some of these patterns even have names drawn from the Emerald Isle, like Shannon Spring, Kilkee, and Wicklow.
Something old, something new. Set a table unique to you.
Combine what you’ve got, with what you’ve found, and sprinkle with some new elements bought especially for a special occasion. Bring dinnerware and accessories representing these three threads together, and you’ll have the ingredients. Your own special recipe for beauty and style, in a table setting you created yourself, blending those lovely pieces you’ve found to enjoy.
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