ELEGANCE

What do you do with something you bought and then wonder “Why”? That was the case with the two striped vases. Besides, my friend did not like them. I doubted myself at first but then regrouped, TRUSTING my eye and TRUSTING that they would fill a space in my decorating scheme. That is what happened here. I looked for anything I had with the same colors, finding the Fitz and Floyd set of “Golden Rose.” The placemats in a gray/taupe were from a thirft shop as were the napkins. I decided to use whatever I had to play up the gold.

One of the great advantages of being a collector is having a stash of assorted things to use on the table. The other key is that I have a console to use as a background which was perfect for the vases. In the photo, the two vases and the centerpiece form a triangle which pleases my sense of proportion. 

After taking some time, I decided this table was “Elegant.” According to Coco Chanel, “Simplicity is the keynote of all true elegance.” There is nothing extraneous on the table – just a blend of the colors in the vases. Some people enchance their tables with an assortment of small pieces to emphasize their theme. That is not my stlye. Mine is simpler, following the “less is more” idea. Maybe that is because I feel the table should not distract from the people sitting at it. The table in my mind should be the backdrop for fellowship, and the true attention should be on the guests.

I really like this table especially because I took a chance and bought those vases. I think if the table spoke, it would say, “Go ahead and please your eye.  Because it is your choice, in time, it can all come together to make something even more beautiful, maybe even Elegant!"