A Blue and Orange Tablescape: Surprising but Beautiful
I didn’t actually mean to set a blue and orange tablescape! I admit, I AM irresistibly drawn to peach. But not to orange. I know – it’s a fine line, and I seem to have crossed it this time, but I ended up really liking it!
I tried a couple color combinations. First with the flower arrangement, then with the table itself, and finally settled on this blue with orange, which surprised me! But it was the flowers that started it all.
So let’s start with the flowers!
The Flowers That Sparked the Blue and Orange Tablescape
There I was at Trader Joe’s looking at the flowers. We’re having peope over for dinner, and I wanted some new flowers for the table. A pretty normal activity for me at TJ’s! I wasn’t very inspired until I got to the rose section and laid my eyes on these beauties!
I love all those gorgeous garden rose petals, and the different shades in the peach ones called to me. Plus, the creamy ivory of the white ones was just too irresistible! When I got them home, I realized how actually orange they were, but by that time, I was too in love with them to care!
I put them in my crystal footed bowl, and added some camellia greens and daphne blooms from the yard just to spice them up a bit. I’d also gotten some drapey greenery at TJ’s, so added a bit of that too.
This photo is a bit atmospheric, but you can see the arrangement pretty well.
Also the candles.
Tall Thin Candle Holders
I love these tall thin candle holders! I got them for my big milestone birthday dinner party, and I still use them all the time. They’re so elegant, yet unobtrusive. And I totally love how heavy the bases are. Before I got them, I was afraid they might be too tippy, but they’re totally not!
The set I got has several different sizes, and I got several sets, so I have lots to spread around the room for extra romance!
Here are some on the buffet.
And here are some on the side cabinet. (The table candles look a little wonky, but they really weren’t, I promise!)
The Blue in the Blue and Orange Tablescape
So now that we’ve seen the orange in the blue and orange tablescape, let’s look at the blue.
Let me just say – I LOVE LOVE LOVE these blue and white plates from Williams Sonoma!! I got them a few years ago, and still can’t get over them! I talked about them at length in Blue and White China Elegance for your Beautiful Formal Tablescape, so hop over there if you want more info.
But aren’t they gorgeous in the place setting?
I used my fun gold flatware, which I’ve also talked about at length in many previous posts, so I’ll spare you here. Just know that they’re great!
I stuck with the gold flatware because of the gold rims on the plates. Gold napkin rings too. These are from the Spoonman at the Portland Saturday Market. I haven’t seen gold ones there for quite a while, but he makes all kinds of fun stuff out of spoon (and fork) handles.
Sparkly Glassware
As many of you know, I love some sparkle on the table! I don’t always have all of the glasses be the faceted variety, but in this case – what with the crystal flower bowl – I thought it would be fun to go all out! The water glasses are not only pretty, but are practically indestructible!
I’ve had these for years and years. I use them literally almost every night, run them through the dishwasher, and am generally not careful with them. I was telling my husband just the other night, that I actually just chipped one. Only my 2nd one damaged in probably 35 years!
I got the wine and champagne glasses at thrift shops. In fact, I got them for my first tablescape competition!
Occasions to Use the Blue and Orange Tablescape
I set this table for a casual dinner party with friends, but you could use it for so many other occasions! It would be perfect for any elegant spring or summer tablescape – Easter, Mother’s Day, a romantic Valentine’s Day, a birthday, or any party tablescape.
And just because I set it inside, doesn’t mean you have to stay inside! You could take this whole thing outdoors whenever you want a lovely al fresco tablescape for some outdoor entertaining!
Other Views of the Blue and Orange Tablescape
I’ll leave you with a couple other views of the blue and orange tablescape. Here’s one from above. I always love those straight down shots!
And finally, one of the true blue and orange – my favorite, with the reflections in the window too!
Blue and Orange Place Cards
I hope you’ve enjoyed the blue and orange tablescape as much as I have! I might experiment with some place cards for our actual dinner party. If I do, I’ll come back and add them here, just for fun!
Update:
There! I did make some place cards for our dinner party, and you can share them if you want, by grabbing a printable copy in the Member’s Library. All you’ll have to do is write in the names.
If you’re already a member/subscriber, you’ll find your Member’s Library password at the bottom of each email I send. If you’re not a member yet, you can sign up when you get there!
Thanks so much for sharing this table with me! Let me know what you think in the Comments below! And be sure to check out the Boutique if you want to grab any of the pieces for your own!
Barbara’s Boutique
Click on the pictures of the pieces I used in this post. If the exact item isn’t available any more, I chose a similar option.
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Barb your tables are always so elegant and this pretty orange and blue is no exception.I really like all the elements, especially the tall candle holders….so beautiful. I like how you used the creamy white roses with the orange flowers….great accents and I know you like to use flowers for your centerpieces. Thanks for adding the place cards ….as I always think they make a statement on an any elegant table and I am always looking for examples. I hope your weather is better and warmer…we are almost back to normal here in SW Florida. Thanks for stopping by my posts…you are a dear.
Thanks so much Kari! I love those candle holders too – they’re so graceful. And you’re definitely right about the flowers. I feel like they add so much to the table. Glad you like the place cards. I really had fun with these. Our weather is trying hard to be spring, but it’s still really cold and windy. Kind of fun though, to hear the wind whistling out there, even while the sun’s shining! Glad you’re warming up – then you can enjoy your beautiful yard more! Have a great rest of your weekend down there!
Hi Barbara. Orange lover here so the roses would have to be a pretty awful shade (is that even possible?) before I wouldn’t like it. As it is, these are a beautiful shade and seem to have hints of pink in them too. And they look fab with the white/ivory roses and the greenery too. The candles lend a wonderful soft light and of course, the WS dishware is just gorgeous. I think you could pair it with just about anything and it would look great. The placecards are absolutely awesome – how did you do that? I hope everyone had a wonderful dinner at your beautiful table and have a fabulous rest of the week, my friend.
Oh good – if you love orange, then we’re a step ahead already! Aren’t those place cards so much fun? I just took a picture of one of the salad plates, then did a screen shot and used that as the background. Gotta love Canva! We did have a great dinner. I’d probably just set tables for myself anyway, but it’s so fun to share with people, right? Hope your weekend is going great my friend! See you next time!
The orange flowers are gorgeous I think because you used ivory/cream flowers which pop the orange in a really nice way yet keeps the orange grounded and the pale blue of the top plate (salad plate) is just lovely as it also keeps the orange from being too much.
That’s a great analysis, Pam – thanks! I’m so glad you like the table, I wasn’t sure at first! Happy Thursday!