It All Started With Paint

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Fall Table Setting in Orange, Black & White

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Fall Table Setting in Orange, Black & White – Thanksgiving Table Setting Ideas.

Fall Table Setting in Orange, Black & White - Black White Striped Table Runner - Pumpkins, Orange Napkins, White Plates, Gold Flatware
Fall Table Setting in Orange, Black & White - Black White Striped Table Runner - Pumpkins, Orange Napkins, White Plates, Gold Flatware

I’ve spent the past year or so de-saturating my house. Stripping it of contrast and color.

I’ve said goodbye to the navy walls (which I loved, by the way) and hello to a soothing gray/greige.

Fall Table Setting in Orange, Black & White - Black White Striped Table Runner - Pumpkins, Orange Napkins, White Plates, Gold Flatware

I’ve made dozens of envelope pillow colors in various shades of gray, greige & white (see tutorial here).

The bold navy & blue rug was replaced with a natural jute.

Fall Table Setting in Orange, Black & White - Black White Striped Table Runner - Pumpkins, Orange Napkins, White Plates, Gold Flatware
Fall Table Setting in Orange, Black & White - Black White Striped Table Runner - Pumpkins, Orange Napkins, White Plates, Gold Flatware

And while I’m loving this more calming, brighter neutral palate inside …

Fall Table Setting in Orange, Black & White - Black White Striped Table Runner - Pumpkins, Orange Napkins, White Plates, Gold Flatware
Fall Table Setting in Orange, Black & White - Black White Striped Table Runner - Pumpkins, Orange Napkins, White Plates, Gold Flatware

I sometimes find myself craving a little color.

And contrast.

Fall Table Setting in Orange, Black & White - Black White Striped Table Runner - Pumpkins, Orange Napkins, White Plates, Gold Flatware
Fall Table Setting in Orange, Black & White - Black White Striped Table Runner - Pumpkins, Orange Napkins, White Plates, Gold Flatware

And orange!

I mean, if you’ve been around from the beginning it all sorta started with orange when I slathered my son’s favorite color all over his bedroom walls (remember that post from 2012 which you can find here …)

As an aside, those photos make me cringe! If I do say so myself, the quality of my photography has greatly improved over those 7+ years.

Fall Table Setting in Orange, Black & White - Black White Striped Table Runner - Pumpkins, Orange Napkins, White Plates, Gold Flatware

So what better way — and what better time of year — to have my cake and eat it too with a celebration of Fall …

Fall Table Setting in Orange, Black & White - Black White Striped Table Runner - Pumpkins, Orange Napkins, White Plates, Gold Flatware

with a Fall table setting in orange, black & white!

Fall Table Setting in Orange, Black & White - Black White Striped Table Runner - Pumpkins, Orange Napkins, White Plates, Gold Flatware
Fall Table Setting in Orange, Black & White - Black White Striped Table Runner - Pumpkins, Orange Napkins, White Plates, Gold Flatware

I mean, Fall is all about the color. And the contrast.

Fall Table Setting in Orange, Black & White - Black White Striped Table Runner - Pumpkins, Orange Napkins, White Plates, Gold Flatware
Fall Table Setting in Orange, Black & White - Black White Striped Table Runner - Pumpkins, Orange Napkins, White Plates, Gold Flatware

My apologies for the 10,000 photos in this post! I just kept re-shooting the table at different times of the day to capture the right colors.

And contrast! 🙂

P.S. I feel like I missed a funny punny opportunity to play off the whole orange is the new black thing in this post!

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Fall Table Setting in Orange, Black & White - Black White Striped Table Runner - Pumpkins, Orange Napkins, White Plates, Gold Flatware

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Summer Table Setting in Gray, White, Gold

Summer Table Setting in Gray, White, Gold

By 7 Comments

Summer Table Setting in Gray, White, Gold – Table Setting Ideas for Screen Porch

Summer Table Setting in Gray, White, Gold

Sometimes I’m so behind the decorating trends, that I often find myself ahead of them.

Does that make sense?

A decorating/color/craft idea comes along and I miss it. Completely. Whoosh, over my head miss it.

Summer Table Setting in Gray, White, Gold - Summer Table Setting Ideas
Summer Table Setting in Gray, White, Gold - Summer Table Setting Ideas

But then I get something in my head that I can’t shake.

Perhaps I was influenced by that trend I missed after all?

Perhaps it just takes my mind a little extra time to compute, appreciate and embrace that decorating/color/craft idea?

And when I say a little extra time, I really mean years … and even decades! 😉

Summer Table Setting in Gray, White, Gold - Summer Table Setting Ideas
Gold Lantern, Succulent Place Card Holder, Grosgrain gray white striped napkin, gold flatware - Summer Table Setting in Gray, White, Gold - Summer Table Setting Ideas

Take gray, for example.

Gray has been trending since the first day I started this blog eight years ago. And was probably trending before then (though I wasn’t paying much attention). And while everyone was painting everything within reach warm gray and greige tones …

I was slathering the very cool-toned and very dark navy on my walls.

Gold Lantern, Succulent Place Card Holder, Grosgrain gray white striped napkin, gold flatware - Summer Table Setting in Gray, White, Gold - Summer Table Setting Ideas

Now, I’ve finally turned the tables and am embracing gray just as …

wait for it …

Gold Lantern, Succulent Place Card Holder, Grosgrain gray white striped napkin, gold flatware, faux eucalyptus centerpiece - Summer Table Setting in Gray, White, Gold - Summer Table Setting Ideas
Gold Lantern, Succulent Place Card Holder, Grosgrain gray white striped napkin, gold flatware - Summer Table Setting in Gray, White, Gold - Summer Table Setting Ideas

navy starts trending.

For real!

Sigh.

Gold Lantern, Succulent Place Card Holder, Grosgrain gray white striped napkin, gold flatware - Summer Table Setting in Gray, White, Gold - Summer Table Setting Ideas

On the plus side, navy & gray/greige do place nice together!

Gold Lantern, Succulent Place Card Holder, Grosgrain gray white striped napkin, gold flatware - Summer Table Setting in Gray, White, Gold - Summer Table Setting Ideas

So am I very pathetically behind the decorating trend when I finally painted my walls gray almost a decade after everyone else?

Gold Lantern, Succulent Place Card Holder, Grosgrain gray white striped napkin, gold flatware - Summer Table Setting in Gray, White, Gold - Summer Table Setting Ideas
Gold Lantern, Succulent Place Card Holder, Grosgrain gray white striped napkin, gold flatware - Summer Table Setting in Gray, White, Gold - Summer Table Setting Ideas

Or was I ahead on the navy trend?

Am I decorating savant? Or perhaps I just sing to a different decorating tune? Follow my own way …

And will I regret my gray wall decision in a year or two when beige and brown (god forbid) comes back?

Hmmmm…

But as I was creating these gold paint dipped terracotta place card holders that I used in this summer table setting in gray, white, gold, I got to thinking …

is the paint dip trend still a trend?

Gold Lantern, Succulent Place Card Holder, Grosgrain gray white striped napkin, gold flatware - Summer Table Setting in Gray, White, Gold - Summer Table Setting Ideas

Or has it landed on one of those evil lists that keep telling me mason jars are so not hot anymore?

And yet, here I am finally … finally … paint dipping something, just as paint dipping something is sooooooo 2015.

Maybe I can bring it back again?

Gold Lantern, Succulent Place Card Holder, Grosgrain gray white striped napkin, gold flatware - Summer Table Setting in Gray, White, Gold - Summer Table Setting Ideas

And who knows? Next week this not-so-trend-setting-trend-setter might just be back here with a coffee filter wreath tutorial. 😉

I never made one of those, so I’m only about 10 years behind on that decorating trend! 🙂

Summer Table Setting in Gray, White, Gold

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chalkboard chargers & giving thanks

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Holiday Table Settings Using DIY Chalkboard Chargers - Made from Plastic Dollar Store Plates

When my husband and I first moved in together – back when it was just the two of us – there was a lot of togetherness.  We lived together.  We ate together.  We commuted to work together.  We watched television together.

 

In fact, there was so much togetherness that we used to make a formal announcement when we would leave the room.

 

“I’m heading to the kitchen.”

 

or,

 

“Be right back, just need to use the bathroom.”

 

It just felt odd … awkward … to get up off the couch and walk out of the room without some kind of preface.  Do you know what I mean?   Though, announcing our comings and goings was odd and awkward too …

 

We were also exceptionally polite to another another.  Lots of pardon me’s and excuse me’s and an over abundance of thanks you’s … typically followed by a back-and-forth stream of no, thank you …

 

Chalkboard Charger-7

 

And our exceptional politeness — and excessive thank you’s — continue to this very day.  In fact, they’re greatly encouraged (and, at times, prompted) among our children.  Because please and thank you’s are magic words, after all.  Just ask Barney …

 

Chalkboard Charger-5

 

Speaking of thank you’s, in the spirit of Thanksgiving I thought I’d parse out some here, starting with my husband who works so hard to support our family.  I’m thankful for the gift he has given me that allows me to stay home and raise the kids.  And of course I have to thank my son and my daughter for being such fabulous kids.  Sure, we have our moments, but at the end of the day I wouldn’t trade them for anything …

 

There’s my mom and dad and sister and brother and brother-in-laws and nieces and nephews.  Even though we’re geographically challenged, they’re always close to my heart.  And I’m also thankful for my “adopted” Chicago family in the form of Mike’s sisters and their children and grandchildren and their extended families.

 

I’m thankful to you, my readers, for coming here and sharing in my adventures.  And I’m thankful for all the new blogging friends I’ve had a chance to meet virtually – and in person — along the way.

 

And my thanks you’s wouldn’t be complete without sharing my deep and utter thanks to the founder of Dollar Tree and the creative genius who invented chalkboard spray paint …

 

Seriously, chalkboard spray paint is the little black dress in my craft closet.  Just look at what a few quick coats did to some super shiny red plastic chargers  I picked up at the Dollar Tree …

 

Chalkboard Spray Painted Charger

 

They look so rich, right?

 

Chalkboard Charger-8

 

And dare I say it … sexy?

 

Chalkboard Charger-6

 

And they’re so photogenic that I had a hard time choosing my favorites …

 

Chalkboard Charger-9

 

Oh, and in case you were wondering, Mike and I no longer make formal announcements when we leave a room.

signature-orange

 

P.S. Wishing you all a wonderful Thanksgiving holiday surrounded by your loved ones!

 

P.P.S.  If you’re curious about the white pumpkin on the place setting, I made it from a dryer vent.  The tutorial can be found here …

Chalkboard Charger-2

Sharing …

TDC Before and After

* Savvy Southern Style *  House on the Way *  Funky Junk Interiors *  Under the Table & Dreaming *  Between Naps on the Porch * Decor & The Dog * Two Twenty One *  Home Stories A 2 Z *  Cozy Little House *  My Uncommon Slice of Suburbia * A Bowl Full of Lemons *  Fox Hollow Cottage *  At the Picket Fence *