How to Create Beautiful Table Settings on a Budget: Welcome to the 132nd Tablescape Thursday!

I've always been drawn to pattern and color so when I was a young bride-to-be, I chose Lenox Temperware in the pattern, Fancy Free for my everyday china. It was and is indestructible. I think it would last through a nuclear war.



At that same time, for our formal china we chose Noritake, Colburn. I don't think too many folks are choosing a "formal" pattern these days when they are getting married.  I still have the Colburn and have used it in a few tablescapes HERE and HERE.




I used the Fancy Free, Lenox china every. single day for about 9 years before I said to myself, "Self, you need another everyday china!" Self agreed and that's when Villeroy & Boch's, Melina came into my life. (To view more tablescapes using Melina, click HERE and HERE .)




Again, Melina was very much a heavily patterned china. Around 15 years later, I had the opportunity to buy china in the Blue Willow pattern very inexpensively at a Publix supermarket, of all places.  I couldn't resist since Blue Willow had been one of my fav patterns. (To view more tablescapes using Blue Willow, click HERE , HERE and HERE.)



I collected quite a bit of the Blue Willow (12 place settings) and it and the Melina are my everyday china(s). At Christmastime, I use all my holiday patterns and when I entertain on the porch, I use china I've purchased inexpensively just for the porch.

Amazingly, over all these years, I never bought any all white or cream china until just a few years ago. Can you believe it? Buying an all white china pattern before always seemed a little boring, but once I did, it opened up endless possibilities for creating lots of different tablescapes at little expense. Looking back, I don't know why it took me so long to realize how versatile an all white china pattern would be. Let me show you what I mean.

The white china you see below was purchased from Big Lots. Six, 6 pc place settings, which included a dinner plate, salad plate, cereal bowl, fruit bowl and cup/saucer, along with multiple serving pieces was only $29.99. The week after I bought mine, it went on sale for $19.99! The place mats, napkin rings and napkins are from another discount store, Old Time Pottery and were only $1 each. The flowers were cut from my perennial garden. Large, white pillar candle holders are from Colonial Candle and since they are white, they work well for almost any table setting you have in mind. (Click HERE to view more of this tablescape.)




Here's a completely different look using the exact same china paired with dollar store glassware and the same napkins from the previous table setting. The centerpiece was free...snagged from a room in another area of my home. Tip: Shop the house when you're looking for a great centerpiece for your table. (Click HERE to view more of this tablescape.)




Below, you'll find the same china, same stemware...only thing that's changed are the salad plates which were very reasonable at $3.99 each. The shell centerpiece (just visible) consists of shells found while on vacation. The napkin rings were plain, wood rings on which I hot-glued large shells. Starfish votives were a find at only $1 each from Marshalls. Again, I used the same Large, white pillar candle holders from Colonial Candle.




By just changing out your salad plates, your table will take on a whole new look. (Click HERE to view more of this tablescape.)




How about a romantic dinner for two? Look how completely different this table setting feels using the same china paired with a tablecloth found in a local thrift store. The flowers are just honeysuckle gathered from the yard and placed in a small, white pitcher. (Click HERE to view more of this tablescape.)




Will white china work for a winter or holiday table setting? You betcha! Pair it with dollar store snowflake glassware, colorful napkins and some fun salad plates/mugs and you're all set. (Click HERE to view more of this tablescape.)



So, don't wait as many years as I did to buy your first set of white or cream china. Armed with a set of white china and your imagination, you'll be able to set an endless array of tablescapes for family and friends without breaking the bank. And did I mention how much fun it is? ;)



Please Read:
If you are participating in Tablescape Thursday, please be sure to add your permalink below, and not your general blog address. To get your permalink, click on your post name. Then just copy and paste the address that shows up in the address bar at the top, into the "url" box for the picture linky. You'll also need to put your e-mail address in, but don't worry, it will not be visible to anyone.

You may see a red X once you enter your link. No one else can see the red X, it's just there in case you make a little mistake and need to delete your link and re-enter it.

If you'd like to use the Tablescape Thursday logo button in your post, just copy and paste it to your computer and upload it to your post as you would any photo. Or, just grab the html code you'll find under the "Join a Party" heading at the top of this blog.

Please, link back to the host blog, Between Naps on the Porch. This is important because it helps those who are visiting your blog, find the other wonderful tablescapes posted for this Tablescape Thursday, thus increasing visits for all participants.

Please, don't add your post name/blog name in ALL CAPS...it tends to create big spaces between the rows of links. Thanks!

Let's try something fun today! Please visit the person who linked before you and after you...that way everyone will get some visits. Hope you'll visit more, of course. :-)


Little Reminder: Thank-you for linking back to this post so the regular visitors to your blog will find all your fellow Blogger's posts linked here for this Tablescape Thursday. Don't forget to use your permalink. : )