Let’s take a moment and talk about flatware. As a metallic element on a table, it can act as the jewelry and finishing touch–the perfect accent of something shiny. Similar to how you have metallic earrings hanging from your ears on each side of your face, a table set with metallic flatware on either side of a plate bring balance and a finishing touch to the place setting.
Let’s start with the most casual. Would you believe the set above is actually plastic? I bought this brand from Michaels. If you’re casually entertaining, getting the clear or white is so easy and available, but take it one step further and get a metallic. You can also find large quantities at Amazon .
I adore the bamboo flatware for a few reasons. One, it adds texture and a natural element to a table. It’s great for casual entertaining, but also adds a fun unexpected element to a formal setting. I’m pretty sure I got mine from Zulily, a flash sale site. But not to worry, this style is pretty popular now and easily available at several retailers. I like how this set from Pottery Barn is knotty–it looks like real bamboo! Juliska is a trusted brand of entertaining goods so I bet these will last forever! These at Neiman Marcus look exactly like mine and they are on sale! They also come in a darker color and that would be so fun to mix and match.
This is my everday stainless from Onieda; it’s the Marquette pattern. I chose it because of the simplicity with the scallop ends. I thought it looked good with my everyday Skyros Legado pattern and mimiced the slight scalloping on those plates.
Oh the mother of pearl and silver. I love silver flatware. I don’t have my own set because at the time I got married, silver was very expensive! I keep a lookout at auctions and hope I can find a set one day. I don’t even want to link to a silver pattern because I do think that something like that should be seen in person and examined. The picture above is using my mother’s silver and it’s hard to see from the glare, but it is monogrammed!
The fork above is a mother of pearl fork. Just as bamboo adds natural texture, mother of pearl is a good option to add an element from nature–something unexpected. You can kind of think of it as pearl earrings–always classy and goes with any ensemble.
I saved this for last because it’s a sneak peak at my table that I will reveal on Friday as part of the Signature Settings event at the Greenville County Museum of Art. I bought this for my table from Amazon! I needed it here quickly and I have always loved the gold bamboo. For this table, I thought the gold added warmth to the table and coordinated well some other brass elements. Wow, I just saw the silver bamboo from them is a great price! Wouldn’t it be cool to use the gold and silver and create a completely metallic table at Christmas or New Years? Hmmm…I’m getting ideas!
I can’t wait to show you the rest of my table on Friday!
