Caution: The following post is the longest I have ever composed. But I promised my friend Lynn all the details. If this is more than you want, just scroll through the pictures and ignore the rest. I went to a class on Monday called
Holiday Tables. It was at the instructors home. First of all I should just say that her house was "over the top" amazing. And the table settings that she created were the same. It was a really fun afternoon.
This is the instructor, Joy. What a perfect name for her!
She had 25 different place settings on display. That included eleven tables set up throughout her home, two tray settings, two breakfast bar settings, and ten individual place settings on the island in her kitchen. It was almost too much to take in. Thankfully she allowed pictures and was delighted when I asked if I could post all of this on my blog.
She had some basics that she started with - a set of wedding china that was white with a large gold band, her grandmother's china she had inherited, and a set of red china (red is her favorite color). Then she just added lots of thrift store and clearance finds. Her hobby is collecting china, glassware, and table linens. We have a Russell Stover outlet near us and she used lots of small boxes of candy as favors on many of the tables.
She told us over and over that the secret is just layering. She would often use more than one table covering, always a charger of some kind (sometimes two), and then an assortment of plates and bowls. She also uses items you wouldn't think of for table setting. She finds window valances on clearance and uses them as table runners. She uses pillow covers for place mats. She used pillow cases to cover the backs of chairs that clashed with the colors in her table setting.
The first table was a Christmas table. She started with a long tablecloth and topped it with a quilt from her grandmother. She suggested using a painter's drop cloth for the long cloth.
The centerpiece was a wreath layed on the table. Then she took a chandelier she found at a thrift store, pulled all the wiring out, added candles and placed on top of the wreath.
Red placemat, green acrylic charger, red metal charger, red china plate, silk holly wreath, red bowl, paper napkin, candy cane.
This was her Thanksgiving table. Gold table cloth. Animal print window valances used as table runners. Centerpiece is wooden goose that is normally on top of an amoire.
Brown pillow cover used as placemat, black/white dinner plate, gold vinyl leaf, black bowl, glass compote from thrift store, gold and black napkins inside gold napkin ring.
Holiday buffet table with white and gold star tablecloth. I think they sold this at Target a few years back. Joy looks for clearance items after the holiday.
Silver cake stands and compote dishes stacked for appetizers.
Wreath placed around bottom of punch bowl.
New Year's Eve table. Long gold tablecloth. Centerpiece is a pedestal with a plant on top.
Silver acrylic charger, star plate (Target), gold edge wedding china plate, smaller star plate, wedding china saucer, white with gold trim bowl, gold star ornament. Star napkin matches the tablecloth from the buffet table. Grandmother's saucer, wedding china cup (she never matches the cups and saucers).
Another Christmas table. White tablecloth underneath with a poinsettia throw on top. Red and white napkins in pilsner which she would use for a wine glass.
Red round placemat, red acrylic charger, green leaf plate used as a second charger, red china plate, poinsettia plate (Hallmark purchased at Target), cheese dome from thrift store. Silverware in a napkin ring.
Black and gold Christmas table. Black table cloth, black candlesticks, gold candles, gold papier mache reindeer.
Gold vinyl lace placemat from flea market, gold charger, wedding china dinner plate, black & gold salad plate, clear bowl with gold trim. Gold and black napkins in gold napkin ring. Wedding china saucer, grandmother's cup.
Red and gold Christmas table. Two dark red drapery panels draped both directions for table cover. Red pillow cases for chair back covers.
Red placemat, gold square charger, wedding china dinner plate, poinsettia salad plate, clear bowl, craft store floral decoration.
New Year's Eve for two in Paris (Joy's fantasy). Long cream table cloth, black table runner, Eiffel tower for centerpiece, Chef de France menus (from Epcot), crystal champagne bucket.
Black and cream charger, grandmother's dinner plate, black and white salad plate, black saucer, glass compote.
Valentine's Day table. Red table cloth with white lace overlay. Craft store floral bouquets.
Red and white charger, white paper doily, red china plate, white salad plate, red bowl, white paper heart doily, small box of chocolates.
Chinese New Year's table. Blue and white print sheet for table cloth, pillow cases draped over chair backs, Geisha in display box for centerpiece.
Red placemat, navy and white placemat, blue and white dinner plate, white ramekin, chopsticks wrapped with napkin, blue and white saucer, navy and white cup.
Halloween buffet table. Black table cloth, then baskets, etc. for height, second black table cloth over all. Orange napkins, fall garland, spider webbing.
Tray for Santa. Gold star plate, cheese dome, Fitz and Floyd plate and bowl, white saucer and mug, red teapot, red plastic Coco-Cola glass, red napkin. Centerpiece is candlestick with ornament and small candle ring.
Christmas morning bed tray. Ornate mirror used as tray, white plate, cheese dome, white mug with candy cane, glass bowl, cut glass pitcher, plastic goblet.
This is a Christmas setting that she put on her breakfast bar. She placed a long table runner on the bar under both place settings.
Square gold charger, white lace doily, grandmother's china dinner plate, thrift store black/gold salad plate, glass salad bowl, black napkin with gold ring, grandmother's saucer, wedding cup.
Another setting at the breakfast bar, this one for Hanukkah. Blue window valance used for table runner.
Silver charger, white dinner plate, silver paper doily, white salad plate, silver
The final ten place settings all use the same white/gold trim dinner plate. However, they are each very unique.
Striped placemate, red charger, white dinner plate, green leaf salad plate, berry wreath, soup tureen.
Black charger, large black and white plate used as second charger, white dinner plate, black and white salad plate, white bowl with gold trim, cheese dome.
Red and white print placemat, red acrylic charger, red metal charger, white dinner plate, square white salad plate, flag napkin, red bowl, party store 4th of July decoration.
Gold plastic placemat, silver tray used as charger, white paper doily, white dinner plate, gold star bowl, gold leaf, white soup tureen.
Black and gold placemat, silver tray for charger, white dinner plate, black and gold salad plate, black saucer, glass compote.
Wooden tray, plaid napkins, white dinner plate, gold leaf, brown pottery soup tureen and mug.
Turquoise napkin used as placemat, paper napkin, turquoise acrylic charger, white dinner plate, green and turquoise napkins, glass salad plate, gold leaf, glass compote. Chocolate Easter bunny favor.
Jewel-toned placemat, red china plate, white dinner place, square purple plate, eggplant bowl and decoration. Red and purple napkins.
Floral placemat, green leaf plate used as charger, white dinner plate, green floral and solid red napkins, green leaf bowl, plastic pear.
Turquoise napkin, turquoise acrylic charger, white dinner plate, wedding china salad plate, white saucer with gold trim, glass bowl with gold trim, turquoise napkin.
I hope you all got some great ideas for setting your holiday table. I'm working on improving mine. If I think it looks better I'll post some pictures.
Whew! This took forever. Lynn, I hope you enjoyed all the details!
The first table was a Christmas table. She started with a long tablecloth and topped it with a quilt from her grandmother. She suggested using a painter's drop cloth for the long cloth.
The centerpiece was a wreath layed on the table. Then she took a chandelier she found at a thrift store, pulled all the wiring out, added candles and placed on top of the wreath.
Red placemat, green acrylic charger, red metal charger, red china plate, silk holly wreath, red bowl, paper napkin, candy cane.
This was her Thanksgiving table. Gold table cloth. Animal print window valances used as table runners. Centerpiece is wooden goose that is normally on top of an amoire. 
Brown pillow cover used as placemat, black/white dinner plate, gold vinyl leaf, black bowl, glass compote from thrift store, gold and black napkins inside gold napkin ring.
Holiday buffet table with white and gold star tablecloth. I think they sold this at Target a few years back. Joy looks for clearance items after the holiday.
Silver cake stands and compote dishes stacked for appetizers.
Wreath placed around bottom of punch bowl.
New Year's Eve table. Long gold tablecloth. Centerpiece is a pedestal with a plant on top.
Silver acrylic charger, star plate (Target), gold edge wedding china plate, smaller star plate, wedding china saucer, white with gold trim bowl, gold star ornament. Star napkin matches the tablecloth from the buffet table. Grandmother's saucer, wedding china cup (she never matches the cups and saucers).
Another Christmas table. White tablecloth underneath with a poinsettia throw on top. Red and white napkins in pilsner which she would use for a wine glass.
Red round placemat, red acrylic charger, green leaf plate used as a second charger, red china plate, poinsettia plate (Hallmark purchased at Target), cheese dome from thrift store. Silverware in a napkin ring.
Black and gold Christmas table. Black table cloth, black candlesticks, gold candles, gold papier mache reindeer.
Gold vinyl lace placemat from flea market, gold charger, wedding china dinner plate, black & gold salad plate, clear bowl with gold trim. Gold and black napkins in gold napkin ring. Wedding china saucer, grandmother's cup.
Red and gold Christmas table. Two dark red drapery panels draped both directions for table cover. Red pillow cases for chair back covers.
Red placemat, gold square charger, wedding china dinner plate, poinsettia salad plate, clear bowl, craft store floral decoration.
New Year's Eve for two in Paris (Joy's fantasy). Long cream table cloth, black table runner, Eiffel tower for centerpiece, Chef de France menus (from Epcot), crystal champagne bucket.
Black and cream charger, grandmother's dinner plate, black and white salad plate, black saucer, glass compote.
Valentine's Day table. Red table cloth with white lace overlay. Craft store floral bouquets.
Red and white charger, white paper doily, red china plate, white salad plate, red bowl, white paper heart doily, small box of chocolates.
Chinese New Year's table. Blue and white print sheet for table cloth, pillow cases draped over chair backs, Geisha in display box for centerpiece.
Red placemat, navy and white placemat, blue and white dinner plate, white ramekin, chopsticks wrapped with napkin, blue and white saucer, navy and white cup.
Halloween buffet table. Black table cloth, then baskets, etc. for height, second black table cloth over all. Orange napkins, fall garland, spider webbing.
Tray for Santa. Gold star plate, cheese dome, Fitz and Floyd plate and bowl, white saucer and mug, red teapot, red plastic Coco-Cola glass, red napkin. Centerpiece is candlestick with ornament and small candle ring.
Christmas morning bed tray. Ornate mirror used as tray, white plate, cheese dome, white mug with candy cane, glass bowl, cut glass pitcher, plastic goblet.
This is a Christmas setting that she put on her breakfast bar. She placed a long table runner on the bar under both place settings.
Square gold charger, white lace doily, grandmother's china dinner plate, thrift store black/gold salad plate, glass salad bowl, black napkin with gold ring, grandmother's saucer, wedding cup.
Another setting at the breakfast bar, this one for Hanukkah. Blue window valance used for table runner.
Silver charger, white dinner plate, silver paper doily, white salad plate, silver
Striped placemate, red charger, white dinner plate, green leaf salad plate, berry wreath, soup tureen.
Black charger, large black and white plate used as second charger, white dinner plate, black and white salad plate, white bowl with gold trim, cheese dome. 
Red and white print placemat, red acrylic charger, red metal charger, white dinner plate, square white salad plate, flag napkin, red bowl, party store 4th of July decoration.
Gold plastic placemat, silver tray used as charger, white paper doily, white dinner plate, gold star bowl, gold leaf, white soup tureen.
Black and gold placemat, silver tray for charger, white dinner plate, black and gold salad plate, black saucer, glass compote.
Wooden tray, plaid napkins, white dinner plate, gold leaf, brown pottery soup tureen and mug.
Turquoise napkin used as placemat, paper napkin, turquoise acrylic charger, white dinner plate, green and turquoise napkins, glass salad plate, gold leaf, glass compote. Chocolate Easter bunny favor.
Jewel-toned placemat, red china plate, white dinner place, square purple plate, eggplant bowl and decoration. Red and purple napkins.
Floral placemat, green leaf plate used as charger, white dinner plate, green floral and solid red napkins, green leaf bowl, plastic pear.
Turquoise napkin, turquoise acrylic charger, white dinner plate, wedding china salad plate, white saucer with gold trim, glass bowl with gold trim, turquoise napkin.
