Ideas for tablescape; Japonais or Chinoiserie*
Comments (61)
mtnrdredux_gw
4 years agolast modified: 4 years agoRelated Discussions
Bought my lyre coffee table today - revisiting layout
Comments (47)Thanks squirrel. That is more of less how I had the sofa before. I agree it does not need to be centered. The rule of thumb I've always followed is to either center or put off center to make it look intentional. I'll try playing with the chairs and drum tables. In that pic they are both on the sofa side, though I've been playing around with a few different arrangements. I'm going to leave in about 1 hour for the painting--hope it looks as good IRL as your photoshopped version. Need to know, though, about the console/demilune table as that lady is having a garage sale (and it's kindof on the way), yey or nay..... Not sure if you saw my other thread about art placement and botancial prints I started yesterday. I could really use some help there--about how to display and group the prints since it looks like I'm going to have to go to some expense to frame, I want to do it right....See MoreWhat is your best or weakest decorating talent?
Comments (48)My best talent is probably visualizing the potential for change and improvement in a house or room, even if that requires totally changing the look and style of the room. I can look at a traditional room and imagine it contemporary, or vice versa, or imagine changing the functions of a room (living room to dining room, etc.), or moving things like stairs and doors, without being constrained by the room's current state. That skill came in handy since my house looked very tacky and early 80s dated when I bought it; paint, removing wallpaper, and changing the flooring made dramatic differences, and I saw past the prior owners' taste. Other strengths are probably shopping, being comfortable with color, & choosing complementary colors for other rooms, and finding new ways/places to use my old furniture. These days I think i have more weaknesses than strengths. The weaknesses are --- changing my mind mid-project; starting new projects before old ones are done (like some upthread I end up 80% done with a room and then start something else instead of finishing); choosing window treatments. I also tend to get bogged down by perfectionism, which often leads me on 'holy grail' type quests for something very specific that I think would be 'perfect' for my room(s). Of course I then find that nothing like that is sold or if it is it's way beyond my price range, but I refuse to give up, and spin my wheels for months until I get a new 'great idea' to pursue. The other weakness is being a die hard bargain hunter. I've missed out on things, or lost huge amounts of time shopping, because I was determined to find a cheaper version of something. I wish I were more comfortable just spending the money to buy what I want, regardless of sales. I'll never be able to afford everything that I want/admire, unless I hit the lottery. But there are many things that I can afford and pass because they never go on sale and I can't find something similar at homegoods, furniture outlets, etc....See MoreUsing what I had on hand - eBay coffee table with 'stuff'
Comments (36)bbstx, Boy, wouldn't THAT be fun! Shopping eBay with other people's money! lorriekay, Jenny is my 'shoulder dog'. When I adopted her from the shelter, she blended in immediately with the boys, and slept on my shoulder that first night. She has cuddled close every night since. I don't know what I'd do without my little girl, who shows me every day how happy she is to be part of this family. arapaho, the colors are Ben Moore's Baked Terra Cotta below the chair rail and their Philadelphia Cream above. The last shot does not show them correctly, as I tried to adjust the exposure, but the other two do. Spending time on eBay was the way I got to used to it...lots of time, but I have learned a LOT. Not just how to bid, but actually been educated on the types of things I buy. I'll start down one path, by looking for an item, and then see that a seller has something else, and veer down another path. It's a very 'zigzag' trail, if I were to map it out. It's a hobby that has turned into a passion, as it fuels my love of decorating inexpensively. I cannot tell you how many times I have bought something and then found it selling for hundreds more elsewhere, as in the case of this table. Imagine the thrill of winning it for $341 on eBay, and later seeing two more on 1stdibs, for $1000 from one seller and $1575 from another. Same with Craigslist, which I discovered a few years ago. I'll thank my lucky stars for the rest of my life for finding these 30" tall hand painted wooden lamps below on CL, and buying the pair for $35! They are incredible quality, and try as I might, I have not seen anything similar anywhere. Vintage often = unique, and that I love. In the photo below, everything except for the clock, the pheasant, and the 'seed ball' came from eBay or CL. The antique Ogee mirror was $16.00, and I added the gold and black touches to it. I have always liked warm colors and adding blue in the entry and dining room was a stretch, but I needed to break out of my comfort zone, and experiment. The three dogs add warmth and nuttiness to any room, so I'm happy with it. Sharing my babies with fellow pet lovers here is a thrill! sheesharee, I can easily understand you questioning the table. Years ago, I may not have looked at it twice. I have 'refined' my taste over the years, and this one, with it's small size and simplicity, just struck me. To me, it appears classic and refined, (Two things you might not think of if you knew me!) and I love it with this sofa. But, it may not work with my other chenille one, which is in the basement right now. I think that one needs more weight in a table. As I sit here in my office, I look out to the living room, and seeing this one against the nail heads of the leather CL sofa, it's singing my song! :-) I had looked for many weeks for a coffee table, and not stepped one foot into a local store. I confined my search to online (eBay and CL mostly) because the ones in the stores are too large, too pricey and I will take vintage or antique ANY day of the week over new. It's just the way I have evolved. To me, those older things have a built in warmth, and often are made better than similarly priced items new....See MoreDining room dillema
Comments (51)I would keep your fabric seat and back solid on your end chairs and do the front of the seat back in a patterned fabric. The pattern will be lost with the ladders on the back. This also will help you be less limited to fabric choices based on wear. You can get a durable fabric for seat. Another option you may want to consider is doing two completely different chairs as your host and hostess chair. You can certainly keep them and just flank you side board with them for extra seating and they would look great with the geometric pattern on the front back. do an entirely upholstered chair to break up all the wood....See More
cawaps
4 years agoIf you are willing to forego visually spectacular in favor of interactive, you could decorate the table with mini Japanese sand gardens (aka zen gardens). My woodworking ex made these for gifts one Christmas, and they are fun to play with.
https://www.etsy.com/listing/629609228/mini-zen-garden-with-sand-and-rocks?ref=related-2
You don't have to buy an assembled kit. Appropriate trays, sand, and rocks should be easy enough to get (Michaels?) , and a Google search turned up a ready supply of rakes.mtnrdredux_gw
4 years ago
daisychain Zn3b
4 years agolast modified: 4 years agoIf you are doing the indigo/navy thing, you could look at shibori. It is traditional Japanese tie dye. My DD did a school project with it. It's beautiful, but maybe too authentic for what you are after?
ETA: if you need paper cranes, recruit a teen. My DD was stressing over her love life during the holidays and distractedly folded at least 100 before we made her stop. I'm still finding them in odd corners.
mtnrdredux_gw thanked daisychain Zn3bmtnrdredux_gw
4 years agolast modified: 4 years agoThose plates are so pretty!
I was looking over my dishware and I remembered I am making Shabu Shabu. Tricky because I will need a lot of bowls. The only ones i have enough of have a sort of Asiany vibe by dint of their shape, but the colors are kind of candy-land.
So, these are a given:
Right now I am thinking def want paper lantern string lights, and also some way to use branches or ikebana and paper cranes. With these bowls,though, i may have to go Hello Kitty. JK
I will use plain white plates. I have these but not enough and they are discontinued, so will just use them as serving platters.
Wonder if i can find a paper runner...
just_terrilynn
4 years agolast modified: 4 years agoIt would be nifty to put something like this in the middle of a long rectangular zen sand box and add zen stones with messages. You can get the little rakes and stuff on Amazon.
Or
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4 years ago
chispa
4 years ago
bbstx
4 years agoHow to fold your napkins to look like Japanese kimonos.
Mtn, where is your copy of The Great Wave? Drag it out!
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jojoco
4 years agolast modified: 4 years agoOr this as inspiration:
Ideas: use fake Lilly pad placemats (silk), lotus candle holders, a pagoda from above for the center piece and scads of cherry blossoms. Somewhere I saw metal small koi which could be jury rigged to hold name cards.
Jo
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4 years agolast modified: 4 years agoOakley, I love fans... i bought a ton of wicker ones for a summer party years ago, and slowly but surely lost most of them. I usually pack one if we are going someplace hot! Not sure we would use them inside in winter!
Look at these fan cookies!
JojoDid someone say ... cookies!? Yes! Why didn't I think of that? Maybe I can make them matcha flavored. These are gorgeous but i don't know how to do icing with dimension like that lantern. Somewhere I have lotus votive holders they gave us in India.
I was thinking of paper crane place cards but yeah koi works too. I think this is one case where the internet isn't a good place to shop ... I need a really junky souvenir store.BBstx, the great wave is in Maine. But I do have a framed Japanese map and map cover image that was my Dad's, and I will move them into the room where I think I will have the dining table.
My Buddha:
bbstx
4 years agoDH spent a month in China on business once. He came back with small oval baskets used for the presentation of warm damp cloths (oshibori) offered at the beginning of the meal. While there are special oshibori towels, you can use small, thin washcloths. I dampen and wring out the cloths, roll them to fit the baskets, and set them aside until dinner time. Then I zap them for a few seconds just to heat them up.
Here are some pictures that may give you some ideas
Bonsai marching down the center of the table. This looks so serene!
A display of umbrellas to set the tone? That looks very commercial. Maybe 2 or 3 for home.
A vase wrapped in a sushi mat filled with bamboo sprigs. I think I’d forego the ninja!
mtnrdredux_gw
4 years ago
l pinkmountain
4 years agolast modified: 4 years agoDang now I have to throw a theme party! I grew up surrounded by things from Japan as my Mom lived there for a year working in a school as a librarian on the US Army base in Tokyo. My dining room has a Japanoise quasi theme. More of the British Colonial with various global themes. I have these homages to Mom in the room. It's not unusual for Japanese people to have things from Thailand or China decorating their homes . . . This post is giving me inspiration for this spring's planned landscaping of a Japanese themed garden in honor of my Mom. Started work on it last fall, it's been a long slog due to many issues from past bad landscaping practices. Note: the white statue is Guanyin, the Japanese Buddhist goddess of compassion. She is revered all over East Asia, including Thailand, China and India. Lotus is her symbolic flower, so those are fake lotus in the vase. Some of that stuff I think Mom got in San Francisco when she lived there after coming back from Japan. The lantern is from SF and also not Buddhist, it's Shinto, but you see both religions side by side often in the Japanese landscape. Plus a lot of Victorian styled stuff from the British colonial days. And any other modern global cultural amalgamation just like here in the US.
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4 years ago
LynnNM
4 years agoMtn, as I love decorating and especially enjoy creating and seeing beautifully set tables, I am so enjoying this thread of yours! I’ve only done a few Asian-inspired tables, but have always used my antique Kintaro statue as the main centerpiece for each. Kintaro is the legendary Japanese boy hero. My little guy is just over 100 years old. He spends most of his time on the game table in the corner of our living room, though. My DH swears that this is why I win most of our card games (LOL)! Please post pics of your final design, will you? I know we’re all anxious to see it
mtnrdredux_gw
4 years agoLisa, thank you! someday I will have to try that. I’ve never done a sort of tableau cookie like that.
lynn, I love your antique statue... where’d you get him? i Remember you always do lovely tablescapes!!
bluebell, well, I looked and our bamboo is green so I might just use that!
hatethe cold, my piping isn’t that good! Plus I fell in love love love with these cookie cutters. I will prob do a grey with cherry blossom design, and a gOld knot around the obi sash.... and the slippers! So darn cute
LynnNM
4 years ago
Fun2BHere
4 years agolast modified: 4 years ago
Happened to see this when browsing and thought it was a nice example of a Japanese/Asian themed setting.mtnrdredux_gw thanked Fun2BHere
Funkyart
4 years agomtnrdredux_gw
4 years agolast modified: 4 years agomtnrdredux_gw
4 years agoMy faux-pan-Asian-candyland mashup tablescape is coming together.
Some great finds, including ramen spoons, chopsticks, chopstick rests, and mini strainers.
mtnrdredux_gw
4 years agomtnrdredux_gw
4 years agolast modified: 4 years agoHere's a place setting; the colors and designs of both the bowls and the chopsticks will vary.
I know square white plates would be better, but am hoping the cabbage leaf of my plates relates to the chopstick holder leaf motif.
Ramen spoons - 95cents in Chinatown.mtnrdredux_gw
4 years agolast modified: 4 years agoFor a table cloth, I am thinking I will use a white one that I have, and this scarf as a runner; it feels vaguely Asian to me even if I did buy it in BA. Oh and these are my mini lantern string lights. I may leave them on the table, if i string them along the windows I need about 3 more sets. (need to iron the scarf and maybe starch it?)
and of course, my garden Buddha bust in the center
bbstx
4 years agomtnrdredux_gw
4 years agolast modified: 4 years agoI had to look that up, LOL. Yes, the standard (tall) one; since the buddha is prob a foot high, i want to flank it w orchids that are taller. I think it is evocative of ikebana. Moreover, I already have three of these in my sunroom, they are just no longer this perfect shape. So i wouldn't mind having more. ANd they are so inexpensive nowadays
ETA I love those little chopstick rests too. It was sheer luck they match my (french) napkins that I usually use at xmas and have had 15 years or more! The rests were kind of pricey (Etsy) but I think I will use them. I can see a perfect pat of butter on them on a bread and butter plate!
l pinkmountain
4 years agobbstx
4 years agojojoco
4 years agol pinkmountain
4 years agomtnrdredux_gw
4 years agolast modified: 4 years ago
mtnrdredux_gw
4 years ago
robo (z6a)