Table Style: Elegant Ideas for Decorating a Table

Table settings were once a formal affair, today entertaining is a far more relaxed and we have happily abandoned all of that pomp and circumstance.  Here at Butterfly Lane we believe that setting a table for a lunch with friends or a dinner party shouldn’t be an after thought or a chore, creating a decorative tabletop is super easy, satisfying and most of all fun.  The simplest of schemes will have a transforming affect on any occasion and Butterfly Lane would like to give you some simple design ideas to inspire you, whether you’re having a cocktail party, an al fresco supper, an intimate dinner party or a Sunday brunch with family, we are here to help.  Setting a table is so easy to achieve without buying a cupboard full of new dinnerware, successful table dressing is not about silverware and crystal (although that does sound fabulous!), it’s about making the most of what you have and purchasing a few special accessories to treasure that you can use time and time again.  So you don’t need the family-heirloom china or silver spoons to recreate these table settings, fresh flowers, twinkling candle light, and quirky decorative touches are all that’s needed.  Whether it’s a week night supper or a sophisticated cocktail party, these simple, pretty and imaginative table settings will bring a dash of originality to any occasion.  Here are our top tips for a successful tabletop, and remember, it’s all in the detail! 

Al Fresco Supper

Butterfly Lane has everything you need to put the finishing touches on a perfect summer party.  Enjoy a carefree celebration in the sunshine with a selection of fun tableware and garden accessories. I love to use fresh flower arrangements outside, and this ridiculously elegant patioware will be available to buy at Butterfly Lane very soon.  We are so excited about our discovery, from jugs, cake stands, champagne glasses, salad bowls and cutlery it looks like your finest sparkling crystal but is in fact plastic and patio proof.  It looks just stunning and to be put on our waiting list please email info@butterflylane.co.uk.  Prices start from £10.00.

Sophisticated Cocktail Party

Whether your guests prefer it shaken or stirred here are some inspiring images to throw a swarve and sophisticated cocktail party at home.  Think sparkling martini glasses, champagne saucers and elegant accessories.  All you’ll need to do is master the cocktail recipes…

Intimate Dinner Party

A Dinner Party is about delicious food in perfect surroundings.  Invest in gorgeous serving platters, bowls and plates so your guests can serve themselves leaving you time to play the part of the perfect host!

Sunday Brunch


We just love the idea of bringing the outdoors inside using garden planters as centre pieces. Inspired.

Tea Party

Bring out your best china, the Tea Party is having a revival!  So for you tea party enthusiasts or anyone looking for a fresh approach to this beloved tradition, look no further.  Whether you are planning a summer tea party in the garden or a cosy gathering in front of the roaring fire, Afternoon Tea is a treat any time of the year. Just make sure that your finger sandwiches, scones and Darjeeling tea are served with the most delicate and pretty china around.

Children’s Party

Children’s parties are all about colour and fun and with these stylish table settings adults will be suitably impressed as well as your little ones…

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With Gracious Style...


For a more special affair we cannot recommend crisp table linen highly enough (in the obligatory Butterfly Lane cream or white of course!), it will not only hide a multiple of sins on your battered dining table, but will add an air of decadence to the occasion.  The range from Gracious Style is truly exquisite and as fashion constantly changes there is something luxurious and timeless about using a tablecloth.  Why not use something plain and simple for a classic look or damask and embroidered for a decorative edge.  The simple finish a tablecloth gives allows for bolder design choices on the tabletop, with punchy floral arrangements and lashings of twinkling glass and candle light. 

Our friends at Gracious Style have a special treat for the Butterfly Lane readers, simply enter BUTTERFLYLN10 in to the voucher code on their website to receive 10% off all their gorgeous products *.  Thank you Gracious Style and enjoy everyone!

I hope that Butterfly Lane has inspired you to create some amazing and creative table settings.  Let us know how you get on…X


* The Gracious Style offer is not valid on sale or clearance items. Offer valid through 11:59 pm EST, May 31, 2012. Not valid on previous orders, orders with trade discounts, or when combined with any other promotional offers.


All images from the Butterfly Lane Pinterest page, Gracious Style and Google

P.S.  The Butterfly Lane online homeware boutique will be launching soon, for updates and to receive our blogs directly in to your inbox please pop your email address in to the box below.  You will receive an email from us to validate your request, simply click on the link and hey presto, design inspiration direct in to your inbox! 

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Inspiration: Five Quick Questions With...

We have had a busy week here at Butterfly Lane HQ.  We have surrounded ourselves with lovely creative people to inspire us and they have generously shared some of their design flair and fabulousness for the Butterfly Lane reader.  Enjoy!  X

Natalie Bulmer, Features Editor for my-wardrobe.com 

Stylist turned fashion writer Natalie, has an eye for all things beautiful and here are her thoughts on home design, country living and her passion in life...

Who and what inspires you?

I'm constantly inspired by the people closest to me, particularly my mum but also get lots of inspiration from one of my biggest passions - films. 

Are you a country or city person?

I adore living in the city and could never imagine being far from one but am equally at home in the country.  The best of both worlds is where I'd be happiest with easy access to either way of life!

How would you describe your own home's style? 

     

Feminine and cluttered!  I'm an innate hoarder and enjoy girly flourishes like chandeliers and   Toile de Jouy.

Images from John Lewis and Cabbages and Roses

What do you think will be a big trend for this summer?

We won't be able to see for a plethora of print come summer and I can't wait as it's one of my favourite looks.

Image from my-wardrobe.com

Can you leave us with your top interior design tip?

I think the best thing is to fill your home with things that say something about you and what you love.


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Ashley White, Interior Design Blogger for Decorology

American blogger Ashley has a truly inspiring interior design blog that showcases her love of all things beautiful.  Her creative flair makes her a must read and here at Butterfly Lane we are hooked.  Here is Ashley on her inspiration and how to ease yourself in to new trends...


Are you a country girl or city girl?  


I am at heart, a country girl.  I grew up on 200 acres on the Chesapeake Bay, and I lived in NYC for a few years.  I loved the culture and inspiration the city had to offer, but now that I’m back near the country, I don’t know if I would live in the city again.

Who and what inspires you?  

My parents inspire me.  They are the ones who gave me my work ethic, and appreciation of nature.  Nature is also my biggest inspiration.  The variety of patterns, colors, and shapes found in nature is staggering.

What do you think will be a big trend for this summer?  

I think we’re going to continue to see a lot of ethnic and tribal prints, such as Ikat and Moroccan motifs.


How would you describe your own home's style?
  
I would say it is a mix of new traditional and eclectic.  I like a mix of styles, but always tend to favor clean design over a lot of bells and whistles.  I also try to decorate primarily with objects that have sentimental value or significance to me.

Can you leave us with your top interior design tip?  

Before making a big purchase – always step back and ask yourself if the product is true to you.  You may like a current trend or style, but make sure it’s something you can live with a long time.  If you want to test out a new trend, buy a small accent of accessory in that style before purchasing a big-ticket item in that style.  I’ve learned this the hard way a couple of times.

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Lucy Bannister, Founder and Designer of Shu & Me Jewellery

The ever so stylish Lucy creates the most beautiful jewellery from vintage finds from Paris and the UK.  Every piece is handmade and one of a kind and we couldn't recommend her designs highly enough!  Here at Butterfly Lane we are in love with her Emilie and Jemima bracelets, they are perfect finishing touch to any outfit.  

Here is Lucy on her style, inspirations and top tips for spring/summer 2012...

How would you describe your own home's style?

Well I'm currently still at home - poor mum and dad!  I have however had free reign on my room and I always use that 'when I have my own house...' line, so with that in mind I'd say - I love all things vintage (probably an obvious one considering the jewellery I make!), but combined with a modern edge too.  I like furniture/objects around the house that have a story to tell and are full of character, my nana just doesn't understand my fascination with stuff she has in her house that to her is just old but to me is 100% treasure!  I also love to be surrounded by photographs, old and new, so I reckon pictures in lots of different kind of frames would feature heavily too in my (imaginary) house!  I think it would be full of lots of bits and bobs but in an organised fashion!  A friend recently sent me a link to this and said this had me written all over it -  Jessica Barensfeld and Simon Howell 

Images from Jessica Barenfeld and Simon Howell's apartment

Are you a country or city person?

With this one I'd say I'm totally split down the middle, I love the countryside and was brought up going for long walks when I was younger, which I probably made out I hated at the time but secretly loved deep down!  At the same time I love the buzz of the city, with so much going on and it always inspires me to want to do more and encourages me.  As long as I can have a balanced life with a  bit of both, I'm happy!

Who and what inspires you?

I take a lot of inspiration from just everyday people watching and the events going on around me, I love 'street style' features in magazines and online, also blogs like The Sartorialist.  I also think blogs like this one are always brilliant too to find out hidden gems of info, finding new places, ideas for interiors, fashion inspiration etc.  If I had to pick a person who's style I like I think Olivia Palermo's style is always quite effortlessly chic.  

The gorgeous Miss Palermo.  Image: FabSugar

What do you think will be a big trend for this summer?

I think the whole colour blocking trend will be big this summer, I'm a massive fan already and it's nice to see some colour on the catwalk whether it's the more subtle pastel shades or the bolder brights, I think if done properly it's a lovely trend and has encouraged me to step away from the safer dark side!

Can you leave us with your top interior design tip?

If you're like me and love 'stuff' but don't necessarily have the space I think stylish storage when it come to interior design is key!  To make a small room feel big use clever ways of storing things, I love quirky items liked stacked vintage suitcases, they make a great feature and also somewhere to store all of your things! 

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Rebecca Woodrow, Pretty Polly

Creating all your hosiery needs from the fabulous and fashion forward to everyones favourite tummy tucking opaques, Rebecca works for the likes of Henry Holland and many more. Here are her design tips for a very stylish home...

Are you a country or a city person? 

I would say I'm more of a town girl.  I love being close to the city looking at fast fashion and life styles. Yet I love stepping back and escaping into the scenery and my thoughts with long country walks with the dog.

How would you describe your own home's style?

I would like to call it shabby grandeur, though sometimes the shabby comes across more than the grandeur I'm sure!  Guess I will spend my life evolving & tweaking to get the desired look.

Who and what inspires you?

Eras inspire me from Edwardian times to the decadent 30's.

What do you think will be a big trend for this summer?

Popping rainbow colours of club tropicana to soft subtle shade of nude/white in textured knit wear. However with the Jubilee and the Olympics there will be a love of all this British .... think bunting and street parties.

Can you leave us with your top interior design tip?

To trust yourself in judgment and decisions, taste is a personal opinion.

All images from Rebecca Woodrow


A big thank you from Butterfly Lane to everyone who took part in this feature!  X

A Feminine Study Required Please

A study is a very personal space, a place for concentration and hard work, or maybe just a place for you to carry out your internet shopping!  In any case a study needs to have an air of calm and retreat, and this is different for different people.  I worked for the designer Sir Paul Smith for many years and his offices were an amalgamation of clutter and intrigue, he is a hoarder to say the least.  Books, old bikes, toys...you name it, he has it in his office.  However, this is how he works best, surrounding himself with inspiration and creativity.  I am certainly at the other end of the spectrum!  I like a clean, tidy and above all, organised office.  As I now work for myself, my home is my office, from the kitchen table, sofa or kitchen work top, I am all over the place and this is not ideal for my organisation.  Time for a change I reckon, and this week I  embark on my new project of creating a feminine, calm and above all organised home office to be proud of and to inspire me on a day-to-day basis.

Now the word 'feminine' fills the boyfriend with dread, as he often has to work on the weekend it is a place that he needs to use too, so he is desperately trying for me to remove the words 'feminine office' from my vocabulary!  However, feminine doesn't have to mean girly , with flourishes of floral, pink and glitter...oh no no no this is not what I'm thinking!  Instead, I'm using my usual neutral colour palette, (this morning I have painted three options on the wall and decided on Clunch by Farrow and Ball, a chalky, beigey, taupey shade of calm).  I have finally decided on the fabric for the window, a beautifully heavy printed silk in a contrasting tone to the wall colour. All I need to do now is find the perfect desk, add a Jo Malone relaxing candle, along with some other elegant desk top accessories and hey presto an office is born!   

The most difficult decision is for the study furniture, in particular the desk and chair.  Here are some images that I am taking inspiration from...

All images from the Butterfly Lane Pinterest page  Why not follow us!

Dormy House make the most beautiful Filing Ottomans that I will definitely be ordering.  They are such a feminine option instead of a clumsy filing cabinet and I can't wait to place my order.  It is entirely bespoke, choose your own fabric (from Dormy House or your own option), choose the feet and the inside design to your own specification.  What a great addition to any study.  Prices start from £210 for the larger size.  

I have just bought this cute Eiffel Tower letter rack, so lovely to hold your special notes and letters in.  Everyone needs a bit of Paris at home...

...and I love this traditional cream and black telephones.  The one in pewter is particularly gorgeous!  

All images from the Butterfly Lane Pinterest page  Why not follow us!

I will let you know how the finished article turns out, stay tuned...X