Relaxed Summer Table Setting by Eddie Ross

By Jennifer Kopf
May 18, 2010
Lauren Rubinstein
Antique finds and a fresh green-and-white palette create a look just right for a gathering of family and friends.
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Casual Yet Elegant Table

Lauren Rubinstein

Even when the mood is casual, the setting can still be elegant and pretty. Lifestyle expert Eddie Ross shopped Atlanta’s Scott Antique Market and local stores for a mix of old and new components to create this inviting table setting.

The success is in his palette and his mix of materials. White dishes, napkins, and milk glass combine with the sparkle and shine of silver and clear glass. The pop comes from the accents of green brought in through the organic centerpieces and place card holders.

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Layer China and Glass

Photo: Lauren Rubinstein

Simple white china and clear glass look elegant but feel casual. It’s all in the details, so choose pierced and etched designs to add interest without distracting.

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Reflect the Natural Light

Photo: Lauren Rubinstein

The subtle shimmer of silver adds romantic elegance to any setting. Etched silver goblets reflect light and combine nicely with unadorned glass stemware.

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Add Color with Menu Cards

Photo: Lauren Rubinstein

For a menu card that is easy and inexpensive, adhere two different sizes of card stock together using double-sided tape. Handwriting the info keeps it low-key and personal.

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Arrange an Edible Centerpiece

Photo: Lauren Rubinstein

Heap fruits that are of a similar green shade—such as grapes, limes, and apples—in a large milk-glass compote for an easy arrangement that is pretty and delicious.

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Create a Unique Place Card

Photo: Lauren Rubinstein

Inexpensive terra-cotta pots from a crafts store look upscale when painted white and topped with moss and a fern frond. Silver-plated sheet music clamps hold name cards.

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Mix Vintage Flatware

Photo: Lauren Rubinstein

Combine pieces from different sets of silver flatware for a modern, collected setting. Flatware with mother-of-pearl handles also looks just right mixed with silver.

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