National Book Lovers Day!

Can I do a bit of self-promotion on National Book Lovers Day?  I hope you will scroll through my books featured below and find a little bit of inspiration for your next celebration!

Candlelight Dinner Al Fresco

Justin, JR and I were so dissapointed when we had to cancel our trip to London at the last minute earlier this year.  We were Britain-bound for the wedding of two people we adore, Justin's cousin Philip La Londe and Georgie Dinham.  Because we missed the wedding, we decided to host a seated dinner in their honor in Los Angeles so we could gather together with friends and family and toast the newlyweds!

The weather in LA called for dinner al fresco under the stars!  The long out-door table had seating for 16 so we packed it tight and started to set the table!  I used a random collection of brass candle sticks in various styles, shapes and sizes down the center of the table.  I ordered six different colors of taper candles to add a little bit of color to the big stone table.

Then the talented Carly Cylinder, also known as The Flower Chef,  got to work!  She brought dozens of small glass vases and jars and placed the down the center of the table, mingling with the candles.  The effect was sweet yet dramatic and it was exactly what I was looking for.  Carly was amazing to work with. She always had a big smile on her face and shared my excitement for the tablescape!  I can't wait for her book to come out soon!  You can pre-order it now!

Here is Carly posing between Georgie and I.  We had so much fun putting the finishing touches on the table.

The table was set with the first round of linen samples from my new line, Halo Home. I love the fringe placemats and dinner napkins and I can't wait to make them available to you on-line.  In the meantime, you can order them by calling or visiting The Loveliest, a fabulous monogram shop in Dallas.   We mixed and matched colors because we didn't have eighteen of a single color in our sample order at the time! 

The china is Rosenthal Meets Versace Iconic Heroes pattern.

As the sun went down, I lit the candles (do you know the trick about using a long dry stick of spaghetti?) and counted down the moments until the guests arrived.

Justin made a toast to the bride and groom and in my family's tradition, made everyone go around the table and share a blessing they had for the bride and groom.

The gluten free meal was from Made by Meg and she and her team were wonderful!  They made us forget that we were eating gluten free in honor of the groom!

As our guests left for the night, the took home Graybill and Downs hand cremes.  I had taken over their Instagram account that week and they graciously sent candles, soaps and lotions for the house and our guests.  Such a treat!

Now you can shop the post!

Sunkist® Citrus Tips with Kimberly Schlegel Whitman: DIY Place Card Holder

Here is the video tutorial on the Lemon Egg Cup Place Card Holders I shared photographs of yesterday.  I hope you like it!

Lettuce Ware

A few years ago, I did a story for Southern Living Magazine about Alfresco Entertaining.  I was so excited by the assignment because it was my first as Editor-at-Large and it gave me an opportunity to pull out my Lettuce Ware!  

Do you know it?  Do you have some?

Lettuce Ware has an interesting history, weaving its way onto the tables of the world's most stylish ladies from C.Z. Guest to Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis.  To learn more about it, check out this wonderful article in the WSJ about collecting Lettuce Ware.

But here is the good news for you:  

Tory Burch has launched a new collection of Lettuce Ware, Dodie Thayer for Tory Burch, so that you don't have to stalk antique stores and ebay to piece enough for a table together!

I hope you will add some to your collection and send me photos of the tablescapes that you create!  

Happy Hosting! 

Southern Living Photography by Laurey W. Glenn

Dodie Thayer for Tory Burch image via ToryBurch.com

Friday Favorites

Table Settings that set High Expectations

This is on my Valentine's Day wish list! 
This would do too.
A girl can dream.....

Super Dips for Bowl Games!  Where will you be watching?

I hear this is the greatest bestest hair texturizing spray ever!

Loving all of the new looks in the J.Crew catalogue and they have an additional 40%-50% off some sale items too!   Use the code: SALETIME. 

Tablescape Tuesday: Pink and Turquoise

I'm feeling inspired by these beautiful pink and turquoise tablescapes!  Maybe it is time to plan an end of Summer Soiree!

Simon Watson for House Beautiful  Interior Design by Ruthie Sommers

House Beautiful

Heather Christo

D Home

Tablescape Tuesday: Summer Supper in LaLaLand

I had a great time setting the table for this summer supper in Los Angeles a few weeks ago.  While it was in the 100s in Dallas, it was gorgeous in LA! My sister, Krystal, and I whipped this table together in a pinch and had a blast doing it!

Photo Credit:  Daniel Arnold

Tablescape Tuesday - Thanksgiving Edition

Are you starting to plan your Thanksgiving tables?  It is never to early!
Kathie Lee and Hoda and I were chatting about it last year and I thought you might find inspiration in the segment if I pulled it out again.  Enjoy!

Click here to watch!

And of course, I want to know how you set your Thanksgiving table.  I would be so grateful if you would leave your ideas and inspiration in the comments.

Tablescape Tuesday: Mario Buatta

I'm a big fan of designer Mario Buatta.  I love that his designs are so colorful and so full of pattern.  His tablescapes and dining rooms are no different! Enjoy!

This table was featured in Architectural Digest and they said the murals made you feel like you were dining al fresco all year long.

From the New York Social Diary

New York Social Diary

Architectural Digest

I love this portrait of Mario surrounded by inspiration!  

Looking for more - check out these tablescapes by Mario Buatta from the 70s on The Peak of Chic Blog!

Tablescape Tuesday: Wish-List

These colder temperatures, (it's snowing in Dallas!), have us yearning for Spring and warmer weather. This week's wish-list draws inspiration from garden fresh greenery and organic accents perfect for a Spring tablescape. 

{1. Side Plates 2. Rosemary 3. Teak Server Set 4. Ceramic Berry Basket 

5. Goto Gold Bubble Glassware 6. Egg Shakers} 

GrandLuxe Magazine Feature

Happy November everyone!

It is such an honor to be featured in GrandLuxe Magazine and I am so thrilled to share with you a peek at the issue. 

Remember the tablescape featured in last week's post? If you pick up a copy of this issue you can see the full photo-shoot plus much more!

You can also browse the issue here

Tablescape to Outfit: Happy Halloween!

Martha Stewart Tablescape

Tablescape Tuesday: Lucite Bases

Lucite bases make wonderful additions to any entertaining closet. They are elegant and chic, modern and classic at the same time. They can be used on the tabletop to raise the height and the grandeur of candlesticks or floral containers. They can also be used in the foyer to frame a seating chart or escort cards. They are handy on a bar cart to hold the ingredients to a signature drink or on a serving tray (if the piece is thin and not too heavy) for hors d'oeuvres. Their clear surfaces can be quite delicate, so be careful not to scratch them with sharp objects; otherwise, use your imagination and have fun with them. I guarantee that you will use them repeatedly and they will become one of your favorite entertaining tools.

For this special dinner (below), we used lucite bases, and it was the perfect addition to the tablescape!

Tablescape

Tablescape Tuesday: Pour Memoir Cards

I love the process of putting together a dinner party for six or eight people. Each host has a different number that works for her; for me, eight is enough for a seated dinner.

My favorite way to extend an invitation for a dinner party, especially one of that size, is to call. The telephone is the perfect way to reach out and ask someone to join you. Once they accept your invitation, you can ask another couple who would mix well with the group you are forming and so on and so on. You can customize your guest list and put together a dinner party with chemistry this way.

It is important, I believe, to follow up with a Pour Memoir, or To Remind, card. You can either find a lovely blank card and ask your calligrapher to write it out for you or you can have some printed with your names and spaces to fill in.

The verbiage should go like this:

                                                                       Tablescapes

Tablescape Tuesday: Coral on the Beach

I think we can all agree that nothing says summer quite like listening to the sound of the water, feeling the sand between your toes and watching the dune grass sway in the breeze. I recently returned from a trip to the beach, and I couldn't let the summer slip by without sharing the details of a dinner party I hosted on the beach last summer.

Kimberly Shlegel Whitman Tablescapes

When the opportunity to dine on the beach arises, I am the first to volunteer to participate. I like to start my dinners on the beach while it is still light outside, leaving the candles unlit. As the sun goes down, I light the candles both on the table and around the table for a beautiful glow.

Kimberly Shlegel Whitman Tablescapes

For this party, my husband and our friends carried the teak table and chairs down to the beach for our special sunset dinner. Raynaud's "Cristobal" pattern china seemed a good choice for the evening. I love its color and pattern, and I especially love all of the different pieces that it has. Each piece has a different pattern, some with coral-colored background with white accents and others with a white background and handpainted coral branches. My favorite pieces in the group are the sea urchin-shaped salt and pepper shakers set on a small square tray.

Kimberly Shlegel Whitman Tablescapes

 Simple crystal glassware perfectly complemented our tabletop. A centerpiece of curving driftwood fitted with small containers for tea light candles added to our simple beach look. Large chunks of coral, some set into Lucite bases, added color to the center. Beautiful gold-colored seashells filled in other spaces, and highlighted the gold accents on the china. A set of antique glasses with handblown coral accents served as vases. They are filled with sand to help the blowing dune grass stay standing tall.

Kimberly Shlegel Whitman Tablescapes

Kimberly Shlegel Whitman Tablescapes

Kimberly Shlegel Whitman Tablescapes

When serving dinner for special guests outdoors, be sure to think through what their experience might be from start to finish. For example, if it gets chilly on the beach where you spend your holidays, it is a nice gesture to have a pile of pashminas or warm wraps in a basket nearby so your guests can put them around their shoulders as the sun goes down. You might even hang one over the back of each guest's chair and give them as party favors to take home at the end of the evening. 

It's also important to ask yourself, could guests ruin their shoes in the sand? At my dinner party, I asked them to trade in their shoes for flip-flops that you provide at a "shoe check." 

I hope you enjoyed seeing the details of my summer dinner party. With just a few more weeks of summer left, I am hoping to entertain on the beach as much as possible!