That discussion mostly made me think about the word "pimping" and wonder how it went from being selling someone else's sex work to being something desirable... :)

Right now I have a vintage cobalt crystal bud vase stuffed with yellow freesias in the middle of my table. They are bright and cheery and stink up half the house in that good subtle freesia way. Neither the vase nor the flowers "match" the room but it's okay because I like them!

Thanks for starting this thread Aphaea. I was thinking about doing the same thing even before Butternut started her thread. Like I said, our dining table is in almost constant use, so I have and use a lot of linens, rotating them out for cleaning and seasonally. Lately I've been indulging in some cool washable placemats. They have the utility of a tablecloth but are very easy to take on and off. That's something I often do with the centerpiece on my dining table, rotate a placemat under them. I have a set of about 5 or 6 looks, most seasonal. You could use chargers for the same purpose.

I've pared down my centerpieces. I used to put out a lot of candles but then realized I never light them (well almost never) so I became less enamored of that look. I also started collecting some beautiful salt and pepper shakers and napkin holders and various fruit bowls, which I use, including eating and rotating the fruit! Flowers are also nice, I have some nice vases. I also put some large decorative trivets on the table which I use a lot. But like I said, we use the table constantly. My "go tos" are some things with dried and fake foliage or art pieces. My mom had a beautiful carved fruit bowl with carved wooden fruit in it. Even an ornate clear glass bowl with some NICE pot pourri works. My daughter-in-law has a gorgeous piece she got from Etsy with fake roses made out of old book pages. I have a carved wood set of cardinals. Stuff like that I use sometimes, but sparingly. I've also done seasonal potted plants like amarylis or hyacinth. My dining room is very low light though, so I'm somewhat limited. If I had more light I would definitely do more plants.

Edited to add that here are a few shots, not particularly good. One is from Hannukah, and shows the inexpensive pressed glass stuff, which could be filled with many things to look good. In that case they were waiting for the main dishes to fill them. The other is from Thanksgiving, one of my favorite inherited family pieces. One could use real stuff but I like mom's old plastic things . . . also shows one of the decorative trivets. Some might not like the informality of these looks, but I enjoy creating tablescapes with thing I have and use regularly.

Cobalt blue vase filled with freesia. Goodness what a gorgeous image. There is nothing in the world that vase does not go with!

Mine changes very little, except that I sometimes add a small bouquet of roses from my garden. I had a 19th century Chinese export bowl in the middle for quite a few years, which has now migrated to the living room since I acquired an 18th century larger bowl to take its place.

Oh, I forgot about the birds; they're 19th century European, probably German. They've now migrated to the entry room and I now have these much smaller Chinese ones, which I'm not sure are a great look, but I don't have anything more suitable. I imagine silver candlesticks would be nice. Will have to look around for those. That would be a nice change from all that porcelain.

I have a raised bowl with a candle in the center surrounded by artifical grapes. This sits on a crocheted doily made by my late aunt. For every day eating my DH and I used placemats. When family is over I use a tablecloth, which is washed after every meal....I have a pink one, a gold one and a white one. For Christmas I have a bright red one. With the sun shining on our shiny table with the pretty centerpiece, it looks so clean and simple.

Don't have a dining "room", Just an area. Like to keep my table bare with something decorative on top.

Hi Aphaea-
I love green in the dining room and it goes so well with food too!
Right now on my table I have a celadon green plant pot that has several bulbs of opened pink hyacinth in it.
Sometimes I have a simple tall cylindrical glass vase with very tall flowers that make a statement like gladioli. That gets moved for mealtime.
Lately I’ve been favoring a deep green short majolica pitcher filled with lots of cheerful yellow daffodils.
Do you have any vintage silver or crystal? Vintage compotes?
I like to put interesting seasonal or textural or things from nature in them and put them on the table or on the coffee table.
They become topics of conversation or fun things to fiddle with.
Think of things like sea shells, coral, fossils, moss-covered balls, pine cones, acorns, etc.
I don’t know what your china is like.
If it is all white or all green and simple, for fun and if you have the space and the interest you can think of punching up the interest by adding to your collection with some type of different vintage ware in another style or color that is subtle and complementary and of course affordable.
The hunt is most of the fun!!

FTL thanks for sharing the photo of that table! That's one amazing piece!

Hi Loobab.

You gave me some interesting ideas. I do have a silver coffee and tea set I inherited from my mother but that is packed away because polishing it just seems like too much work. (I am considering selling it because I just don't have others over for a coffee/tea afternoon.) So that is a possibility. I also like the idea of seasonal/textural. I'll have to think what that could be. i'm hesitant to use anything that might interest the cats because i fear they might try to leap from the back of the new sofa onto the table to check it out. I actually have a pretty plastic red lobster that I have named "Clawdine" that would be funny but she's already got a home on the bookcase.

My dinnerware sets are vintage green jadite and a relatively new pattern from Pier One (https://www.pier1.com/alabaster-white-square-dinnerware/PS143828.html?rrec=true#ct-cross-sell).

Agreed! it is the hunt that's fun--and someday, completely by accident, coming across something fall in love with.

Aphaea, treat yourself once and a while and buy flowers. My mom died suddenly four years ago and while I did get her flowers occasionally, and so did dad, I wish I had done it more. She loved flowers. So often I am in the store here or there and see some flowers and wish I could treat my mom. Life is short, stop and smell and then every once and a while buy some flowers for your tabletop!

I am firmly In the “uncover and enjoy” camp. DH buys fresh flowers weekly:

Aphaea-
Unless you really dislike the tea set, don’t sell it. It will remind you of your mother every time you see it and if you give it a nice swipe with the polish regularly while watching the idiot box, it won’t become such a big chore and you will become accustomed to it looking beautiful all the time.
Find a polish formulation you like and wear some cotton gloves to protect your hands.
Then if you’ve done really really well at it, reward yourself with something else in silver. They are going for a song these days because no one wants to polish it and people think silver hollow ware and trays are old fashioned.

Oh, your lobster inspired me.
Are you creative?
Do you like clay?
Majolica?
Your lobster made me think of Palissy-ware.
And all the other marvelous antique French majolica that would look so well with your colors and your table.
Why not try your hand at making your own majolica of that style?
You can practice first with Play-Doh.
Or if you want something a bit more subdued, try making your own lettuceware.
That would look marvelous as well.
You can hang these things on the wall and serve with them!

I have lovely bowls in my dining room and living room that I like to fill with apples. I think buying fresh fruit for decor is like buying fresh flowers. However, I just heard my son tell my granddaughters that they can’t eat grandma’s fruit because she polishes them with Pledge. Guilty. But I did point out the safe apples from the fridge.

I keep my cherry dining table uncovered. And it is my only table for eating. I have dozens of tablecloths and place mats, both fancy and casual. Breakfast is always eaten with placemats, the cork backed type you can wipe easily. Dinner is usually placemats. Nicer dinners on tablecloth or fancy embroidered placemats.

I rotate my centerpieces. Right now there are two crystal candlesticks with ivory tapers, and a crystal vase of parrot tulips on the table as well. I desperately want a Delft tulipiere, but that alas is too expensive for the moment.

I loved seeing everyone's formal dining room tables. It's refreshing to see elegant fine wood furniture. I have been seeing a lot less formal, less quality tables in dining rooms that for me are more suited for kitchens. Maybe new fine furniture it too costly or maybe i just like old things like me.

Ingrid, quarter-sawn oak is my favorite. Your table is gorgeous.

We rarely ever dine at this table, but I still greatly enjoy having it. It's very simply decorated with a copper Nambe bowl that we picked up in Santa Fe a couple of years ago that occasionally holds a few pieces of fruit.

That is beautiful, Ida.

Bonnie, that looks exactly like the dining set I have. It is pretty, isn't it?

So much about dining rooms lately on Houzz, yay, and to (loosely) quote Julia Child, there are those who feed and those who dine. I prefer that second group, given the chance. My dining room has a big window but it is shaded by an overhang, which we need here in the southwest, so I always was on the lookout for some glass. I wanted to draw light in with a centerpiece. I recently found this reasonable piece of Polish glassware. I don't like the Chihuly-style wavy bowls I see around, and most other artisan glass is way out of my price range, though worth it, I know. I shopped for some vintage glass online for a while which was a fun time-waster, but didn't pan out in the end. I used to display a nice vintage candelabra, but with forced air it's just impossible to maintain tapers - which I do love. I've settled for the two votives for now. Work in progress - as always.

I fooled around with various bowls and vases for a long time but my Aunt’s silver tea service looks at home on my table so it’s staying for awhile.