Kentucky Derby Brunch!

Welcome to Tablescape Thursday hosted by Susan from the blog, "Between Naps on the Porch". If you haven't already, be sure to check out all of the beautiful tablescapes. You will not be disappointed!

Since Easter is Sunday, I knew there would be a lot of Easter tablescapes, so I decided to do something a little different. I fell in love with these plates and liked them so much, I decided to purchase them for my everyday dishes. When I put this tablescape together, I thought it had a somewhat regal air to it, so I named it my, "Kentucky Derby Brunch". (I realize I am a bit early for this kind of thing.) While there isn't any one item that may be associated with the Kentucky Derby per se, I thought this would be the type of tablescape that I'd create if I were hosting a brunch for the Kentucky Derby. It is elegant, yet casual, simple, yet regal. Let's take a look around.

A simple color scheme of black and cream is the foundation for this tablescape.

The rustic nature of the chairs add to this tablescape.

The centerpiece is a crystal vase of white roses, a cream textured coffee pot and a crystal clock with a black rim, repeating the black in the tablescape.

I started with black placemats on the glass topped table. A tablecloth would have been too formal and covered up the rustic nature of the chairs. For the napkin, I used the ties that came with the placemats. I simply cut them to size, washed and ironed them. For the napkin ring, I used a pin. I tried to get some close-ups however the glare was too great, even when I turned off the lights.

I used Royal Stafford earthenware china for my place setting. Here is a closer look of the plate. I love the toile look to it. I like the farmhouse in the background, the hayride, the doggie and the fruit around the edges. In the photo above, you'll notice the pattern repeats on the mug.

Here is a photo of the back of the plate.

The inspiration for the table setting was the black sheep. It was a Home Goods find and I fell in love with him. Since no family is without a black sheep, I picked him up. Then I decided to get two and use them to accent the tablesetting. The sheep was difficult to photograph for a close up due to the glare, so you'll have to look closely to see him. I thought the face was charming.
The centerpiece of the tablescape features a beautiful textured coffee pot from Home Goods. I loved the color, the texture and the shape of this piece. It has an elegance to it, despite the fact that is it porcelain. Typically, you'll get a greater level of texture, clarity and crispness to fine bone china, which is why I love that. For many years, I used fine bone china for every day as well. It was only in the past two years, that I switched to a place setting that is dishwasher and microwavable. The main reason was I preferred the crispness of the patterns.

Here is another view of the place setting and centerpiece. I should also note that this tablescape came together so easily. I kept trying to add things to it but soon realized that simple was better. It didn't need anything more.

A view of the entire table.

One last look at the tablescape.

Thank you for coming to my tablescape. I really enjoy all of the lovely comments.

One final note...I have really enjoyed participating in this lovely group. I noticed that many of the tablescape participants are from the South and I really enjoy the femininity and graciousness of your homes. I think that although I am from the midwest, I must really be a southern girl at heart. I have never lived there, but I do enjoy the classic and elegant lines of the southern homes.

Note: I am a Professional Organizer and Home Stager; I run a business called, "Dream Organizers". My motto is, "Keep it simple. Get organized. Make it beautiful."