October 6th is the official kick off to my fall decorating extravaganza! I decided to begin with the dining table centerpiece. I chose this vintage silver tray that needed some TLC to be the base of my display. I acquired it, as well as, the flower petal serving bowls that are pictured above at an estate sale. I only picked a few of the silver items, but their were 3 large folding tables full of aged silver serving pieces and candelabras. I can only image the dinner parties and holidays this couple must have hosted in their home. It definitely would of been sterling!
I painted the top of the tray my favorite color of Dixie Belle Chalk Paint called Sea Glass, which I then distressed and aged with Dixie Belle brown furniture wax. I decided to leave the handles and bottom of the tray in its original silver that has been naturally tarnished with age and use. I think it turned out beautifully.
I am going to give a little spiel on Dixie Belle’s furniture wax and sealer, just because its unlike any I’ve used before. Normally, furniture wax in other brands takes 30 days to harden and cure. Not with Dixie Belle, it is ready to go in 7 days. Another bonus with this wax is that Dixie Belle has a water-based sealer called Gatorhide that can be used as a topcoat over their paints and waxes. Most of the other brands I have come across do not offer this option over waxes, which means you are going to have to reapply the wax every so often in order to maintain the look you want. It’s an awesome product that I use on all my projects. As a side note, I’m not being compensated by Dixie Belle. It just does what it says, so I will be glad to sing its praise!
Next, I added the silver nesting bowls that I picked up at the same estate sale. I loved the flower petal shape and the fact that they fit together to look like a lotus flower. I painted the outside and bottom of these bowls with a different brand of chalk paint made by Rust-oleum in the color called Linen White. The Rust-oleum Chalk Paints are half the price of Dixie Belle and other brands. I can not pass up a bargain, so I decided to try it. I found that it was easy to use and not much different from the more expensive brands of chalk paint. The only downside is that Rust-oleum does not have very many choices in color. Hopefully, that will change over time. I left the inside of the bowls untouched to show off the aged silver patina.
When I first started making this arrangement, I decided to nest the bowls and put a candle in the center. Then I added some of my fall decorations from years past that I purchased at the craft store: a gourd and a pumpkin in orange and golden metallic colors with some autumn fabric leaves. For me, I really like the mixed metallic color scheme. For instance, you cannot see it in the picture below, but I have a brass chandelier over my dining table that was original to the house (1958) and my buffet has brushed nickel nobs. (I am planning to show the full dining room in a future post.) I find if you sprinkle the different metallic finishes consistently throughout the home, it will pull it all together adding a timeless, elegant but casual feel to your home.
Though, I really like this arrangement, I am never satisfied with just one scenario, so I decided to separate the bowls. Designing and decorating is a process that should be creative and fun. Not everything has to match. It just needs to compliment each other, so mix it up a bit. You’ll be surprised what looks good together. Don’t be afraid to add, omit, or rearrange items.
Now, that the dining table centerpiece is done. I will tackle the buffet and the fireplace next. Please, follow me on Pinterest and like my page on Facebook for more ideas. Also, the tray and nesting bowls are available for purchase just click the links below or visit my Etsy Shop to see all my listed items.
homeonelderwood.com 