Ode to Avocado Green

When I was a young engaged bride-to-be, the “in” colors were Avocado Green and Harvest Gold (I will bet that some of you had those colors in your homes, too!). Before the wedding, my mother and I made a visit to the local jewelry store, which was the place in our small town to select all of the tableware. I have written about this trip in another blog and I confessed that I am still happy with all of the choices that I made that day. The Tablescape Times Three pattern for July is the one that I selected for my informal china, Royal Doulton’s “Samarra”.

Another confession that I must make is that I never actually used this beautiful china for informal meals. I realized quickly that it was too nice to use all of the time, so my mother gave me a set of white ironstone that my husband and I used for every day.

For my table setting this month, I decided to use almost all avocado green tableware to pay homage to that fabulous color.

I set a brunch table for four.

“Samarra” dinner plates were placed on top of ecru cotton placemats.

I added matching salad plates.

On top, I placed avocado Bia ramekins, which were a recent purchase from Tuesday Morning. These are the perfect size to use as fruit cups, before the entree is presented.

Coffee or tea can be poured into the “Samarra” teacups. Our family usually prefers hot coffee or iced tea, but we do entertain guests occasionally who want hot tea or cold coffee!

To serve the coffee, I set out my coffee pot, creamer and covered sugar. When I married, I did not receive the creamer and sugar as wedding gifts. However, many years later, my two children gave them to me one Christmas. They found them on Replacements and I was thrilled, since the pattern had been discontinued by then. The coffee pot is an even later addition to the collection, but I purchased it from Replacements, also.

The avocado green footed glasses are Fostoria in the “Mesa” pattern. These glasses were chosen at the same time as the china.

I managed to find avocado napkins and napkin rings and used them together.

The flowers on my grandmother’s “Presentation” silverplate flatware mimic the delicate flowers on the china.

I did decide at the last minute that I should add a little bit of additional color, so that the table would not resemble the Jolly Green Giant. I cut a few of my miniature roses and put them in silverplate creamers from Two’s Company.

I had fun creating this table. It brought back so many memories – I only wish that I taken the time to find photos of those extremely stylish Harvest Gold appliances that I had in my first two houses!!

Diane