When I go to visit friends, I love to decorate the dining room for dinner. Actually, I like to do it at home as well - for holidays and stuff like that. This past month, I got up to the Berkshires again for our annual summer visit to our friends that live in an old Shaker Village. This is the table that I did up with moss from the back yard. Enjoy!
The dining room in the old days...
Starting from scratch.
Heading out the door to look for moss and greenery. I'm going green with this table.
The back steps where the moss came from.
All the greens and moss collected on the table.
Trying out the moss with the new candles.
The table is set!
Dinner arrives from the grill.
The sun is sinking and the guests are about to arrive.
It's interesting that in looking now at these pictures, it doesn't seem like a lot of work, but pulling all the elements together and getting everything shiny and glistening took time. The best effects are subtle and seem effortless, I guess.
I would have included pics of the actual dinner and guests, BUT they didn't come out too well. It was too dark!
Enjoy and please send us or link to your own great table setting creations in the comments - thanks!
Related Posts
• House Tour: Shaker Brick House
• House Tour: Shaker Color and Details
• Summer Tablescaping in a Shaker Home
Before & After: Emily Henderson Transforms a Senior's Studio Space
Monica & Austin's Charming Bungalow
Good Food to Share 
The Big Book of Small, Cool Spaces 
Apartment Therapy Presents 
The Eight-Step Home Cure 
White Enamel Four-P...
How To Cook Fluffy, Tasty Quinoa
True Greek Recipe: Paximadi Bread Salad with Tomatoes, Feta and Capers
This looks beautiful! Love the look with the moss and candles, great idea!
Beautiful, but it made me worried about that lovely step, denuded of its moss. Did you put the moss back when you were done?
Simply fabulous! Reminded to put plastic under the moss if it's wood.
I decorated a college president's retirement dinner with similar: our sidewalk was overgrown with moss and baby tears, which I scraped onto three cookie sheets with a metal spatula. I took those hideous mirror tiles and votives, and put hardware store pebbles around the edges along with a few bigger rocks at one end. Trader Joes used to carried a dozen orchid stems @$5, so we wound 2-3 orchids, mushrooms from the Asian grocer, and moss around the centerpiece. Amazing, beautiful.
And your table reminded me of this happy time - great beauty is found in the simplest things. www.peacefulones.blogspot.com
Lovely! Makes me want an invitation! Hailing from Oregon, my mom does all sorts of fun things with moss.
When you take moss from outdoors, you do run the risk of pulling up a rare variety. A good alternative is to buy it at a florist's shop.
Looks lovely however, not sure he case where this moss was used, however where I am, it would be FULL of bugs so I would be inclined to get moss from a nursery.
Beautiful atmosphere created with the natural greens...
This year for the first time in our apt. my husband & I set a dual holiday table; Passover & Easter. A fun mix of matzoh & plastic Easter eggs amused my guests as did the menu of my first glazed ham & matzoh meal pancakes & gefilte fish. Mix it up, have fun, life's too short.
That's beautiful. Also good to know one can buy moss at a florist's shop (no moss growing around my place).
Good questions!!
Actually, the moss went back outside afterwards and I did the same thing last year - so this is practically the same moss:
http://www.apartmenttherapy.com/ny/summer-tablescaping-in-a-shaker-home-122428
The moss is pretty hardy and seemed to love its time indoors. :-)
I love moss and love your use of it on the table.
The mix of shades of green on the table is beautiful.
So glad you replaced the moss after dinner was over.
Oh geez, just scooping up moss from the yard and placing on dinner table seems nasty to me! Dirt, bugs, etc. = unappetizing
The greens in the simple glass cups works so well with the Shaker decor - did you mention what they were?
Can't help but think that my quail family candles would be lovely nestled in your moss landscape....
http://www.etsy.com/listing/77597300/vintage-quail-figurine-white-soy-candles
(You did ask for table setting creations....)
Susan1981,
Get with the program. Maxwell was quite clearly saying you didn't have to eat the moss, bugs or the dirt!
Think picnic, you know the bugs and the dirt are just under the picnic rug.
Sorry to be a bother, but what is the source for the china?
Beautiful, serene setting for dinner. And the moss and greenery look perfect in the Shaker setting.
I absolutely adore this. And I love, love, love that you put the moss back... What a lovely eco-friendly idea.
Great table!!! Just awesome. Love using things from outside and then replacing them when able. The candlelight just glimmers!! And to think of it in the Berkshires!! Perfect!!
Now or Never: well, picnics are OUTSIDE but this table setting is INSIDE - so can't compare it to that. I still say I don't want the bugs and moss inside. :)