Holiday House Tour Tablescapes

My favorite aspect of participating in our local holiday house tour was seeing how four women, all neighbors and friends living in historic homes with young children, designed their holiday displays so differently.  No where was this more evident than in the tablescapes of the dining rooms:

Pure Elegance

Could there be anything more elegant than sitting down at a round dining room table for 10?  I'm loving the jeweled tones used to set this table, and the restraint that allows other aspects of the room such as the mantle, molding, and chandelier, to have their say, too.

Magical Whimsy
What could be more fun than seeing a formal and historic space turned on its head a bit?  This homeowner went with a "Mad Hatter" theme, creating eclectic stacks of tea cups and saucers.

Coastal Classic

This stunning tablescape was unexpected, sophisticated and fun, with a coastal theme bringing us New Englanders fond and dim memories of summer!  It worked perfectly against the backdrop of the gorgeous Thibault blue grasscloth wallpaper, with the homeowner creatively incorporating shells, starfish and other reminders of the beach.

Reindeer Whimsy
My mom started me on a collection of reindeer tablesettings from Pottery Barn several years ago, so it was easy to pull together the foundation for a theme.  I kept to whites and silvers, punctuating the glassware with silver snowflakes and ornaments from the dollar store.  Silver ribbons hung from the chandelier and tucked in between the dinner plates and silver chargers added some height and whimsy to the room.