Just an hour away, a pretty drive across the Golden Gate Bridge, is the Napa-Sonoma wine region. The Wine country inspired my harvest table setting for this Project Design with Cindy, Annie, and other friends (links at the end of the post).
Napa-Sonoma is beautiful and romantic but wildfires have tragically damaged some wineries. There’s hope as I write this as firefighters are containing the latest one and we are expecting rain on Friday.
Winemakers are not only hardworking farmers, they are scientists, marketers, and bon vivants. And I admire that!
Wine Country Inspired Harvest Table
Wooden Fruit Basket With Grapes
When we were living in Paris, we bought an antique farm table (serving as my sister’s desk now) from an old couple at a flea market. As a “cadeau” (gift), they threw in the wooden fruit basket below. So nice 🙂 Usually, I keep magazines in it.
I placed bubble wrap in the bottom of the fruit basket and loaded it up with leaves from the tree across the street and wine grapes from the flower market…but you could just use regular grapes from the grocery store. I also added those feathery stalks…not sure what they are called…do you know?
Cotton Linen Napkins and Rings
The dark blue napkins (on sale) from West Elm wash nicely. The grape napkin rings were attached as gifts/free to certain bottles of rosé (this was also when we were living in Paris–and I have about ten of them!).
Tie A Towel Around The Wine To Protect Table
It also adds a little “flair”. This one is linen from Pottery Barn. It’s also one of my favorite dish towels.
The table runner also from West Elm.
You may also like Party Ideas With Citrus: Tablescape, Hummus Platter, Fresh Lime Margaritas
and A CASUAL FRENCH DINNER PARTY.
Colorful Plates
It’s fun to mix up the dishes. The Provencal style light green plates are years old from Homegoods (similar) and the aqua/denim blue salad plates are from Anthropologie.
Like a lot of gatherings this year, this was just a small dinner that we with salad frisée and braised short ribs. I pulled out the wire votive holders (similar) from a few years ago for a little festivity!
Speaking of festivity…let’s get some inspiration from my friends and their
Fall tables…
MA – I love your harvest theme. One of my favorite things about living in Sonoma was the fun of all the harvest festivities … lunches, dinners, parties … just a happy (and busy) time. The odd year would see harvest extend to Halloween – or later – and we’d still be harvesting grapes while enjoying the annual Harvest/Halloween celebration. Ah, the good old days. I digress. Your table is fabulous … of course, I’m a push over for blue. I’m going to start tying a napkin or towel around my wine bottles! xo
I bet you miss all that fun, Juliet!
Your table is stunning! You captured simplicity and elegance – I’m hoping to incorporate some of these elements in my (much smaller) holiday table this year.
Thanks, Barb! It means a lot to me.
Absolutely beautiful!
I have my college students coming home this weekend and my husband wants to make short ribs and now I’m inspired to make a nice table. We will make the most of the rainy weekend!
Oh, have a wonderful time!!
This harvest table and setting are absolutely beautiful!! I love the color scheme, and use of leaves and grapes! So pretty.
Thanks, Robin! It wasn’t that hard to do!
Beautiful arrangement with the grapes…so colorful! Just heartbreaking about the fires poor Napa & Sonoma they can’t catch a break.
Hope you had a wonderful birthday Mary Ann!
Linda
We got rain last night!
Really great idea. Thank you.
Mary Ann – I can’t stop staring and I love how you have demystified that centerpiece so even I could put one together! Thank you for sharing all of these sources and lifting my spirits across the miles. Your site is one of my happy places! xox
Thanks, Michele!!!
Wishing you a delightful birthday with simple pleasures and small treasures. Undoubtedly, Howard already made it a reality.
Our family is coming on Saturday to celebrate my October birthday. Your simple elegant harvest centerpiece will be duplicated as we distance on our deck. Thank you for the delightful inspiration.
Birthday hugs from Camano Island, Diney
Happy birthday, Diane!!
Mary Ann,
What a pretty table. I love setting a table with real plants, fruits and vegetables. This is a fun topic and timely. I’m ready to have a few of our closest friends for a patio dinner
Karen
Happy Birthday, Mary Ann! I hope it was a special day for you.
Beautiful table – you outdid yourself.
Ann
It was a great birthday. Thanks, Ann.
Oh how i love this table Mary Ann! I wish I could pull up a chair & pop the cork with you! The grapes are so luscious – what a wonderful idea. I think going with the blue of them for other details on the table was the perfect idea. I am so inspired – I think I’ll have a glass of wine 😉
xx
You are so funny, Kelly. Your table was gorgeous!
Hi Mary Ann,
You table is lovely. I like how subtle the color scheme is, love the blues and green and the grapes as a centerpiece, you pulled it all together so cleverly! I hope you have a very happy birthday and get to celebrate with some of the people you love.
I have many sentimental family memories of the Napa and St. Helena areas. It’s so beautiful and historic, for Ca anyway. So sad all the devastating losses of properties. This has been such a terrible fire year. I’m praying for fog or even better, rain, every day.
XO Heidi
We got rain last night, Heidi. Hope you did too!
Happy birday to you, happy birthday to you, happy birthday to you! I hope that you have a fabulous birthday! Today is my husbands birthday as well! What do you have in your plans for a celebration? My husband just arrived home last night, so not sure what we will be doing, probably celebrating tomorrow for dinner with friends.
I love this tables cape!!!! How simple and creative.
Thanks so much, Elizabeth!!
Mary Ann, I love your table. It’s so pretty and unique with the grapes and the leaves and what a great idea using a pretty towel around the wine to stop dripping! I will do that. I love the whole mix of blues here. I have been thinking about those in St Helena. I cannot believe these fires are still going on. So sad. Hoping the rain helps. It was lovely doing this together. Thank you for the opportunity to be part of it too. xo kim
Thanks, Kim…Your table is beautiful, just like you!
MaryAnn your table is stunning. And I find the color scheme so refreshingly unique. I agree with Annie that the story of the basket adds even more charm and is a perfect way to display the grapes, and boy they make a dramatic focal point. Such a good idea about wrapping the wine bottle with a tea towel too, I can’t believe I’ve never done that.
Thanks, Leslie, your table is gorgeous!
Happy Birthday! I hope you have a wonderful day. I so look forward to your posts, they’re my first click when I see them arrive in my inbox.
Such a nice thing to say, Amy! Thank you.
Such a lovely table! I’m going to try and create my version of this tonight. Hmm, where to find those grapes in Atlanta…maybe I’ll start with Whole Foods. Happy Birthday, Mary Ann! Karen Laszcz
I would just use any grapes, Karen!
Happy birthday to my beautiful friend. I hope your day is filled with lots of love and laughter.
Your table is just gorgeous. Those wine grapes in that great wood basket with the leaves and grasses are the perfect arrangement for fall. Your plates and linens add so much to make this table one I’d like to sit at!
Hugs!
I wish you WERE sitting at it, Gail. Thanks so much.
Such a beautiful table your eye for color and detail is especially present in this gorgeous table .
My dear friend has lived in Sonoma for over forty years and her heart is broken over these fires .
She told me they had just completed harvesting the grapes at the winery her son managed days
before the Glass fire started .
The rain would surely be a blessing to the firefighters as the battle yet another fire in the wine country .
Yes…so disheartening these fires, Alexis. Thank you for commenting!
I think the wild grass may be barley
Thanks, Cherry!
RIGHT ON about the winemakers!!!!THEY are MULTIPLE PEOPLE all IN ONE!
NOW I HEAR NO RAIN ON FRIDAY!!!!!!!I WAS SO EXCITED………..for the fires and our GARDENS!
TODAY IS YOUR BIRTHDAY I REALIZE AS I TYPE!!!!!!!!!HAPPY HAPPY BIRTHDAY Mary Ann !!!!!
THAT IS A TYPE OF GRASS………….NAME ?I have NO IDEA but VERY POPULAR in GARDENS OVER HERE!
SEIZE THE DAY!!!
XX
OH TABLE IS BEAUTIFUL!!!!!
oh bummer, Elizabeth…no rain? We need it. Thanks so much for the birthday wishes!
Mary Ann! Your table is so new and creative, just when you think you’ve seen everything, you come up with something totally new and fun! I love the story of the basket. It’s perfect for the centerpiece filled with grapes. I love the grasses tucked in the leaves on the table and how the linen napkins are the color of the grapes. I lvoe the simple glassware mixed with the rustic candle holders!
Thanks, Annie, your table on the porch is so romantic!
This is one of the prettiest tablescapes you have ever done and you have executed a lot of pretty ones. I love the color combinations, simple grapes for the centerpiece. It is just so welcoming and perfect for harvest time. I would love to try a rendition of that if we ever entertain again! Maybe Thanksgiving!!
Thanks, Cindy…I LOVE yours with the block print linens!
What a beautiful tribute to the extraordinary are of the Wine Country of Napa/Sonoma. It truly breaks my heart to hear of the many wonderful places being compromised/destroyed by the fires. Several years ago, we had the pleasure of staying at the Calistoga Ranch and I hear they have been threatened too.
The centerpiece of the grapes is perfection. You have shown that you can create a most casual and elegant table that anyone can create. Have a most beautiful day Mary Ann. Wonderful to be joining you today.
Thanks, Shirley…your tablescape is spectacular!