Pretty Is as Pretty Does

You must be thinking about doing up your holiday table, if you haven’t already, and I just came across the prettiest, simplest centerpiece and table decorations by Carolyne Roehm in the November/December issue of Veranda.

Of course everything Carolyne touches is pretty. Carolyne is pretty. And smart and funny and interesting and warm and genuine and fun. I am lucky that we have become friends in the last few years. She is such an inspiration for, like, a million reasons. But let me get back to this centerpiece.

It is true that Carolyne has a beyond enviable inventory of beautiful things–china, silver, porcelain, crystal, linens. I mean she could open her closet with her eyes closed and grab an armful of things and they would be stunning. Whereas I would have a chipped vase, a dented candlestick, and a rain boot.

But we all have the grocery store, and that’s about all you need to re-create this beautiful look: apples, grapes, and clementines. They’d be just as beautiful in a tureen, a basket, or a simple platter. The red candles are festive and sexy at the same time. And anyone can wrap a little present and put a votive candle on it. Red napkins? Easy enough on the Internet. Do you have a fabric store near you? Hunt down a beautiful paisley challis or damask for the table. You don’t even have to sew it. Just drape it over and call it a day–once it is all set no one will notice. Or maybe you have a beautiful old quilt you could use as a tablecloth or a shawl as a runner.

See how easy that was?