Spring It On With a New-Meets-Old Table Setting

With flowers so readily available in spring, a single centerpiece won't do. Brighten up the center of your table with a grouping of small vintage pieces, like a sugar bowl and creamer, old apothecary bottles or punch cups, filled with an abundance of sweet smelling blooms.  

Mix-and-match place settings aren't just super trendy, they're also the easiest way to display your favorite hand-me-down pieces — especially if you only inherited a few dishes from a particular set. 

One rule to keep in mind when mixing disparate dishware patterns is to pair pieces with a consistent color or motif. For instance, this lovely place setting feels cohesive thanks to the pink palette and repeat of roses.

Of course, if you weren't lucky enough to inherit a china cabinet-load of charming vintage dishes, you can always buy them. In my experience, estate sales are far and away the best place to score vintage dishware. Orphaned plates, glasses and teacups are especially good buys (often less than a dollar each) but complete sets are also a steal. Bonus: Many estate sale companies dramatically discount remaining items on the last day so, if you're a gambler, you may be able to pick up a complete set of the fine china you wish you'd inherited for a song.