We’re happy to announce that Freebie Fridays are back! For anyone who missed our last round of Freebies, each week we’ll post a question here on Design Happens on Friday. You have until 12 Noon ET on Monday to comment on this post with a valid email address and you’re entered for that week’s giveaway. It’s that simple!
We’ve partnered with Saffron Marigold to kick off this new round of Freebie Fridays. They describe themselves as “cozy boutique, home to an exquisite collection of exotic, unique, designer handcrafted, India inspired bedding and linens.” Their commitment to fair trade and use of eco-friendly products really impressed us here at Design Happens. Saffron Marigold is offering this week’s winner their choice of any table runner featured on their site.
This week we want to know – What’s normally on your dining table when you’re NOT expecting company? Is it always neat and tidy with a bowl of fruit and some candlesticks? Or are you like me and its normally covered in the last week’s worth of mail and maybe a cat or two?
Answer before 12 Noon ET on Monday. Click here for the Official Rules
Our dining room is in the center of our home…if it is cluttered, then the house seems cluttered, so I work hard to keep it cleared off. Though I get creative with centerpieces from time to time, my default is a grouping of several hurricanes filled with a seasonal rotation of rocks, sand, nuts, or cranberries.
I always have 2 stone birds and a little tree (live) that sit in the middle. Plus a little stack of papers that tends to get larger if I don't deal with it. I would really like to stop putting stuff in the corner of the table…but it just seems the right spot for now!
I have a Copper ten filled with dried flowers on a table runner. I like the table to look neat but believe me sometimes it is a struggle.
coupons. wooden tots, food and assorted papers.
My dining table is nice and neat with table mats and a center piece, but this is only because we eat at our islnd in the kitchen because were so busy!!! Everyone in our house eats at a different time because we’re always on the go!
candle, sometimes mail
A bowl of protein bars, 2 plants all sitting on a handmade crochet runner.
Right now we don't even have a table, haha. We are redoing everything and haven't found the perfect one yet. But, when we get it, it will stay nice and clean with some candles/flowers.
Right now my dining room table has a runner on it and a wooden bowl. I have never served company on the dining room table since we moved in two years ago. We eat on our kitchen table.
I like to keep a simple basket of apples there, but I'm in a constant battle to shunt my husband's "stuff" to another room, He only has three other desks of his own in the house…guess that's not enought!!!!
Most of the time jars of baby food, diapers. Mail from previous weeks, pictures that need to be hung up. And clean clothes from the dryer.
My table has a candle center-piece along with a notebook and pen that my husband writes me occasional notes of his thoughts about us, our past, present and future. (I never know when a note will be there, but ususally when I look a new one is there). Depending on the time of day our son's preschool work that he brought home or arts and crafts that he is working on.
There is a nice table runner and large decorated vase that we used in our wedding. And piled all around is an empty can of wall spackling, can of wood finish, paint brush, empty curtain bag full of random items, plastic Lowe's bag, camera and charger, 2 hats, mail,sunglasses, checkbook,GPS, ipod, and a CD of our wedding photos. We're obviously remodeling.
A box of flatware that I have yet to unpack, pocketbook, basket with keys, candle and a cat (he frequents the window bedhind the table to watch the birds at the feeder)
peggy strickland just moved in home tables clean with chicken cookie jar on it .need help with decor.new house everything different.help
I'm stuck-in-a-rut with a table runner, candle sticks and flower arrangement. Also on display is a puzzle we got over Christmas and can't seem to bring ourselves to put away.
I can't help it; I like my table to be neat, with just the napkin holder and salt and pepper shakers. Ok, that, and my British Lit book where I was studying!
Almost always a small pile of bills and my purse.
A simple tablecloth, a simple bowl with twig balls filling it, and two candles in hurricanes.
Are you kidding! My table is the worst. I pile everything there. I am in the process of refacing my cabinets so I have food, must have dishes, not to mention the mail that piles up there. Oh, and lets not forget whatever the kids have added to the pile.
Our dining Room table is used to collect mail, and only has a natural wooden bowl sitting in the middle of a table runner. It is well kept and I dust it often.
my dineing room table is in the kitchen, and the pub table from the kitchen is in the dineing room which is actually a sunroom I use as a dineing room. My dineing table is w/out it's inserts to fit, and is covered w/ a thick red velvet tablecloth a basket of fruit a box of colored pencils neat in the corner w/ a coloring book.
Hmmm….I have about 30 magazines (Better Home & Garden, Elle Decor, etc…), 2 ceramic Buddhas, my purse, mail, and a candle. I'm in the process of decorating my house…so everything is everywhere.
Covered with my toddler's left over Cherrios and Sunday's paper.
Mail, magazines and assorted toddler toys.
I always throw my mail on the table until it piles up.
not much other than bills and a few magazines, I could use a centerpiece and runner though.
Normally, I've got whichever quilting project of the week/month laid out on my table. Currently, I'm putting together a group baby quilt (the Bunco Aunties stitched "baby boy" squares) that needs stitched up and quilted. Of course, when I know company is coming, it all get put away and comes right back the next day!
I like to fill a large apothecary jar with seasonal decorations appropriate to the time of year or upcoming holiday, which I then place on one of many table-clothes I have collected over the years. Then I set out a few decorative objects around the outside perimeter of the jar in colors or themes to tie everything together. I don't do anything too elaborate because simple works best for me, but I get a lot of pleasure out of doing it and I love that it usually brings a smile to the faces of my guests. (And I confess that things get a little rearranged when my toddler grand-daughters come to visit. It's always a kick when their re-decorating looks better than mine did!)
Right now, I have a Christmas table cloth and my husband's laptop….And yes, I am hoping that changes soon! We are closing escrow on our first home next week, and with a new space for an office, I look forward to having a beautiful dining room, clear of office clutter, and with candles, flowers, and a gorgeous new table.
Getting ready for retirement (yes it does happen
). To generate more monies coming in, I am starting a home base business. So by day my beautiful table is the "office" and we clear it every night for dinner. When the conversation starts with "how was your day", it's easy to look around and have a lively discussion. ____
bills, magazines, my purse…….
Bills, magazines, change, and various things that my children have put there. Oh and a bowl of oranges.
Right now I have some fabric that I received as a Christmas gift, tile for new backsplash in the kitchen, and storage for some small kitchen implements I don't have room for in the kitchen. Normally it would just be the storage, but I don't have anywhere else to put the rest.
My table has a quilted runner on it that I made. It is covered by a clear plastic table cloth to protect it from the grandkids and the cats.
Eat-in kitchen table has placemats, small lamp, napkin holder and salt and pepper shakers. Diningroom table has centerpiece of eucalyptus (sp) in a ceramic pitcher on a tablerunner.
Library books, files, coupons, pictures …It's a mess!
I have a glass cylinder like container filled with fake apples and I have placemats,I was looking for a runner in pier 1 imports but they we’re expensive so I waited,then I saw this opportunity to win one! I never win anything but as my nana always says, ” Hey! what do you got to lose!”
My dining room table is presently my Husbands own personal post office – he sorts, stuffs and shreds at the dining table. His desk is just around the corner, but the dining table suits him better. We also have a bird play gym on the table – since my hubby and his Quaker parrot are seldom apart for long.
Sometimes it feels like my entire life. Stack of bills to pay and mail out. A big bag of plastic bags that I keep meaning to recycle. What could be described as an entire shelf of vitamins from GNC.
Mostly there is a basket with napkins and some mail.
My dining room table has 4 beautiful place settings of my fine china (as that is all that I have so far), they are on place mats with pretty napkins with napkin rings. I have three stylish crystal candle holders with candles in the center. Simple yet elegant.
We just bought a house, so I haven't quite figured out what I should put on my new table. Right now I'm just keeping a candle plate (with no candle, haha).
A table cloth, placemats and a centerpiece with flowers in it… pretty impressive for 5 college girls I'd say.
The stuff to sell on Ebay, several unfinished craft projects, at least two of the four cats and the plans for the latest remolding project for the house!. What else belongs on the dinning table?