Chinoiserie Dining Decor ~ Meets Casual “Touches”
Our dining room is somewhat formal with Chinoiserie decor. At first, we did not think this “look” would work here in the Lowcountry. Much to our surprise – it is a great look and the scale is fine with our super high ceilings.
Because the room is traditionally formal, we like to change things up a bit and add some more casual touches.
This tablescape mixes coastal shells, crystal candleholders, rattan placemats, fine china and pottery. We love the bird napkin rings and neutral napkins to complete the look. The small botanical plates are Philippe Deshoulieres French porcelain. We found these little gems at a resale shop for such a great price that we could not believe it!
Our Lenox China were gifts for our wedding over 35 years ago and unfortunately we hardly ever use them. The china that we have is no longer being produced, however there are so many beautiful choices available now. We are going to make an effort to use them more as they really are special.
The green salad plates are from Arhaus and we love mixing them in with our other pieces. Arhaus is a wonderful home decor store with some unique furnishings. Unfortunately, the closest location is about 2 hours away in Charleston. We will have to make a point of visiting next time we are there.

Our Breakfast Table Gets Some Attention Too!
Even our breakfast table gets a nice setting. This is where we typically enjoy our meals everyday. The formal dining room seems to be reserved for when we are entertaining. One reason is that our dining room can accommodate more guests, and another is that it is such a great room that we want to share it with friends and family.
All of the items that are pictured are things that we already had on hand. Over the years we have collected so many interesting linens, dishes and serving items that we could probably open a catering company.
They say that “variety is the spice of life” and we definitely enjoy changing things up on a regular basis.

Alfresco Dining Will Have To Wait Until It Gets A Bit Cooler
Right now it is just too hot to dine on our patio. Once it cools off a bit, we will feature some fun and interesting settings outside. There is nothing better than enjoying a meal overlooking the marsh. The view is ever-changing depending on the tides and we love the ongoing transformation.
Here is a setting that we enjoyed during a cooler period here in South Carolina.

Enjoying Home While Staying Safe During These Challenging Times
We have decided to self quarantine for a while until we figure out how to manage the Delta variant. Our short term plan is to minimize our exposure to others to stay healthy. There seems to be a lot of conflicting information regarding this variant even for those that are vaccinated. Hence, this provides more time to rearrange some things, organize and enjoy our home. Stay tuned for more inspiration in the coming weeks.
Outdoor activities such as spending a day at the beach, reading on the dock or just enjoying sitting on our shady porch will keep us busy and safe.
Take care friends and stay safe!