An Italian Tablescape and a Giveaway

Pfaltzgraff is celebrating the tenth anniversary of its "Villa Della Luna" pattern of dishes this year.  I was contacted by Lifetime Brands and asked to do a tablescape for fall featuring these dishes, and I was happy to oblige.  :)

Pfaltzgraff has created a beautiful collection of dinnerware, serveware, and accessories, based on the book Dancing with the Moon, a Story of Love at the Villa della Luna, by Jana Kolpen and Mary Tiegreen.  Jennifer at Lifetime Brands was kind enough to send me an autographed copy of the book to enjoy along with the dishes.  Dancing with the Moon is a charming book and a story of love, food, and friendship at the Villa della Luna in Italy.  It's filled with interactive elements such as gatefold doors, cards, letters, passports, and recipes.  The book not only includes photographs, but hand-colored illustrations, as well.

These colors were such fun to work with; I was really surprised at how well they blend with my kitchen decor.  I don't normally use such bright, bold colors in my tablescapes, but this was a liberating experience.  :)  I do like this color combination, especially for fall.  It would also look great during the summer with fresh, colorful salads and grilled food.

When I first viewed these dishes online, I was pretty sure that I could make some of my table linens work with the dishes.  My goal was to not spend any extra money on the tablescape, if possible.  When the dishes arrived, and I unpacked them, I was amazed at how perfectly they matched this tablecloth and the damask napkins, which I used in a previous tablescape Here.

 My mother-in-law kindly gifted me with the white table topper; I really wanted some white as a break between the patterns on the tablecloth and the dishes.  She also loaned me the pottery pitcher for this table; it was just the type of thing I was looking for.  I have some pottery pieces, but none of them were the right color.  I didn't want to use a glass pitcher or vase because I thought pottery would better accentuate the style of the dishes.

 A mixture of tiny, yellow-gold Aster Solidagos and Hypericum berries from our local grocery store highlighted more colors from the dishes.  I love the fall look and feel of the flowers and berries.

I received four place settings, but I only used two here because our kitchen table is small.  The Villa della Luna dinnerware place setting includes an 11" diameter dinner plate, 9" salad plate, 6" appetizer plate, 24 ounce soup/cereal bowl, and 12 ounce pedestal mug.  I think the glaze is lovely, and all pieces are dishwasher and microwave safe.  The blue-stemmed goblets and blue-handled flatware were also on loan to me from my mother-in-law.

Keeping the wine cool is a Villa della Luna utensil crock, which is one of the anniversary pieces currently being offered by Pfaltzgraff.  I love the raised lettering and design, and I chose it because I felt it could work well on my countertop as a utensil crock, or as a wine server at the table.

Let's look at some of the details on the dishes.

The terra cotta trim around the dinner plates and inside the bowls makes me think of flower pots lining the terrace of an Italian villa, possibly even the Villa della Luna in our story.  I love the diamond detail around the interior of the plate; it reminds me of a Harlequin's chequered costume.

The salad plates have an unusual shape (so pretty) with a raised green pattern at each corner and pretty scrolling around the interior border.  These dishes really do have an Italian flair.

The appetizer plate reminds me of a sunflower with a big blue center surrounded by white petals.  I didn't use any green accents in this table, but the dishes have enough green in them that you could easily use a piece of green pottery, green glass goblets, or green-handled flatware in your setting.  I also think these dishes would be beautiful in a picnic setting.  The bright colors and the pottery feel would be perfect outdoors...

enjoyed with a picnic at a winery, for example. ;)

 

Pfaltzgraff and Lifetime Brands is giving away four of these five-piece place settings of Villa della Luna dinnerware, plus the utensil crock, to one of my readers.  I've been blogging for almost four years now, and you've been such faithful and supportive followers, always encouraging me with your kind comments -- I'd love to see one of you win this giveaway.

If you're interested, please leave a comment at the end of the post letting me know you'd like to be considered for the giveaway.  Only entries from the U.S. and Canada can be accepted.  That's all there is to it -- no jumping through hoops for this.  The deadline to enter is two weeks from today.  At that time, the winner will be chosen by a random number generator, and I'll announce the winner on my blog on October 21st.      

Here are a few more pictures of the table --

You can view the other Villa della Luna anniversary pieces (including the utensil crock) on the Pfaltzgraff website.  Some of the other anniversary offerings are a biscotti jar, a Parmesan bowl with spoon, and a risotto platter.

I hope you enjoyed the tablescape post, and I'd love for you to leave me a comment or leave a comment on Pfaltzgraff's Facebook page!  Your visits and comments always make my day!  :)


Tablescape Details:
"Villa della Luna" Dinnerware, Pfaltzgraff (Lifetime Brands)
Flatware -- Target
Blue Pottery Pitcher -- Seagrove Pottery, Seagrove, North Carolina
Napkins and Tablecloth -- France, gifts from my in-laws
Napkin Rings -- World Market
Wine -- Raffaldini Vineyards and Winery

I'm Linking to the Following Parties:
Inspire Me Tuesday at A Stroll Thru Life
Tablescape Thursday, at Between Naps on the Porch
Home Sweet Home Friday, at The Charm of Home
Mosaic Monday, at Lavender Cottage
Amaze Me Monday, at Dwellings the Heart of Your Home

Denise


**DISCLOSURE:  LIFETIME BRANDS PRODUCTS WERE PROVIDED TO ME FREE OF CHARGE IN EXCHANGE FOR PROMOTIONAL CONSIDERATION.  ALL OPINIONS ARE MY OWN.**