Being Versatile

I've been rewatching Downton Abbey

In fact, I'm smitten again

And this time, the rooms, the clothes, the village,  the dinners and the teas

are what my interest is on

rather than the story line

(which I know well)

I love seeing the little details

The tray of whiskies brought to the library for after dinner

The trays brought to Lady Cora in the morning

The flowers and candles on the dinner tables

The taking of tea

Of course, they have servants to move tables from the inside out

To set the tray of spirits in the library while you're dining

To bring the tray with the tea service

And the china to wherever you desire to take tea

But then there are little tables

(which I especially noticed at the Dowager House)

which can be used for tea

I thought of two things

that I needed a table for tea for two in our "drawing" room

(or parlor as I usually call it)

and sometimes for a more casual supper

I'd rather dine in front of the fire

Especially on a cold snowy winter night

or a cool rainy early spring one

What I imagined for tea or supper in front of the fire at Linderhof

And I'm not a fan of folding "card" tables

(although we do have one and do use it sometimes--

but never in front of the fire for afternoon tea)

Yesterday, friend Sally and I went "adventuring"

(what I call it when we go to antique malls and flea markets)

And on the way to meet her a thought struck me --

something to look for

One of those tilt top tables especially from the 40s and 50s

commonly known as "card" or "game" tables

You see them a lot, they're mahogany and would fit well

And I knew just what I would do with it

When it wasn't in use for tea or supper

And before I got to Sally's I realized

I have one!

in the basement

bought years ago from Bombay

(when they first started and they had that great reproduction Williamsburg type furniture)

At the bottom of my stairs

(the downstairs "hall" I call it)

Is this old Christmas cactus on top of a marble topped plant stand

The perfect place for the table

This morning I moved the plant and stand

And moved the table upstairs

And spiffed it up a bit

(read get rid of the cobwebs and dust)

And put it in place

I think it looks good here -- actually better than the plant stand because it fills the space better.

The plant is on top of the table because it likes it here

plus it's easy to move when I want to use the table

But what I like best about the table . . . 

Is that the top flips up

(and sometimes you see them in magazines against a wall with that top up)

  

And swivels

To make a square table

36 inches square

Which is perfect for tea and treats

or a supper for two in front of the fire

And the scale of the table looks good between the two chairs

Once tea is finished,

the table is swiveled back

And put back in the hall with the plant on top!

The plant, I reason, can sit on the floor whenever we want to use the table

It won't look too out of place.

Much better than a lot of things on the tabletop which have to find homes whenever I want to use it

for tea or supper.

Sometimes we make mountains out of mole hills

And sometimes that solution is right under our nose

Or rather right in our basement!

Don't you just love it

"when a plan comes together"?

Oh, and I was so happy that I figured all of that out on the way to Sally's

that the lovely crochet tablecloth that you see is a new purchase

Found out adventuring yesterday --

It's a perfect lacy tea cloth for a parlor tea!