I read once that in the Imperial days of Japan, the layered kimonos worn by the court were judged by how well they mirrored the season and cycles of the natural world, Every five days or so (I'm not sure of the exact time period) some element of color or pattern in their exquisite dress was supposed to change in response to what was happening outside. I don't work in such subtle gradations, but I do feel more satisfied if my table settings are appropriate to the season.
This table started out with a gray/lavender cloth I dyed myself with logwood gray. When I spread it out on the table, I immediately thought of a wool scarf I bought at Christmastime from Asian Eye and had never worn. When I put them together it was like they were made for each other. However,even though the motif on the scarf was sun and flowers, the colors were sort of somber for springtime, or at least for the springtime I wished we were having. This is the second exceptionally cold and cloudy spring we have had in a row. Last week it was freezing every night and we even had some snow, although the trees and shrubs are budding out anyway and the woods are showing the gauzy green of new growth. By introducing green to my wintry color scheme, I thought I could make my table very appropriate to our current weather.
I used my green plates, and the various blue and green bottles, glassware and floats I have collected for the center. It came together when I wound a translucent green ribbon saved from a recent birthday gift between the glassy things, and put aging (they turn green when they get older) hellebore blossoms about. From my now extensive silverware selection, I chose my mother-in-law's very simple everyday stainless and also used her Fostoria water glasses for texture. When I was finished I felt like our inside reflected the outside pretty well.Our neighbors joined us for a dinner of Cornish game hens and helped us usher winter into spring.