HISTORY ON A TABLE

REINVIGORATING TRADITIONAL DESIGNS

By Amy Montgomery

Being a lover of history, I am honored to share the debut of a gorgeous new Schumacher fabric with a history dating back to around 1780. The Schumacher fabric and table setting shown bring together the perfect collaboration of Amy Montgomery Home’s beautiful tables, F. Schumacher & Company’s distinguished fabrics, Colonial Williamsburg's rich history, and Mottahedeh’s fine china.

Going back to the mid-1930s, Colonial Williamsburg welcomed crowds to step back in time when the colonial revival style flourished as the country was inspired by the restoration of Williamsburg to its revolutionary era as the capital of Virginia. Visitors, architects, and interior designers begged for the opportunity to use colors, designs, and materials that were being incorporated at the Williamsburg site. Williamsburg Reproductions, a program of authorized products, was established during this time to enable visitors to echo this rediscovered aesthetic in their homes. With this move forward to bring historically influenced products to consumers, Williamsburg products evolved from pure reproductions to designs inspired and interpreted from their rich archives creating a new trend for these historic designs to seamlessly flow into a casual lifestyle.

F. Schumacher & Co. produced a licensed line of authentic Williamsburg fabrics from 1941 to 2010. As partners, Schumacher and Williamsburg established and owned the market for reproductions. This reunion collaboration between two titans of American design reinvigorated traditional designs to appeal to new generations carrying forward a rich history.

Schumacher's Homecoming Collection offers a sophisticated assortment of fabrics made around the globe. This chintz design, Lafayette Botanical, displayed on the table was printed originally in France around 1780 to 1810. It features the pineapple, an exotic and expensive item in the 18th century and thus, a hospitable treat on fashionable tables and was named in honor of the Marquis de Lafayette. The finishing touch to add another layer of history to this beautiful table is the Chelsea Bird pattern china pulled from the archives of Williamsburg and beautifully created by Mottahedah.

Finally, my vintage 1980s Renaissance Green china was paired with the elegant Chelsea Bird designs recreated by Mottahedah, which was adapted from the Giles Originals in the Williamsburg Collection. The porcelain produced at Chelsea in London in the 18th century was regarded by many as the apex of English ceramic art, and among the most treasured pieces of Chelsea are those decorated in the workshop of James Giles with his birds of distinctly disheveled appearance. The salad plates with blues, aubergine, rich apricot, and many hues of green added a layer of color that give the tablescape a light-hearted feel. The centerpiece is traditional white roses, boxwood, and Burford holly surrounded by classic southern magnolia. The dark, waxy green leaves compliment the dark green dinner plates and the foliage on the salad plates.

PHOTOS BY ALLISON ELEFANTE

Anchoring it all is Schumacher’s beautiful Lafayette Botanical, which is a floral pattern consisting of pineapple shapes, leaves, tulip-shaped blooms, and round blossoms finished in several shades of citrus, cerulean and azure blue, jade and pine green, and celadon. Faux mother-of-pearl flatware was used along with an acrylic charger rimmed in gold that allowed the fabric to be seen through the charger. Who knew history could be this beautiful on a table?

I am quite sure when I say that most Schumacher fabrics are used on drapes, pillows, bedspreads, and similar decorative items, while tablecloths are probably few and far between. However, with my love of creating tablescapes, it only seemed appropriate to introduce this decadent fabric the best way I knew how, on a beautiful table. n

AMY MONTGOMERY has 25 years of design experience and owns Amy Montgomery Home located in Columbia, Tennessee. She is a lifestylist focused on home, food, and flowers and delights in working one-on-one with customers. Visit amymontgomeryhome.com for additional information and follow on social media at @amymontgomeryhome.