Creating Warmth at the Table

Creating Warmth at the Table, October 29, 2023.

The harvest moon climbs slowly up the sky, a great golden ball of wonder for spinning dreams each night. It continues its ascent to the sky’s zenith gradually becoming colder, smaller, and more remote, bringing a chill in the late October air. We nestle in our homes bundled up in anticipation of the cold winter months ahead. I cuddle with our dogs alongside my husband while he watches a show. And next to me is cup of hot tea on my nightstand to warm my insides. I wrap the covers a little tighter and open Sherlock Holmes. The dogs have burrowed under the blankets near our legs for warmth. We all long for warmth. Warmth in body, warmth in surroundings, and warmth in spirit. Always a believer in the importance of surroundings, I try to create warmth in the decor for us and any who might come to our home.

Creating warmth in the home is to enhance a mood towards closeness and togetherness. And warmth is something our human nature desperately craves. Making the home a true place of beauty and love must also include warmth. Warmth is that draws which us all in to be closer together in body and spirit and gratitude. The table is one of the most natural places to do this, and perhaps one of the most important.

Creating Warmth at the Table

Creating warmth at the table includes tradition. Traditions include old things and old activities. The old family dishes that have been passed down from generation to generation have been lovingly set on the Amish built table that my parents handed to down to us as well. And then there is the act of sitting closely together which creates warmth as opposed to spread out and isolated. It is interesting to see how many start humbly crowded around a small table and over time as people opt for bigger and better dining room furniture with more elbow room. And yet if you ask often people’s best family memories include being crowded around that first small table.

Nostalgia encourages warmth as we recognize and warm to that which we already know. Of course, well-loved autumnal symbols of turkeys and pheasants and harvest acorns bring to mind family gatherings around the table. While scattered roses that remind us of summer and add depth and color to the decor.

Colors can also create coolness or warmth. At Hidden Bluff I chose deep, warm shades of rose, green, and gold which make the table feel cozy and close. This is because they are colors that make me think of older days in history steeped in Victorian or Medieval traditions.

Lighting is important in warmth, and candles are one of the most effective ways to create this warmth as can be seen in this tablescape. The nearby candles cast a warm and rosy glow over the table. And adding lots of candles increases the warmth.

Intentional little things that show special care can create warmth. For the table, I tied an herbal apple tea sachet around a cinnamon stick for an after-dinner cup of tea. It is these unexpected little extras that speak to people’s comfort let them know you care which create warmth in body, spirit and mind.

Have a beautiful day!

To create warmth at your table, think of the things you already have at hand. What special family heirlooms or possessions or traditions are at your disposal to help create a place for people to intimately gather in the spirit of closeness?