Have you ever heard of D.H. Holmes? Neither had I until now...
I was shopping in the GW and ran across these 4 spectacular salad plates...a beautiful speckled white stoneware; 2 with a crab and 2 with a shrimp/crawdad. I also found 2 chowder/gumbo bowls, both with a crab. I know you know the thrill!!
This is on the back of each plate and bowl...I got curious...who was D.H. Holmes and why was there dinnerware designed for him? It didn't take much research to find out! Daniel Henry Holmes opened a restaurant on Canal Street in New Orleans in 1849!! That explained the shrimp and crab motif! Oh the thrill!!
The D.H. Holmes main building was considered a landmark primarily because of the clock on the front of the building. "Under the clock at D.H. Holmes" was the proverbial place to meet someone. (Courtesy of Wikipedia) The restaurant closed in 1989 and is now a hotel. To find out more click D.H. Holmes at the top!
How these beauties ended up in Missouri, I'll never know...but that adds to the history right? Right!
That was all the inspiration I needed to create a Creole Sensation!!
That was all the inspiration I needed to create a Creole Sensation!!
I brought out a festive tablecloth in a seersucker fabric with all the right colors. I used water hyacinth chargers and a beautiful sunburst plate with a slightly tiki feel
I had to do it...Pickle jar hurricanes! How fitting!!
The crab bowls are fantastic!
I also use IBC Cream soda bottles for my bud vases! :)
I used a twiggy basket to hold a cylinder vase with sand and a candle...
I gotta tell you how special that lantern is...it's and authentic, oil burning lantern, solid brass. My dad bought that for me years ago...second-hand of course! :) It's one of my favorite pieces!
I tied some jute around the silverware...quick and easy.
Love the fish netting!
I used some thumb tack to secure burlap around the candles, I couldn't decide if I liked it with or without the bow...so I did both!
I hope you have enjoyed this week's Creole Tablescape! I am excited to see all of yours!Thanks for stopping by!
Thanks again Susan for hosting one of my favorite parties!
Michelle
You are definitely the winner of my favorite tablescape this week!! Just perfect...and I love the name...Creole Tablescape! The netting and the burlap candles... oh I just love it all! :)
ReplyDeleteI do love the burlap on the candles, great idea. Those dishes are just wonderful. What a great discovery! Simply fabulous table, great theme!
ReplyDeleteWhat a great tablescape and what great dishes -- are you on a quest to find more?
ReplyDeleteLove the table scape! What a great find those dishes were. Looking at your table I can almost feel the sand between my toes and the ocean breeze on my face!
ReplyDeleteWhat a fabulous tablescape. I LOVE it. You Holmes dish finds are just gorgeous. Don't you just love it when you find something really great. The burlap, fish netting, wicker and gorgeous lantern are all so well put together. Great tablescape. Hugs, Marty
ReplyDeleteI love speckled dishes and the crab and shrimp are a bonus! Hmmmm...D.H. Holmes how interesting. Don't you love dishes with a little history behind them.
ReplyDeleteBring the sea food on! This is so exciting. I would love to sit down to this tablescape.
ReplyDeleteI absolutely love this tablescape. The colors are fabulous and those dishes!!! What a find! You did a fabulous job on all the details. The flowers are perfect. The tablecloth and napkins are so unusual in the seersucker fabric, but sets the tone for the table. The netting and the burlap around the candles is a wonderful detail. Loved it.
ReplyDeleteWhat wonderful luck to find these dishes. Gotta love GW! The table is very cute and summery~ ~Ahrisha~ ~
ReplyDeleteI LOVE these dishes and I love that you used IBC bottles for bud vases! Adorable!
ReplyDeleteTotally fabulous tablescape! Makes me want to pull a chair up and enjoy a lobster dinner. Great job!!!
ReplyDeleteRight after seeing the combination & textures of crab print, sea shells, mason jars with sand & candle, burlap on candles, fish net and how you tied the silverware, I immediately clicked your "Follow" button. You have truly inspired me. Job well done. Head on over to my blog and if you aren't following yet, please take a look around and if you like what you see, click on the "Follow" button. This way we can inspire each other often!
ReplyDeleteBeautiful dishes, actually everything on the table is gorgeous!...Christine
ReplyDeleteD H Holmes was also a department store here in Louisiana with store in at least 3 cities. I have a lovely set of seafood gumbo bowls from there. I just love them. You are so lucky to find such a score at GW. Your tablescape is simply supberb "cest bon". Enjoyed your post.
ReplyDeleteWhat a great theme. Your Creole Sensation table looks fabulous!
ReplyDeleteThe dishes were a wonderful find. You've put together a fun and colorful table setting with lots of appeal. Thanks for sharing you ideas such as the burlap around the pillar candles.
ReplyDeleteYour table really is fabulous. You really put together your theme and it's worthy for a magazine! I like it!
ReplyDeleteWonderful table, but I especially love the lantern and the wrapped candles. Linda
ReplyDeleteYour tablescape is absolutely awesome! The dishes are fantastic & what a great find. I loved all your clever ideas. ☺♥☺ Diane
ReplyDeleteThanks for visiting today Michelle. I love those dishes! That is the cutest tablescape and all the candles in sand. Fabulous!
ReplyDeleteThis is a really neat tablescape! I just love it all! Great job!
ReplyDeleteKatherine
Totally wonderful -- love the colors!
ReplyDeleteWOW! What a fun table. Love the fabric tablecloth and the salad plates. Thanks for sharing and have a great day!
ReplyDeleteThis is just fantastic! LOVE the seafood dishes, and that you researched them -- they are the perfect jumping-off spot for this creative and very pretty table!
ReplyDeleteThanks!
Cass
i think this table is "scaped" to perfection! You've done a beautiful job! Love it.
ReplyDeleteVERY CREATIVE !!! Love the dishes, and the fish net, perfect! Obvious you put some time into this tablescape! Isn't it fun? Well done girl, xoxo~Kathy~ @ sweetup-northmornings.blogspot.com
ReplyDeleteADORABLE plates... I'm dying for some seafood NOW!!!
ReplyDeleteMy grandparents worked for Daniel H. Holmes at their estate in Covington, Ky dubbed Holmes Castle. My understanding is the clock was at Holmes Department Store in New Orleans but perhaps there was a restaurant in the store. Felt the need to add to the story of your find. Your table setting is certainly attractive and inviting
ReplyDeleteI'm a native New Orleanian who remembers D. H. Holmes well. D.H. Holmes was a department store which opened in 1842 on Canal St. in New Orleans. It did have a restaurant in it which was a popular spot for lunch, but Holmes's (pronounced "Holmses", as we locals still say, as in "going shopping at Holmes's")was primarily a department store. The clock was right outside the doors of the store (and is still there, outside the current hotel), and it was a popular meeting place. For some reason, New Orleanians like meeting under clocks...we also used to meet under the ornate clocks outside Whitney Bank branches. Your dinnerware is fabulous! It was probably part of a set sold in the department store, rather than dishes actually used in the restaurant. I've never seen them before, but you've inspired me to start looking for them. Thanks for sharing!
ReplyDeleteJust wanted you to know, I have 12 pieces of these dishes! My mother-in-law gave them to me years ago. I think she bought them in a store, since closed, in Monroe, LA. I don't use them very much, as I have another set I use most. I love your tablescape!
ReplyDeleteUpdate, I came across 32!! more pieces of these at an estate sale after I wrote my first comment in 2012. I am now downsizing and will not be able to keep them. Trying to set a price but don't have a clue about how much they are worth. Would love your opinion.
ReplyDelete