Lately, we have been sharing many summer-themed table settings, featuring some combination of calm, cool colors, neutrals, or bright, vibrant hues. This week, we have something a bit different, what I like to call "Moody Hues and Neutral Accents". When I look at a color, or a spectrum of colors, it elicits an almost instant reaction - bright colors make me feel happy, neutrals make me feel relaxed, and a subtle palate, soothed. I imagine the reaction is different for everyone, but when I looked at today's finished setting, I immediately thought that the individual pieces included in it looked a bit moody. We've got some really neutral placemats and napkins, but the plates, bowls and centerpiece vase all have a lot to say. Each piece is vibrantly colorful, with a tone that says something - the red plates are bursting with passion (or anger?), the indigo vase is stormy and brooding, and the redwood plates and bowls are rich and full of passion. What do you think?!

We created this setting on the

Barlow Tyrie Aura Aluminum Rectangular Dining Table

, which was accompanied by four

Barlow Tyrie Aura Stacking Armchairs

.

The "moody" place settings consisted of a trio of pieces - the

Jars Ceramics Tourron Dinner Plate

in Cherry, the

Heath Ceramics Coupe Salad Plate

in Redwood, and the

Heath Ceramics Coupe Cereal Bowl

in Redwood. These were all set atop the neutral

Chilewich Basketweave Rectangular Placemat

in Soapstone.

Nestled between the salad plate and the bowl was a

Libeco Home Napoli Vintage Linen Napkins

in Natural. We used the very sophisticated

David Mellor Odeon Flatware

which has a lovely satin finish.

Both glasses hailed from Simon Pearce - we included the shorter

Simon Pearce Norwich Beaker

, and the taller, more stately

Simon Pearce Cavendish Goblet

. Though exuding completely different profiles, and coming from two different collections, they actually worked very nicely together.

The statuesque vase in the center of the table was a

Jars ceramics Karo Vase

in Indigo. With it's very dark, rich color, it stood out but in a subtle way. I think it really set the tone for the whole table in union with the dinnerware pieces, and helped to creative a cohesive setting.