Exposed Wood

I love a beautiful placemat or a sumptuous tablecloth, but what I most love is leaving a tabletop bare or exposed. The beauty of the wood grain and variation of color becomes part of the overall table setting. Not every table is set-up to be left exposed, but if yours is, it is fun to try it every once in awhile. Our 1863 French fruitwood dining table has been in our family almost since we met. The memories of meals and stories and amazing times spent at that table make me teary just typing this. So often, we leave it bare. The variations of tans & browns weaving about all the things placed on the table and the dinnerware a comfortable resting spot for the eyes. The table gets a good cleaning and waxing often, but you can just see the love and usage and wear from over the years. It is all part of a patina, and a story, that we love. Oh what tales that beloved table could tell…