Valentine’s Day is a good reason for me to display my Grandmother’s Spode Billingsley Rose in Jewel shape, which is now discontinued. In addition nostalgia of setting the table with my Grandmother’s china, the pink rose pattern is so elegant and every laced scalloped edge makes me love the pattern even more.
According to the Spode Museum Trust, the Billingsley Rose pattern was named after William Billingsley (1758-1828) who developed the rose spray pattern, a particular style of painting. This pattern was first produced in 1930 and was hand colored in a later version starting in 1972 to1989 from a slide-off lithography.
Setting the table with my Grandmother’s Billingsley Rose china is a delight and I’m ready for a Spring tea party or Galentine’s Day tea. To find inspiration and recreate a similar tablescape for your next gathering, here are four elements you should consider including on your table:
1. What’s Spring without floral arrangements. Hydrangeas are a great way to fill the center of the table with a pop of soft color and they are budget friendly. Use smaller flowers such as carnations to add personal touches and another pop of color to the place settings.
2. Fresh fruit, such as lemons and limes are a great accessory for a tea party.
3. Linen napkins can be a lot of fun when you fold them into shapes. For this tablescape, I chose a rose pattern to mimic the beautiful rose pattern on the china plate.
4. Table linens dress up any event and this table cloth with the raised garden roses went perfectly with my Billingsley Rose tea party tablescape concept. Further elevate your design by adding a table runner similar to this soft pink linen, which also had a delicate floral pattern. It’s ok to mix patterns, I often encourage it!
