A century ago luncheons with friends often had beautiful tablescapes designed by the hostess. There are many lovely tablescape ideas and examples in hundred-year-old magazines. Here’s a suggestion for how to create a Peasant Table:
The “Peasant Table” is always in favor for luncheons, especially informal affairs. The one pictured has a long runner of white linen decorated with a crochet insertion and finished with a crochet edge. A grass receptacle in the center contains a flower holder in which tall spikes of zinnias appear to be growing in a natural clump. Four plain brass candlesticks frame the floral centerpiece. A brass bowl at each end flanks the candlestick, and it contains a floating pool of zinnia leaves and blossoms. Individual blue and white flower holders to match the blue and white dishes, contain zinnias also. Crochet doilies are used at the plates instead of linen, to relieve the plainness of the runner.
American Cookery (November, 1916)
A Hundred Years Ago 
What a beautiful table. I love how a bit of formality brings a sense of occasion to a meal. Something like a simple luncheon can become an experience. Thanks for sharing, Sheryl. 🙂
It’s amazing how really simple things like cut flowers and candles can transform a boring meal into a special one.
I completely agree. 🙂
I have an old redwork tablecloth edged with crocheted trim that would be the perfect start for a table like this. I especially like the zinnias as the centerpiece. They were possibly the most commonly grown flower when I was a kid, and everyone had a cutting garden, however small. It tickles me that they’re associated with “the peasants.” That’s just funny!
I planted zinnia seeds for the first time in years last spring. They are a beautiful flower and bring back warm memories of days gone by. Peasants also struck me as an unusual term in this context. I couldn’t decide whether it has a positive connotation.
I think it does — although the “peasantry” tended to be romanticized over the years, it was often used to refer to a rural, simple sort of life.
Yes, I think that you are right. It has been romanticized.
Peasant life, but not as we know it, eh 😉 ?
My thoughts exactly. It’s lovely.
The meaning of some words and phrases evolves across the years. I want to think that this is one of those times.
So lovely. And have you run across tea wagons?
mmm. . . I’ve definitely seen pictures of tea carts in hundred-year-old magazines. I think that I may have posted a picture once, but I can’t seem to find it now, so maybe I never did. Since I apparently I never posted it, it’s a great idea for a future post. I’ll have to see if I can find a picture.
My sister — 95 — remembers fondly visiting the neighbor lady who served lovely little sandwiches and cookies, beautifully laid out on a tea wagon. My mother requested one for years, but, sadly, never got it. I’m trying to understand why as I work on “My Father’s House.”
I’ve always thought that tea wagons look like such an elegant way to serve food. I’m definitely going to have to try to find an old picture of one.
That would be fun. And how lovely, the whole idea of a beautiful afternoon tea party.
I feast my eyes on your photos, and then I throw food on the table for my husband and two grandsons. A hundred years ago, no one would have approved of that, but at least I cook the food!
A hundred years ago many people (generally women) cooked meals 3 times a day, 365 days a year. My gut feeling is that they threw the food on the table for many of those meals – and that these beautiful table settings were reserved for when family or friends visited.
☺
I’m going to have to up my game and live like a peasant!
🙂 This looks like a pretty nice way to live.
It really does. I need to be pleasant elegant!
Makes me want to host a luncheon!
Me, too, but I somehow seldom seem to find time to cook a special meal and have friends over. I think that we’ve lost something across the years.
So lovely done! I love it!
I’m glad you liked it. I also thought that it was beautiful.
Lovely! I miss some of the formality we used to have. I try to at least light a candle for dinner even if it is just Husband and I.
That sounds lovely. Even a simple candle can make a meal special.
A lovely table! And they used just a simple garden flower.
I also really liked that they used simple garden flowers. It brought back memories of my mother cutting flowers and bringing them into the house to brighten it up.
I love the idea of placing flowers to match the plates. White dishes are my favorite!
It can be so pretty when plate and flower colors match.
I like the step-by-step description for this very pretty tablescape.
And, I also liked the caption under the picture that said, “simple to copy.” 🙂
How nice that peasants can afford linens and brass! That said, it’s always nice to get ideas about how to set a table.
Definitely a nostalgic view through rose-colored lens – maybe that’s why they put peasant in quotes. 🙂
Doilies in use! Interesting that so ‘opulent’ a table should be called ‘peasant’.
I also like the idea of using doilies for placemats. I have some in my linen chest and it might be fun to use them on a table – though I don’t think that I have very many identical ones, so it might be challenging.
I love the addition of flowers. I wonder if it’s called peasant because of it having a runner instead of a full cloth, or maybe due to plain candlesticks instead of fancy.
it makes sense that the use of runners or plain candlesticks might be the reason it was called peasant. I also thought that perhaps the selection of zinnias as the flower for the centerpiece might be the reason. Maybe zinnias were a very common garden flower back then.
Very pretty. Way more effort than I would ever give. Maybe I’m just too practical as a mama of all boys. 😉
I’m practical, too – and probably would never do a tablescape like this, yet I sometimes dream of having parties with beautifully designed tables.
🙂