Whimsical Water Animals Tablescape Celebrates Summer at the Seashore

The Summer has been so HOT this year, that I needed a fun tablescape that conveyed cooling off in the Sea!!! I hope you enjoy this celebration of summer and of a cool swim in the sea!

This week’s table centers around the Dapper Animal collection by Rachel Kozlowski for West Elm.  I am a fan of Rachel’s so I check out West Elm before each season to see what is new.  This summer West Elm featured Rachel’s summer collection of water animal plates. Interestingly, this collection is Melamine – a first for dapper animals I believe, and possibly the first Dapper Animal plates with not just salad plates, but dinner plates and glasses as well (but please correct me if this is not the case).   Incidentally, these plates are on sale at the moment at West Elm.com – search for Dapper Animal Summer Collection.

Featured animals are the dolphin, otter, sea turtle and platypus.  I was thrilled to see these as I love to use “waterside” table themes on my lake house table.  I’ve done tables with lighthouses, boats, fish, etc.  but had never done any with any with an otter, platypus and dolphin and I’ve only done a few tables with sea turtles (I think this would make a great “kid’s table” – what child of the recent past can resist the sea turtle in this collection as the sea turtle in the plate looks to be a relative of “Crush” from the Disney “Nemo” movies and what “child” of the late 50’s can resist a plate with “Flipper”?).

Surprising to me, one of the animals on these plates IS present in our lake, and we just found out.  One night we were watching a movie, and I came down to let our dog out.  I shone the high-powered flashlight on our very dark back yard and did a double take when I saw two animals walking single file along the bulkhead “Hakuna Matata” style.  Unfortunately, I did not have my camera, but I could tell they weren’t any of the animals that we knew were in our area – not raccoons, squirrels, nutria, beaver, coyotes, foxes, or possums.  I told my husband “I think we have otters walking on our bulkhead, is that even possible?”  A quick Google search revealed it was possible, as Lake Conroe is home to many river otters, but it is very unusual to get to see them. Our internet search revealed a NEWS CREW ON LAKE CONROE https://abc13.com/conroe-otters-animals-lake/2208585/#:~:text=CONROE%2C%20Texas%20(KTRK)%20%2D%2D,hanging%20out%20on%20the%20dock who were attending an event at Papa’s restaurant on the lake and also had a surprise otter encounter, fortunately they had cameras! 

But otters aside, when I first bought these plates, I had a few things in mind to use with them.  First, I wanted to use my seashell chargers from Pottery Barn, and my sea turtles from Hobby Lobby, my Octopus Cookie jar from Homegoods, and also from Homegoods – my fish glasses, seahorse goblets, imitation coral and large blue glass fish.   I added to the center of the table my new table runner from Homegoods this year, with some vintage items I had purchased for other tablescapes-such as Pia and Sakura fish napkin rings and Salt and Pepper shakers from ebay. I saved the Dapper animal glasses that match the set to use for a small fresh fruit salad, or a dessert, as they don’t hold quite enough liquid to use for beverages on a hot Texas day.  Finally, I added to each place setting the Hans Turnwald silverplate and stone sea turtle napkin rings that were purchased on eBay.  

I love the whimsical nature of the plates and decided to make my centerpieces whimsical too, so I added goggles and a beach ball to the octopus cookie jar, and swim rings and sunglasses to the sea turtles (these were actually made for a Barbie size doll). 

I tried the table two different ways, one with the salad plate on top of the dinner plate which was great for creating space on the table but hid the adorable dinner plates. And the other way was with the salad plate in the more traditional place.  Which do you prefer?  (see below)

The plate stack below shows the layers for the tablescape variation where the salad plate is on top of the stack. Layer 3 is a felt plate separator that I use with my shell chargers if I can hide the plate separator completely by the plate that rests on top. It raises the plate a little, and covers a few shells, which helps the dinner plate not rest too heavily on the shells. This seems to help the shells stay glued to the plate.

The flatware I decided to use is Towle Living Antiqua Frost. It is pictured below. I love the variation of the design on the handles – 2 different sizes of starfish, and two different kinds of shells. This is available in a 4 piece place setting, or a 5 piece place setting. I purchased this originally to coordinate with our original lake dishes, which are white with a seashell pattern.

At one side of the dining room I have the lit tree I purchased at Christmas time and decorate periodically to coordinate with my tablescape.  With this tablescape,  I used the sea animal ornaments I got on clearance at Hobby Lobby last year.  I was happy to see they were back this year, as I wanted to add a few to my collection.  I thought they went well with this plate collection, as well as with some of my other seaside plates. 

And in one end of my dining room, I added a sandcastle fountain, from Cracker Barrel a few years ago.

Wishing you a Happy and Fun Summer!!!

For the Comments Section…

For the Comments Section, please scroll to the Bottom of this Post. I would love to hear your comments on the post and or any seaside vacations you have enjoyed!!

Posts You May Like

If you enjoyed this “sea and seaside” table scape, I think you will also enjoy the following Regatta tablescape that I use at various times throughout the year (we are in Texas, near Houston so sailboats can be seen on our lake in just about every month). I also often use this tablescape for some of the Patriotic holidays.

A Regatta Tablescape for Summer, and also for Labor Day, Fourth of July, Memorial Day, etc.

If you enjoyed this “Whimsical Water Animals Post” you may enjoy my other post that features Whimsical Animals and features another Dapper Animal plate by artist Rachel Koslowski. This other tablescape celebrates bears in winter. Click on the link below if you would like to check it out.

Freezing Temperature Tablescape with Sled Dogs, Seals and Bears “Oh My!!”

You may also enjoy the “April Showers Brings May Flowers” Post which features whimsical ducks and bunnies with umbrellas. Click below if you would like to check it out.

April Showers Bring May Flowers!! But Do They Also Bring Ducks with Umbrellas????

Also, if you liked the lakeside/ocean feel of this post, you may enjoy the following two “sunset on the lake” posts.

A Glorious Sunset on the Lake – April 15, 2023

and

Sunset on the Lake – April 2, 2023

Link Parties

I often participate in Tablescape Thursday at betweennapsontheporch.net, Please click on the link to see this website of one of my favorite bloggers – I especially love her “Tablescape Thursday posts” which is all about tablescapes and her tablescape post is followed by photos and links for many other wonderful tablescapers.  Her “Metamorphisis Monday” posts, which are all about “Befores and Afters” – are other favorites of mine. 

I also often participate in Marty’s “Inspire me Tuesday” link party at “A Stroll Thru life” I hope you can check out her website and her Tuesday link party which is followed by photos and links for many other ideas from her followers.

Recently I started following Katherinescorner.com. I frequently join her TFT blog party. The TFT – Thursday Favorite Things blog hop contains links on many topics with lots of great ideas. To get there click on the preceding link and go to her website and they check out her most recent Thursday – TFT post, at the bottom of her post, you will find many of her followers’ ideas. 

Recently I discovered the Imparting Grace blog, and I am really enjoying it. To get to this website click the preceding link and look for the “Grace At Home Blog party” which begins each week on Thursdays.

I have also started following SouthernSunflowers.com and recently joined their “Home Matters Link Party”. It begins each week on Thursdays, I hope you can check it out.

Very Recently I started following KarinsKottage.com, and I am loving her blog as well, and can’t wait to see her Italian Castle remodel! I often participate in her Linky Party on Wednesdays . 

I have also started following EclecticRedBarn.com and am loving her “Wonderful Wednesday Blog Hop” and am sharing on it on Wednesdays. 

In addition I really enjoy Lifeasaleowife.com and share on her “Crafty Creators Link Party” on Thursdays. 

This year, for my first time, I have joined the “Home Imagined Link Party” at Masterpiecesofmylife.com. I love this website, and the hostesses and other contributors have some great ideas! To get to the home page, use the above link and then scroll down to “Home Imagined Link Party” and click on it to get to the Link Party page. A new link party is posted every other week. 

I hope you will enjoy visiting these wonderful bloggers on the above websites as much as I do!

Table Details and Origins

Dapper Animal Summer 2022 collection – salad plates, dinner plates, juice glasses – West Elm

Seashell Chargers – these are from Pottery Barn, a few years ago but are no longer available. To get a similar look, check out Susan’s Between Naps on the Porch website and Chloe’s Celebrate and Decorate website for excellent descriptions on how to make even prettier shell chargers than these from Pottery Barn. The only thing I could find that us commercially available now, that even remotely imitated these chargers, are these from Wayfair

Sea turtle figurines – Hobby Lobby

Octopus Cookie Jar – Homegoods – a few years ago 

Seahorse and fish glasses, sea animal table runner – Homegoods – Seahorse glasses were from a few years ago, but fish glasses and table runner were from this past summer 

Artificial Coral- Homegoods – available most years

Aqua Placemats – Michaels? – a few years ago 

Towle Living Antiqua Frost Flatware – Amazon – and for a similar look, the Towle Living – Sea Turtle flatware is also available at Amazon

Swimming goggles – Target 

Sea Turtle sunglasses and other accessories – Encore Fun for 11 1/2″ dolls – Amazon

Mini beach balls – Amazon

Lighted Tree 7′ Raz Imports – Amazon

Sandcastle fountain – Cracker Barrel store – a few years ago.  

Sea Turtle Napkin Rings by Hans Turnwald – eBay – search on “Hans Turnwald sea turtle napkin rings”

Sea animal ornaments – Hobby Lobby – many are available online and also at the local stores. Unfortunately, these ornaments are not listed as a collection online, and therefore need to be searched for individually – hammerhead shark, Manta Ray, Dolphin, Sea Turtle, Blue Octopus, Jellyfish, Striped Fish, Tropical fish, Starfish, Whale shark, Lobster, Message in a Bottle, Hermit Crab, Narwal, Scalloped shell,