Today’s FH Dinner Party Series Guest is a woman who loves tablescapes as much as I do… and this display really shows it!! Meet Deborah Shearer, founder of Table + Dine. If you are planning a dinner party or holiday, head to her blog or instagram for a dose of inspiration stat!! And isn’t her tablescape today beautiful?! I haven’t seen a black and white stripe beauty since my graduation party I threw last year, and I must say this tablescape is making me want to bring it back!! I am excited to share a Q & A with her and more deets on this table… with a big shocker… the plates are actually paper! Too perfect for outdoor parties! Read on for more!

Q & A:

FH: Tell me a quick bio of how you came to start Table + Dine?

We call it “dinner and a love story”. One night over dinner at one our favorite San Francisco restaurants, Cotogna, my daughter Allie and I talked about our love for entertaining with good food, wine and our favorite people around the table. I’d been in the tabletop business for as long as I could remember and Allie followed my lead since she could twirl in a party dress. Together, we’ve cooked, baked, catered and hosted countless dinner parties and events. That night at Cotogna, we finally decided to build a company that revolved around our mutual love for entertaining and Table + Dine was born. Shortly after, we launched our online retail store with over 10K products to set the perfect table, and some of the best brands in the business.

When Allie had an offer she couldn’t refuse in the real estate market last year, I decided I wanted to do something different than retail, so I re-invented Table + Dine – taking it from a online retail store to a marketing studio (crazy starting over at this point, right?!), creating content for brands, designing and setting tables and doing what I love. Every. Single. Day.

FH: What is your entertaining style? Traditional, Contemporary, Seasonal? 

Honestly, it depends on my mood. I’d say I’m more on the lighter side of traditional, with a serving of contemporary. I love to set the table for the season, and most especially for any holiday.

FH: Do you have a go-to recipe or dish {or do you avoid cooking at all costs}?

Favorite go to: My best and most requested “will you bring’ app are my mini BLT’s. They’re killer, make a great presentation and are the first to go. Dinner: Roasted chicken, Italian sausage, peppers, onions and potatoes with olive oil and garlic. It’s fast, easy (one roasting pan!) and everyone’s favorite. If you were coming over tonight, it would probably be what I’d serve with a great salad and crusty sourdough bread. What do I avoid? Risotto. It hates me!

FH: Do you have a go-to cocktail?

Always on the menu: French 75 and the PERFECT Gin & Tonic – Hendricks, Fever Tree Tonic and a slice of cucumber. It’s clean, crisp and perfectly balanced. Just as noteworthy: The glass you serve it in.

FH: Did something inspire you for today’s table? A certain color, flower, plate? 

I love a black and white stripe, so I started with the runner. After that, the color of the garden roses led the way. Naturally, the table called for a glass of Rosé.

Did I mention this tablesetting is set with paper?! Sometimes a party (baby shower, wedding shower, grad party) requires something chic, yet disposable. This is by Sophistiplate!

FH: Tabletop… Share all the deets!!

• Plates and Salad Plates:  Sophistiplate. Believe it or not, this is single-use pretty paper from Italy!
• Napkins: Sophistiplate
• Flour Sack Bouquet Wrap: Merc Textile
• Napkin rings: Mark and Graham
• Tablecloth: kate spade new york – HomeGoods
• Runner: Hester & Cook
• Cocktail Glass: Mark and Graham
• Silverware: Marchesa by Lenox Imperial Caviar Gold Flatware
• Votive Holders:  Target (Similar)

Home location: Marin County, California

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Photography: Stefanie Schoen | @thestylesafari