Perfectly Patterned: A Vintage Waverly Fabric
Where are my 80s/90s fans at? Where are my Waverly lovers? Where are my pattern-obsessed, color-crazy table enthusiasts? If you’re nodding your head to any of those—or, bless your heart, all three—then this post is for YOU!
I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again: while I adore my china (and y’all know I’ve got stacks for days), my heart truly belongs to the tablecloth. It’s the unsung hero of any tablescape, the canvas that sets the stage for all my wild pattern-mixing dreams. In the last three years, my tablecloth obsession has grown so much that I had to enlist my sweet husband to build me a custom closet. Picture this: two long rods, one above the other, with tablecloths hanging like a rainbow of fabric glory. (Oh wait, you don’t have to imagine it… here she is in all of her patterned glory)
This particular gem I’m gushing about today? An Etsy find that stopped me dead in my scrolling tracks. Shhhhhh, don’t tell anybody, but I’ve got saved searches on eBay and Etsy for all my favorite table-setting treasures—specific manufacturers, vintage styles, you name it. One of those searches? “Vintage Waverly Fabric.” I was casually browsing the new listings one afternoon, sipping my half-and-half tea (that’s half sweet, half unsweet for clarification), when this beauty popped up. Y’all, I nearly spilled my drink. Thank goodness for the lid!
A Little Waverly History Lesson (Because The Teacher in Me Can’t Resist)
If you’re new to the Waverly game, let me give you the quick-and-dirty backstory. Founded in 1923, Waverly became the darling of American homes with its timeless florals, damasks, and toile prints. They dressed up windows, upholstered furniture, and basically turned every room into a cozy English countryside dream. But the 80s and 90s? That’s when Waverly hit its stride. It was the name in interior design, especially for those of us who swooned over that cottagecore-before-it-was-cool aesthetic. In 1998, I was knee-deep in my Waverly phase—five different prints graced my home, from curtains to cushions, and I loved every single one like they were my babies.
And look at this fun ad I found on eBay… I had to have it for my Dish Room! It’s from 1962 (older than me by a few years, 7 to be exact!)
So when I saw this vintage Waverly tablecloth on Etsy, with its stripes and florals singing in perfect harmony, it was like a time machine whisked me back to those early mom days. I could practically smell the baby powder from Lauren’s nursery, where I’d painstakingly hung Waverly curtains and swaddled her crib in matching fabric. Nostalgia is a powerful thing—it grabs you by the heart and doesn’t let go. I knew right then and there this fabric wasn’t just being delivered to my home; it was destined to be the star on my table. (and she is, but I’ll get to that!)
My Creative Process: A Peek Behind the Bradley Acres Curtain
Since I spilled the beans on My Blueprint For Stunning Tables back on blog launch day, I’ll keep circling back to it with each tablescape post. So many of you fabulous folks I’ve met in Facebook groups (shoutout to my table-setting soulmates!) keep asking how I pull these tables together, so here’s the step-by-step—expanded with all the juicy details!
- Find Your Inspiration…
For me, inspiration usually comes down to a color palette or a pattern that sets my heart aflutter. With this table? It’s all about the pattern, y’all! This vintage Waverly fabric—oh, she’s a stunner. Stripes AND florals? Together? In one glorious spread? It’s like the universe said, “Melissa, here’s your dream tablecloth.” I smashed that “Buy Now” button so fast my mouse didn’t know what hit it.
Have I made you wait long enough to see her? Okay, the wait is over… here she is!
Isn’t she pretty? Isn’t she lovely? It’s okay if you’re not a fan. I always say, “You Do You!’
This table came together faster than a hummingbird’s wings in flight. I actually started pulling pieces for it back in February for a Facebook tablescape competition called “I Dream of Spring.” The moment I laid eyes on this tablecloth, it screamed springtime—fresh, vibrant, and full of life. I could almost hear the birds chirping and feel the warm breeze rustling through Bradley Acres.
Now if you love this fabric, I did find a few options with a very similar vibe that would look fabulous on any table… Southern Living Vintage Floral tablecloth. (official side-note: I do not receive any compensation for this link, but if someone on the other end would send me this tablecloth, I wouldn’t be sad!)
Here’s a few options on Amazon. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. Click on each image for the link. Confession… the middle image is actually curtains. I’ve found that often times the curtains offer fabulous prints and sometimes better prices!
- Select a Color Palette…
My go-to color trio—pink, blue, and green—made an appearance here, because why mess with perfection? Green and pink are a match made in heaven; pink’s a shade of red, and red’s the complementary darling to green. Then you’ve got green and blue, all cozy and analogous like blue skies kissing green grass. Have you seen the pics of Bradley Acres in my “About Me” section? That’s God’s handiwork right there—nature’s finest color combo. If it works outside my window, it works on my table!
I’ll let you in on a little secret: I don’t always plan my palettes with fancy color wheels and color-matched images. Sometimes I just stand in my Dish & Decor Room, squinting at my stash, and think, “Yep, that feels right.” This time, though, the Waverly fabric handed me the palette on a silver platter—soft pinks, muted greens, and a whisper of blue. Done and done.
Side Note: If you are interested in color palettes and what colors work together, try Coolors.com. It’s what we use at Alt 19 Creative (if you didn’t know, I also work with my sister and “We Make Pretty Books”) when we’re designing book covers. It’s a great resource for designers of all skill levels!
- Make it All About the Patterns…
Here’s where I get a little preachy, because I don’t think folks realize patterns aren’t just for fabric or things with lots of color! Sure, this tablecloth is the star, but I’ve got patterns popping up everywhere—the plates, the centerpiece, even the DIY lampshades I whipped up. The planters have texture, the chargers have a basketweave vibe—patterns add that extra oomph, that dimension that makes a table sing. (Your opinion might differ, and that’s fine—You Do You, Boo!)
Scale is my secret weapon here. I always aim for a mix of small-, medium-, and large-scale prints. The tablecloth’s got that big, bold floral-stripe combo, the napkins rock a medium-scale pattern, and the lampshades keep it small and subtle. It’s a formula I’ve leaned on forever—decorating, tablescaping, even scrapbooking back in my paper-crafting days. A dear friend recently said, “Melissa, you set tables like you used to make scrapbook pages,” and y’all, she’s spot-on! I hadn’t thought about it, but those old “Mixing Patterns” classes I taught? They’re alive and well in my tablescapes.
If you’d like my guide for unlocking the secrets to mixing patterns, sign up for my newsletter and receive The Pattern Playbook: Mixing Patterns Like a Pro sign up at the bottom of this post when you’re finished reading!
- Pick Your Stack…
The stack came together like it was meant to be. I tried one other combo—just to be sure—but circled back to my original picks because, hello, Bordallo Pinheiro (BP)! It’s neck-and-neck with Mottahedeh’s Tobacco Leaf as my favorite pattern, and some days, it even steals the crown. So many color options, so much charm—I kick myself for all the times I skipped it at Tuesday Morning or Pier 1 in the 90s and early 2000s. If I’d known resale prices would skyrocket, I’d have bought a truckload! Of course, I probably still wouldn’t sell it! The top appetizer plate is Mexicara that I found around 2010 at TJMaxx!
The charger’s a fave, too—basketweave perfection from Vivo Veronika, an online shop run by a social media pal I bonded with over our mutual love of table pretties. (No sponsorship here, just pure love—) That weave screams Easter baskets, which screams spring, so it was a no-brainer for this table. Though, let’s be real—I’ve used it at Christmas and will probably drag it out this fall. Seasonal rules? I don’t know those.
The BP Basketweave Blue bowls were an eBay surprise. The listing said “plates,” dimensions checked out, but when they arrived? Bowls. I was a smidge disappointed—only a smidge, because it’s still BP in a color I hunt like a bloodhound. I messaged the seller, “Hey, just FYI, these are bowls, not plates—might wanna double-check future listings!” Kept ‘em anyway. Then I layered on my BP Basketweave White salad plates because, duh, more pattern! I’ve got green dinner and salad plates (you’ll see those a lot), blue bowls, and white salads—but pink? Still chasing that unicorn.
You can recreate a similar stack with these available pieces. Green Basketweave Chargers (sorry no pink available). Blue Cabbage Dinner. Pink Cabbage Salad. The Appetizer plates that I used are smaller than any cabbage I could find. Many of the “appetizer” listings I found were the same size as the salads.
- Select The Linens…
The tablecloth was my muse and large-scale, so I went into my Napkin Closet (yes, insert eyeroll, I have a closet just for napkins and napkin rings, but for that you have to wait for the Dish Room Post! or you could see it in the highlights section on Bradley Acres Instagram), the napkins brought medium-scale pattern goodness! I looked at my blues and greens and went with these napkins from Amazon. (paid link) I love the scalloped detail!
Then of course, I had to have a napkin ring. Easy peasy—these adorable bunny napkin rings from an estate sale hopped right into my heart. A quick eBay search pegged them as AUKEY, a brand I’d never heard of. Google was useless, so if you know the scoop, spill it in the comments—I’m dying to learn! Here’s some cute bunny napkin rings from Amazon (paid link).
- Time for the Glassware & Flatware…
Glassware was the one holdout that didn’t fall into place like dominoes. I usually do two glasses—water and a wildcard (sweet tea, half and half tea, Dr. Pepper, Diet Dr. Pepper, Coca Cola, or an adult beverage or mocktail in our house)—but this time, I couldn’t pick just two. Three it was!
The blue and green stem is Bormioli Rocco Bahia and are some of my favorites. You can find several listings on eBay. Prices vary, so make sure you compare prices!
The pink stemware (Amazon score, not Estelle, but just as gorgeous) is for a cocktail or mocktail.
Green glass (Villeroy & Boch Boston—paid link—I have them in nearly every color) are for whatever preferred drink of choice—I like options!
Flatware’s another place I love to pull in color—there are so many fun colorful handled options out there, but my mix of Birks Louis de France (no longer in production but you can find sets on eBay) and Gorham Strasbourg (not paid link) won out. Those scrolls? Pure spring vibes. Okay, they work year-round, and you’ll see this set a ton—consider it my flatware signature.
- Centerpiece Magic…
I knew from the beginning I’d use my tulip planters with real-touch tulips (Amazon find from last year—lifelike and fabulous), but once they hit the table, it felt… incomplete. Down to the Dish & Decor Room I trekked, hunting for pink, green, or blue. I hauled up a few contenders—more tulips, a vase, some candlesticks—and played around. The extra tulips screamed spring, but they needed height. Back downstairs for my BP pink Bunny Cake Plate to lift ‘em up. (Steps? Check!)
While my Cake Stand is BP, I did find these cake stands on Amazon. Love that the three sizes give you options, which anyone who creates tablescapes and entertains must have!
Those mini table lamps from Amazon? Obsessed. Finding extra shades is a nightmare—either they don’t exist, or they cost an arm and a leg. Last year, I got crafty and made my own with scrapbook paper (yes, I still hoard it—judge me all you want!). Tutorial’s coming tomorrow—super easy, I swear!
- The Final Touches—Step Back and Assess…
Stepping back, I saw two height levels in the centerpiece and thought, “Third time’s the charm.” Back to the basement (steps galore that day!) for my BP bunny tea set sugars—perfect height, perfect vibe. I tossed in some dried bunny tails (Amazon, maybe faux, still cute) for texture and whimsy. Balance achieved!
I also decided to add another spring element and texture with the bird’s nests and eggs. Always a favorite addition to a spring table.
- Snap Some Photos
Tables don’t linger long around here—I’m always itching for the next one—but this beauty stayed up over a week. I couldn’t bear to dismantle it! I’m already planning to recreate it for a lunch with friends in early April. Or not, who knows what I’ll be thinking in early April!
This Waverly wonder took me on a trip down memory lane and turned into a table that’s equal parts nostalgia and springtime cheer. I hope it inspires you to dig out your own treasures—or hunt down some new ones—and play with color and pattern ‘til your heart’s content.
What’s your favorite tablecloth memory? Drop it in the comments—I’m all ears!
From My Table to Yours,
Melissa
2 Responses
I thought I commented before…maybe I was too caught up in the memory of Waverly being EVERYWHERE in the 80’s and 90’s! I remember dreaming of marrying my love and decking out our first home in stripes and florals! Thanks for the trip down memory land and the inspiration! I appreciate the links that you have provided. It is so helpful to make purchases based on something that has worked for others and that I have seen looking so beautiful in pictures!
The trip down memory lane was my favorite aspect of this table! I loved Waverly fabrics. We had a fabric store nearby that carried Waverly and I’d wander the aisles drooling over the fabrics. Thank you so much for your comments!!