What is "country chic"?
From the numerous times that I've browsed Google's image search, Pinterest, and various other websites, I've learned that this is a style term that can mean a whole lot of different things, to a whole lot of different people. That's part of its charm, naturally. :) However, in this blog post, I'm going to attempt to define what the "country chic" style means, in my own eyes.
To start off with, here's a few pictures that I've pulled from the vastly obliging world wide web; these are the images that I felt best expressed the look that we'll be going for with this party.
(The following images are from Pinterest and Google's image search.)
I love the look of mismatched containers and simple flower arrangements. These are both important elements of the country chic style: nothing ever seems to be too matchy-matchy, and it's never, ever fussy. It's casually but thoughtfully put together, with an emphasis on a worn-in patina and a cozy, homey sort of prettiness.
Another staple element of the country chic style is Mason jars. They can be any size, in a variety of colors, opaque and clear, embellished or not...but where there's a country-style design theme, there will almost certainly be Mason jars. And why not? They're sturdy and they look fabulous without your having to over-think how you're going to put them together. Also, I ought to add, like the ubiquitous Little Black Dress that the world is so very (justly so) fond of...
Mason jars pair well with pretty much ev-er-y-thing.
Again, we have wildflowers and mismatched vessels, with an emphasis on the nicely-aged and weather-worn look of the non-flower items' surfaces. But now I'd like to point out another element of the country chic design, which a friend described to me in her definition of the country chic style--and that is the color palette. Country chic style can vary between vibrant, saturated bright colors and soft, whispering pastels, but those colors will always be firmly based in nature. You won't find any neons here, I'm afraid. You will, however, find the aforementioned natural colors and a host of lovely neutrals: shades from wood, burlap, natural fibers such as cotton, and others.
So there we have a few examples of the elements of country chic design: mismatched flower containers and tableware and cutlery--simple flower arrangements gathered from the side of the road, the flower market, your own backyard, or a conveniently-blooming meadow (if you see any such place, do let me know...they're in rather short supply around here...)--Mason jars, in whatever size you want, with whatever embellishments you want--and a color palette that mixes natural neutrals with brights and pastels. This is by no means an exhaustive definition of the elements that composed the country chic style, of course...it's just the handful of examples that I've chosen to highlight for my own interpretation of it, for this particular occasion. :)
I suppose that ultimately, I would have to agree with my friend's definition of the country chic style: it holds both natural and vibrant colors, it's aged and worn in without being worn-out and deteriorating. It's country in that it includes wildflowers, burlap, and an unpretentious sort of coziness, and it's chic in that it holds a unified, well-thought-out scheme of colors and materials. With the country chic style, you get wildflowers in a collection of sparkling clear glass Mason jars; there is a crisp white linen table cloth with a burlap-and-lace table topper; there is faded turquoise paired with rough-hewn wood and fine silver flatware. It's cheerful, cozy, and sophisticated without seeming as though it's trying to be.
And how does that translate for the gender reveal party on Saturday?
This is just the base of my ideas for the decorations, but I think it gives a suitable picture of what I'm planning to include. There will be lots of pink and blue for the table decor, in both the gingham pattern and solids. We'll also have pink and blue balloons placed here and there; I'm thinking of trying to make a pair of question marks to decorate either side of the front door. We'll also hopefully have some of the flowers from the backyard: fuschia pink roses and blue-tinted hydrangeas, if there are enough of them blooming to use them for arrangements. And of course, there will be some burlap and twine involved.
We've got a bunch of dear, dear friends and family who are planning to attend--some of them are traveling a ways in order to be present for the grand reveal. I'm so, so incredibly honored and happy to be looking forward to the company of everyone who is planning to be there with us on this special day, whether they're from out of town or from the local area. Auntie Jenn is going to make a special blue punch for the party, and Auntie Micah is making the cake--I'm anxious to try both! And baby's bonne-maman--that's my Mom!--is joining forces with me to make an amazing finger-foods menu, which is to include "Texas caviar" and tortilla chips, individual veggie-and-dip cups, fruit kabobs and antipasto kabobs, a hummus-esque dip from one of Giada de Laurentiis' cookbooks, and...cherry pie pops.
Sheesh. Now I'm really hungry again, after talking about all of that food! I think it's time for me to put an end to my rambling and let everyone go, for now. ;)
À bientôt!
-- Cait
