Entertaining with Charlotte Ford

I love to read old articles on hostesses and their styles of entertaining. Sometimes, I glean practical tips, while other times, the sheer elaborateness of their dinners and parties provides me with moments of escapism. Try as we might, duplicating some of these old parties often requires the patience of Job and a bank account worthy of Croesus.

One hostess who seems refreshingly practical is Charlotte Ford. I found this article about her in a 1977 issue of House Beautiful, and at the time the article was published, Ford was a busy working woman designing a line of clothing. With her hectic workday schedule, Ford admitted that she was only able to entertain about once a month.  Taking a more casual (for that time) approach to entertaining, Ford eschewed long, laborious dinner parties of numerous courses.  Instead, she said that she preferred to serve an appetizer, an entree of turkey (according to Ford, men particularly seemed to love turkey) and a vegetable, and, to end the meal, either a salad and cheese or dessert.

What especially caught my eye were Ford's lovely dining tables.  Preferring to set two round tables for six, Ford laid her table with French-made china designed especially for the Ford family, Baccarat crystal, and those lovely Porthault embroidered mats and napkins.  I think Ford's table linens are my favorite part of the entire article.  You'll also notice the little cigarette holders, an accessory that, at that time, were practically a requirement on well-set tables.

Times may have changed, but a beautifully set table never goes out of style!

All photos from House Beautiful, June 1977

Porthault for Dummies

I have a big regret that really bugs me. Not big as in it majorly affected my life, but rather one of those nagging regrets in which I could really kick myself. It involves Porthault linen. Years ago my sister participated in a neighborhood yard sale, and my mother donated a set of Porthault table linen that looked similar to the carnation pattern shown above. The napkins were a bit worn and the tablecloth had some holes in it. And dumb me didn't rescue the Porthault for myself. I thought "Why would I want a tablecloth with holes?" Because it's Porthault, stupid, and it costs a fortune! Now, I'd give my right arm for a Porthault tablecloth, but of course my budget doesn't quite allow for it. (And please don't excoriate me; proceeds from the yard sale did not benefit a charity or anything. It was strictly for profit. My sister made a whopping $30 from those linen. See, I told you I missed an opportunity there.)


Had I had the sense and style of Deeda Blair, I could have recycled the holey Porthault (or perhaps I should call it the Holy Porthault) and used it in some ingenious way. Mrs. Blair took her trousseau sheets and made bed curtains out of them. Truly, how smart is that? Of course, I couldn't say that my Porthault was trousseau, but I could have made something up rather than admitting that it had been saved from the Peachtree Hills Yard Sale.


Or perhaps I could have made the cloth into a shower curtain, albeit one that was a little worn and that may not have completely covered my shower. But after seeing this shower curtain née bed sheet in the home of Kate Rheinstein Brodsky, well, I wish that I had thought of this.


The napkins could have come in handy too. They would have made great tray cloths. You know, for when I serve myself breakfast in bed on my breakfast tray. I really do have a breakfast tray, and it's actually Porthault. I wish it got used more often than it does, but going to all of that trouble to set a tray for yourself is a drag. You need someone to do it for you...like CZ Guest. This is probably why her tray, above, looks so enticing.


Or, I could have used a napkin to protect my bedside table from my water glass. Two of the chicest people I know use Porthault cocktail napkins for such a thing: Chris Spitzmiller and Todd Romano.

Oh well, I know that Mom's Porthault is probably in a good home now. In fact, I remember how quickly the female customer scooped it up. I bet she thought my sister and I were a bunch of dummies. And you know what? She was right!

(Deeda Blair photo from House Beautiful, 9/2001; Brodsky photo from Elle Decor, March 2010, William Waldron photographer; CZ Guest breakfast tray from House & Garden, June 2004; Romano bedside photo from New York Social Diary, Jeffrey Hirsch photographer)

A Passion for Porthault

It can start with a handkerchief, or a cocktail napkin or two, and before you know it- you've been bitten by the Porthault bug. At least that's how it began with me. I'm absolutely smitten with any and all Porthault prints- clovers, millefleurs, lips- it doesn't matter because I love them all. Now I know that some of you linen purists out there won't understand this, and that's okay. Every linen closet should have plain white sheets and towels. But what's wrong with having a little fun? At least that's the excuse that I use every time I hit the Porthault store. I've got the hankies, the cocktail napkins, the china, and even a wastebasket, and as God is my witness- I will own a set of Porthault sheets someday soon!!!

But, in the meantime, I can just daydream by looking at these beautiful beds adorned with my dream linen.


Todd Romano rescued this paisley print from the Porthault archives for his guest bedroom. In my opinion, it's the perfect Porthault print for a man. (Image from House & Garden)


Rita Konig obviously likes it too, although she chose a more muted pattern (image via Domino)


The resourceful Deeda Blair used her trousseau Porthault sheets to create bed curtains (House Beautiful, 9/2001)


Harry Slatkin chose crisp, clean blue and white for his bedding (photo courtesy of House & Garden)


Diana Vreeland's floral print Porthault sheets don't really clash with the other prints in the room- they just add to the vibrancy of it.