Rediscover Champagne Coupes

I'm so excited to introduce a new regular contributor to Second City Soiree! Christine Sisson of Words on Style will be sharing her interior design élan as part of our Monday Contributor Series. You can follow her on Twitter at @wordsonstyle

After December’s heavy toddies, creamy nogs and rich wassails, we end the year on a light, crisp note. At your New Year’s Eve soiree, complement champagne’s effervescence with glassware that is equally festive. Flutes are fine (and get the job done), but I prefer a more jaunty glass—the champagne cup, or coupe.

Long before Mad Men helped us rediscover canapés and cocktails, I was the lucky recipient of dozens of these shallow champagne glasses. My grandmother had probably not used them since the 1960s, but when I pulled them out of the dusty box, they seemed surprisingly fresh.

Add a dash of retro style to your party by incorporating mix-and-match cups sourced from estate sales, garage sales, church bazaars or grandma’s cupboard. (As an estate sale maven, trust me–these cups are plentiful. You’ll find them with the equally charming chip-n-dips, salt cellars and other vintage serving gems.) Sometimes as inexpensive as 25 cents each, why not buy a bunch in different heights, colors and styles? Find sources at estatesales.net; photos of mid-century-modern furniture are a good tip-off for prime champagne coup hunting grounds.

Fill a deep oval mirrored serving tray with your glass assortment. Rose-colored glasses mixed with clear, etched and gilded saucers will look pretty in a tray on the bar, before the bubbly is poured. Skip the libations, and line up your series on a mantle. Or use them as tea light holders on your dining table. For a sit-down dinner, use empty cups as placecard holders by tying a simple nametag around the stem. Your collection will serve you beyond January 1—from summer’s ceviches and sorbets to puddings and beyond.

Nothing says ‘hello, new year!’ like reflecting just a bit on the past. May as well do it in style.

Interior Decorating and Design by Christine Sisson Part of the Second City Soiree Monday Contributor Series. Christine is on Twitter @WordsOnStyle. Read her full bio here.

Comments

[Debbie @TheHipHostess]

Brilliant idea! I love this, especially since I have a stash of these packed away from my grandmother! Time to quit hiding them and show them off! The possibilities here are endless.Thank you kindly for inspiration!