Even though it was just one little table, this was one of the funnest projects that I've worked on this year. I had a great budget and a lot of creative freedom, that's what we call a designer's dream come true.
Caesarstone and the Interior Collective asked me to design a holiday table for their Design & Dine giveaway (enter here). I pulled metallic papers with animal-esque prints and crazy florals when I first starting gathering ideas and inspiration for the table, but then I happened upon this image (below) and I instantly knew this was the direction I wanted to go. As much as I try to go fun and funky with design, I almost always come back to something simple, sophisticated, and classic. I'm learning that it's ok to admire the fun and funky in others' designs, while still staying true to myself and what I do best. Even something as temporary as a holiday table setting still doesn't feel right to me if it's too trendy, even though it won't be around long enough to matter. It's a part of my natural aesthetic that I'm learning to just embrace.
As much as I would have loved to use real velvety foliage, it wouldn't exact preserve long enough to last the life of the giveaway and then be packed up and shipped to the winner, so the next best thing was a textured runner made out of grasscloth wallcovering in the same soft sage color.
I didn't want the table to be an in your face, plaid tablecloth, red and green type of scheme. I wanted it to be more subtle and elegant than that, but still be very obviously a "holiday" table. I achieved this by mixing a classic winter woodsy vibe (with the deer antlers, birch candles, and wood chargers) with the shimmer of the holiday season (with gold water goblets and gold star and bell ornaments).
Flowers are the staple of every event design. You can have nothing else but amazing florals and all is well. Likewise, you can have everything but florals and I am always left wanting. Even though the flowers, for reasons mentioned above, are not part of the giveaway, I refused to do a table without them, and fake floiage just isn't an option. The table is subtle and versatile enough to accommodate any number of flower combinations. I worked with Moon Canyon Design to create these asymmetrical, wild bouquets. I love the mix of white and black anemone with the red peonies and eucalyptus berries. This was the first time I hired out the floral design for any of my projects and I have to say that I loved how the collaboration turned out. Two heads are definitely better, and more interesting, than one.
The giveaway is going on for one more day and here is what you'll win:
- Roll of grasscloth table runner in sage – Seabrook (1) and Linen table cloth – Pottery Barn (1)
- Wood dinner plates/chargers – Crate & Barrel (6)
- Salad plates – Royal Doulton (6)
- Crystal wine goblets – Bohemia Royal Crystal (6)
- Gold stemless goblets/candle holders (6)
- Cotton napkins – Crate & Barrel (6)
- Bleached deer antlers – Tin Can Boutique (6)
- Birch wood tea light candle holders – Northwoods Wood Creations (6)
- Medium stone flower container – Moon Canyon Designs (1) and Small stone flower containers – Moon Canyon Designs (2)
- Gold porcelain star and bell ornaments, handmade – Jo Heckett (6)
The giveaway ends tonight at midnight and due to my major lack of a social media following, there have only been 12 entries so far so your chances are pretty good! Here is another link to enter: http://interiorcollective.com/giveaway/design-and-dine
