Ecclectic Tea Party Table Setting

Eclectic Tea Party Table Setting by lanshala on polyvore.com

Air Vase | Gestalten
gestalten.com

 The weather in Prague has turned rainy and cold this week and I think fall is here to stay, unlike the 26 degree weather I am jealous of back home.  I’ve enjoyed unpacking all my goods from Toronto and getting everything re-set up in our new apartment.  While the size of the apartment is the same, we’ve gained a considerable amount of storage space that didn’t exist for us in our old place which is nice when you collect platters and tea cups like I do.

One of the selling points of this apartment is that just down the street there is great cafe called Muj Salek Kavy that has breakfast/brunch, cakes/tarts, lunch and dinner.  I found out it is run by a South African guy, which is why the “brunch” items are done well.  This place has a terrific jasmine tea, and I have even overlooked the fact that it comes in a bag instead of looseleaf (gasp) – and drip coffee for the fiance.  In the spirit of tea, I’ve put together an eclectic mix of items that I would put on my table to host a rainy day October tea party.

BED: Matthew Robbins

Matthew Robbins is very deserving of a Beautiful Event Design feature on Out of the Event and is a name you should familiarize yourself with  if you are into learning from the best to inspire your own events.

A bit about Matthew: His educational background in art not only complements and illuminates his floral and event designs but has also helped him create the successful event design company which runs with a team stacked with talent in New York.  To highlight some of Matthew’s successes and accolades, Matthew is a regular contributor on the Bride’s Guide and has been featured countless times in Martha Stewart’s Weddings magazine as well as on the show and has worked on events around the US and the globe. 

To get some insight into what makes a great event and what inspires Matthew to do what he does, check out this great interview with Matthew Robbins on blog, The Bride Cafe here, or you can check out his posts on the Bride’s Guide here.   I have some pictures to share with you but they really do not do his work justice and I would recommend browsing his portfolio on the company website here.

via the bride cafe blog

 

via the last detail blog

via the bride guide by darcy miller

 

via the bride cafe

via NY Daily News

Office Party Anyone?

I was reading blog, Aphrochic today and found a post about a stunning office/loft in Manhattan that belongs to designer, Michelle Smith of the clothing line, Milly.

When I saw the space I immediately thought to myself of all the event space potential Michelle’s office has!  The white walls and conversation piece furniture make an excellent venue for a cocktail party.  I also like the fact that there are so many windows in the unit so the natural light just streams in to the space.

I hope Michelle has taken advantage of her space to celebrate her brand successes-

If you want to know more about designer, Michelle Smith, there is a good interview on blog, All the Best , that I would recommend taking a glance at.

Office Pics:

Michelle Smith Studio via Aphor Chic blog

Michelle Smith Studio photo via Aphrochic blog

Fendi on the Great Wall

I spent five years traveling back and forth between Toronto and China and I am sorry to say, I was not in the country when this event took place in Beijing for the Fendi Fall Winter 2007/2008 collection.

It doesn’t get much cooler than having a fashion show on the Great Wall of China itself.

Is that a venue or what?

Fendi Fashion Show (via iwantigot)

Fendi Fashion Show Night (via design boom)

Candy Aesthetics

Incorporating candy into an event or centering an entire event around the colourful sugar treat can significantly boost room aesthetics and event vibe.  Not only does candy add allure and an interactive component to a party, it also brings depth to a table by using a variety of shapes, sizes, colours and canisters. 

For those of you who are tempted to try creating a masterpiece of your own at your next event but are not sure where to start, here are a couple photos and resources to put candy table design into perspective.

In terms of equipment you can be as creative or conservative as you would like.  You are the artist and the table, your canvas.  There are many great stores to find candy containers from antique stores, to IKEA, garage sales to the dollar store-  depending on your theme and desired look you can go as cheap or extravagant with your candy storage containers as your budget permits.  Next, something to scoop the candy.  Plastic shovels, bulk barn shovels, tongs… again lots of choices and don’t be afraid to decorate the handle or choose monochromatic pieces to add to the look of your table.

Lastly, the take-away boxes- cellophane, chinese takeout boxes, paper bags, cups, shot glasses, ramakens are just some of the ideas I have used and seen people use in the past.   Store bags in a cute container and think about how to add some fun and tempt guests to treat themselves.

For some information on how to gauge candy quantity, Simply Stated posted the following information here.  Likewise, Hostess with the Mostess blog did a piece on candy birthday tables for kids.  There is no reason why you can’t update some of the pieces to tailor it for more grown up appeal.

And now on to the visuals….

Candy Buffet (from Simply Stated)

Candy Table (from Hostess with the Mostess)

Candy Table (from Favors a la carte)

monochromatic candy examples (from the paper pony)

 

 

Amy Atlas Yellow Candy Table (from Design Editor)

How Fashion Influences Event Design

With French fashion week about to get underway at the end of January, I began to think about how far reaching runway trends extend around the globe.  Take event design for instance, it was not too long ago when lace was hot in fashion and we saw mainstream publications reinterpret the same trend in an event design context.   {Martha Stewart’s Weddings magazine in a warm, feminine table setting using lace }

 

It is exciting to see how quickly trends are picked up, exported, repackaged and executed  in events, interior design, product design and the like. 

The benefit of living in a global village is that we can borrow, be inspired by and have access to all the ideas and information we like to help create our own masterpieces/unforgettable experiences when hosting events.

Stay tuned to see the new trends for Spring/Summer 2009.