This Deck the Tables Bonanza Brings Out Dazzling Settings, Including a Baccarat Stunner
BY Shelby Hodge
From the most extravagant holiday designs ever to a cozy Christmas theme, the dining tables at the Houston Design Center’s “Deck the Tables” event offer oodles of inspiration for not so home-spun entertaining. As the Food Network’s Sandra Lee might say, “Now these table scapes are a feast for the eyes!”
There are more than a dozen inspiring tabletops at the 11th annual fest in which showrooms from James Craig Furnishings to Kitchen & Bath Concepts have joined the party that is open to the public through Friday, 10 am to 5 pm.
Special guest for the VIP designer opening on Tuesday was Jim Shreve, president and CEO of Baccarat, North America. Travis DeZalia created the Baccarat table, the most dazzling of all (no surprise there) on view in Design House.
“This represents all of our new silver and white introductions that we did this year in addition to the new cat and dog sculptures that were designed by Robert Rigot,” Shreve tells PaperCity. “We just wanted to incorporate some placemats and other pieces from Kim Seybert to give it a little bit more dimension. This is also in line with our corporate table worldwide. So we wanted to create the same spirit here and we just did it a little more over the top.”
Amid the veritable forest of crystal containers, glasses and decorative bits, the centerpiece of sparkling branches sits atop a riser filled with broken crystal pieces from the Baccarat Hotel in New York.
“So when they break a glass or something, I get it all. And we’ve now put it to use,” Shreve says. “It’s a juxtaposition because you have a beautiful, refined piece and then with the idea that it’s gonna break and it’s still art and it’s still beautiful.” The risers, each unique because of the every-changing broken glass collection, are priced at $5,000.
In contrast to shimmering Baccarat table scape, Design House principal Connie LeFevre says of her table, “We decided that we would go the other way. So we went more casual.” A rustic wooden table and chairs, a floral centerpiece built on a specially-made gutter (yes, like on a roof), metal chargers, and a bounty of magnolia leaves, white ranunculus and red berries set the beautiful table.
Another favorite on the tabletop trail was Brad Brandt‘s “Sugarplums & Butterflies” confection on display at James Craig Furnishings. The inspiration for the pastel-hued take on the holidays is the Versace Butterfly Garden china. A topiary centerpiece, sure to be the envy of every holiday bride, rises high above the table which is centered with bouquets of pink and white roses and glittery Christmas balls, and soaring crystal candlesticks.
The beauty of this opportunity to visit the table scape participants is that many of the showrooms, which are open to the public for the remainder of the week, are typically closed to the trade.
Personally, I’m already thinking of redecorating.