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Design

it's a Dark and moody holiday tablescape

 

 

Sometimes I like my tablescapes like I like my men: Masculine, moody, and dark …

I’ve styled so many crazy colorful girly shoots lately that I needed to visually take a break from the girly (stay tuned for Thursday — I’m revealing my holiday decorations and it overflows with pinks and bows). So when Mark and Graham, the newest baby in the William Sonoma family to join West Elm, Rejuvenation, and William Sonoma home,  asked me to style their product in my own way, I decided to do something different and get my moody on.

So I chose a palette of black, white, grey, and a warm ochre. It’s not terribly holiday because I wanted to do something more year round for my book, but it is very winter.

I wanted it to feel more modern and masculine, less frills, no florals, no bows, but with some feminine lines here and there (hello, it’s me). And while at first I wanted it to be minimalist, ultimately I do love myself some layers and textures. The key to styling in a masculine way is to keep the color palette fairly simple and choose pieces that have texture, but less pattern or ornate detailing. So I kept all the shapes of the plates, flatware, platters, etc. really simple and straight or at times going towards rustic (like that West Elm pretty black casserole dish), but there was nothing nothing overly decorative with flourishes.

And yes, it doesn’t hurt that I shot at my friend’s house, which is gorgeous (you’ll see WAY more of that in a couple months when we finish the living room and nursery, unless we pitch it to magazines first.)

I recieved the Mark and Graham Typographers Linen Napkins with my H for Holla! (JK, although that is what we will be telling our dinner guests) in the very classic font of Didot regular. Totally pretty and simple.

The gray bowls are from Heath — the Chez Panisse line for $35 a piece.

The white plates are these fancy Chaucer plates that I found at a thrift store for $1 a piece and are paper thin and totally revered by all. After Brian broke two of the matching salad plates, I decided to bequeath them to my friend Scott who WORSHIPS them. I used to get worried that Scott came over to just say hi to the plates sometimes.

The flatware is Crate and Barrel, Aero for $59.99 a place setting.

The casserole dish is West Elm, Terrain Bakeware $29.99.

The black and white plaid tea towel is Fog Linen from Nicky Kehoe in Los Angeles.

Footed black olive holder is actually an incense burner (but I just loved the shape) and also from Nicky Kehoe.

That amazing white rustic pitcher (that can’t hold liquid, it’s a “looking at pitcher” not a “pouring out water” pitcher) was from The Conran Shop, which no longer exists in America — only England.

The vase with the amazing French tulips in them is from Heath as well. The candle holder, footed vessel, and adorable little black/white patterned bowl are all vintage and borrowed from my friend Scott.

Oh, the menu? It’s just delicoius. It’s dark green/purple and black olives, white mozzarella, grilled mango, bread, and yellow beets. SUCH A TREAT! Clearly we bought food at Whole Foods that would work in the color palette and no dinner party actually is happening. My poor (non-existent) guests.

This was a challenge with my friends and fellow bloggers: Cassandra from Coco Kelley, Caitlin from Sacramento Street, Camille from Camille Styles, and Jenny from Little Green Notebook — four blogs that I check regularly and so should you. Go over there and see what they did for the challenge.

So Mark and Graham is hosting a big of a design challenge that all of us are participating in on their Facebook page today. The tablescape designer that gets the most likes will get $500 in Mark and Graham items, and then one of you that votes will randomly win the same. So get on over there and vote. The contest ends on Friday, 12/16, and you know you want some free dough, so go for it.

And there she is sans the Christmas tree, for all of those pinners out there that want to pin it on year round boards. I’m very accomodating like that. 🙂

All beautiful photographs are by Bethany Nauert, who i can’t thank enough. 🙂

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