Design tidbit

I love when I find a little design tidbit in a surprising place. I was reading a restaurant review for a place not to far from my home (Uproot) and spotted this spectacular dining table. It is a classic American farmhouse style table and chairs, but they are painted in a high-gloss red, giving them a contemporary, updated feel. To top it off, literally, streamlined pendant lights hang from a funked-up lattice structure. Lattice and farmhouse - yes, a match. Pendant lights and high-gloss red - yes, a match. All together, who knew?

So, what does this all mean? To me, this means that the lines of design are constantly blurred. No longer does a specific piece of furniture box you in to a style, whether it is in your home or in your event venue. Opening your mind to the potential evolution of design may give you a world of possibilities far beyond what meets the eye. In all my years of doing events, I have never come across a venue contract that says "no slipcovering of our tattered entryway upholstered furniture that looks like it was from a yard sale in 1977." Or, for that matter, "no changing the lampshade on the dusty hallway fixtures." A small investment in the updating of an old or existing piece may set the style tone for your whole soiree.

Just don't bring in your high-gloss spray paint - this, I assure you, will not end well.

Happy designing,

Ps. After further research on this restaurant, I found this description of the decor:

"The space is au courant but not audacious... contemporary but exceedingly comfortable. It succeeds in gently caressing the eye rather than assaulting it."

It's funny because I was first captivated by the photo of that table, but these words so precisely describe what I work to achieve in my designs that I would be remiss for not sharing them. My website says "approachably modern" and this is just what I mean. Thanks, Art Nemendorf (The Artful Diner) at NJ.com. I guess I better go and eat at this place.

Photo courtesy of Park Place Magazine