Never underestimate the power of the dinner table — it sets the stage for the laughs to be deeper, the connections we make stronger and the stories even better. Find inspiration to tap into your own power through Replacements’ Dining by Design partners this market. See how Lindsey Coral Harper, Bryan Huffman, Luke Mack and Kurt Jacob Miller, Leslie May, Tish Mills and Evette Rios reimagine tableware and accessories to turn the dinner table into the focal point of how we entertain, gather and make a house a home.
New York-based Lindsey Coral Harper finds inspiration in her Southern roots. “Having grown up in South Georgia, fall has always been my absolute favorite season,” says Harper. “I adore the autumnal palette of Royal Crown Derby Gadroon Rose, cinnabar, navy, and gold. Inspired by the beautiful pageantry of quail, pheasant and fox hunts, I wanted to set a traditional table you might see in a Southern home with friends and family enjoying the bounty, after a long day in the field.”
North Carolina designer Bryan Huffman’s style shines through his fresh take on traditional. “How does one take such traditional elements as Royal Crown Derby, Flora Danica, Tiffany, Kirk Stieff, William Yeoward and Waterford and make a table feel young and fresh?” Huffman asks. “Mix it up by adding Anna Weatherley chargers, straw placemats and Indian block print napkins. Mingle various china, silver and crystal patterns and toss in plenty of brightly colored blossoms to create a marvelous ‘high/low’ mix of relaxed glamour and formality coupled with modern texture and pattern.”
Chicago’s Luke Mack and Kurt Jacob Miller turn up the volume with their ‘more is more’ aesthetic. “Think ‘Modern Maximalist,’” say Mack and Miller. “Envision a dark and moody surrealist banquet that combines the art of Fornasetti, classic Wedgwood and a mix of gold and silver. Custom napkins edged in Italian gold leaf by the amazing textile designer Jill Seale partnered with Weston Farms’ magnolia arrangements and a statement piece from Wendover Art complete our neo-classic tableaux.”
Leslie May’s “family style” design aesthetic combines fun, boisterous living with chic elegance to reflect Christmas in the South. “I want the table to feel classic and inviting, a nod to holidays past,” says May. “The plates I’m building around are from the same vintage Blue Ridge Southern Pottery pattern I ate Christmas dinner off of as a child. I’m tying it together with bespoke details like hand-calligraphed place and menu cards and monogrammed napkins.”
Atlanta-based Tish Mills takes Art Deco to a new level. “Think New York City glamour, a Diana Vreeland dinner party,” says Mills. “The scene is nighttime in the Upper East Side, all white furniture, jewel tones, sparkling crystal and noteworthy guests from fashion, design, art and culture. I’m blending a vibrant palette of jewel tones with traditional black and gold china to create unconventional beauty, while drawing in design partners including Style Library, Capa, Currey & Co. and Design Legacy.”
TV host and lifestyle expert Evette Rios pays tribute to modernist lines and unabashed use of color. “I’m SO inspired by Metropolitan Museum’s reproductions of hand-painted pieces by Clarice Cliff,” says Rios. “Clarice was a trailblazing female artist that created color palettes, patterns and shapes that are iconic of the Art Deco period of the 1920s and 30s. These pieces are a fun and joyful complement to the more austere, stark and industrially inspired furniture that I absolutely love from Alden Parkes.”
Marketgoers are invited to join Replacements and furniture partner Alden Parkes for cocktails, meet the designers and learn more about their inspirations and Replacements to-the-trade designer program at two special events:
- Designer Celebration 4-6 p.m. Saturday, October 19
- Third Night Gala: Bubbles & Baubles 4-7 p.m. Monday, October 21
Experience Dining by Design Thursday, October 17 through Wednesday, October 23. Replacements is located within Alden Parkes showroom in the Hamilton Wrenn Design District on the ground floor of 200 Hamilton Building, Suite #110.
