When I think about travel, I long for exotic locales like Africa and India. I wanted to create a table scape that felt like a departure just by sitting down around it. The colors in India and Morocco are super rich and vibrant, so I chose a palette that would reflect those intense reds, greens, yellows and blues that you would find in the Moroccan outdoor markets or in an Indian sari.
I have a collection of Uzbekastan suzanis that have many uses-anything from a bed cover to a tablecloth. I mixed in great affordable linen napkins that can be used over and over on many occasions. My general rule for mixing pieces is if you love it, use it! When I travel, I always try to pick up local tabletop pieces like trays, glasses, or local pottery to bring home. Each time you use it, you’re reminded of a fabulous trip!
Since the colors in the tabletop and linens are so intense, I didn’t want the floral arrangements to have to compete. By choosing tonal foliage with varying textures, shapes, and styles, I could make an eye-catching arrangement that didn’t overload the table. I chose a mix of hand painted plates to mix and match together on the table. Each set had a traditional Moroccan bowl to serve a traditional tangine. I’m currently obsessed with brass anything so brass flatware was a must to add warmth to the table.
My gatherings tend to lean towards the informal, so I prefer a stemless wine glass in most settings (the painted gold bottom was an added bonus!)
Since we’re celebrating travel and exotic destinations, I would serve a traditional Moroccan tagine or Indian curry. When in Rome right? Don’t worry about the heat…even though it’s hot outside, eating warm foods can actually cool you down!
photography by melanie grizzel
credits: gold flatware sets, west elm | francophile dinner plates, anthropologie | hemstitch navy linen napkin, pier 1 | moroccan tea glasses | moroccan tagine and bowls | moroccan pitcher | moroccan tray | blonde wood pedestals, pottery barn | potter’s workshop tableware, west elm | modernist vase, west elm | moroccan kilim pillow | tile print bowls, west elm
