Flowers – High End Weekly™

Drama At The Table

Photo credit Chronicle/Eric Luse

How To Decorate Your Tables – Beautifully

My gift to you today is a series of dramatic table settings that I’ve collected from the Internet over the years. No doubt you appreciate the pleasure and the importance of preparing a meal, and setting an elegant table as you get together with your friends and families. So today, as you welcome them in your homes and ultimately your tables, why not do so with a bit of flair, and a lot of drama?

Simple and personal touches at the table equal lasting memories

Photo via Brunch at SAKS

Centerpieces are key to any table settings. It’s important for the eye to wonder and fantasy, especially when the conversation around the table gets a bit dull

Black and white is the new black. Seeing these bold stripes at an outdoor table setting is “a good thing”. It makes a lasting impression, even if the flowers were absent from the table

Bountiful: Preston Bailey’s over the top, yet elegant table setting

Breaking bread: The folks at Le Pain Quotidien always manage to create a dramatic table, even with they bare-polished furniture

Elegant: Greek keys, monograms and zig zags… Who could ask for anything more?

Photo via Reasons to Breathe

Lost in the woods: This setting is by far one of the most interesting ones. It provides a means to escape, and be wrapped up – In The Moment

Photo credit Chronicle/Eric Luse

I would of liked to see a bit more color here, especially since all the flowers are white. However, the peacock provides plenty of that – even though it is neutral

Monique Lhuilier’s Table Setting

Shine on: Nothing says drama, and romance than candlesticks

Okay, we get it! Audrey equals drama!

Photo credit Timothy Kilk, via Elle Decor

Outdoor festivities are always a great ideas. Even in the winter

All other images via Pinterest

NOTE: Please notify us directly, if you believe that certain images on this post are alleged to infringe upon the copyrights of others, according to the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA). Thank you.

Defining Art & Substance

Florence Vacher, Bangwa, 2012, Fabric

Tambaran Gallery

Photo courtesy High End Weekly™

Much of the art that I deeply appreciated at this year’s International Fine Art & Antique Dealers Show had a strong masculine feel to them. And that’s a good thing, I think. Frou-frou interiors have never been my thing, so I am a big advocate for adorning my clients’ homes with various pieces of art that make a bold statement and continue to enrich their imaginations as the years go by. So this much anticipated fair met my expectations with its extraordinary attention to detail, breathtaking variety and exacting standards.

The grande dame fair brought together works of art that spanned continents and millennia — among them many of museum quality, furniture, paintings, sculpture, textiles, ceramics, glass, clocks, watches, arms, armour, rare books, manuscripts, jewelry, objets de vertu, Fabergé, silver, antiquities and ethnographic art, are among the many different categories exhibited and for sale. Prices start from as little as a few hundred dollars but rise into the millions. With that much said, here are some of the most desirable and interesting pieces that I liked.

Axel Verdoordt Gallery

Douglas Dawson Gallery

Bernd Goeckler Antiques

Maison Gerard

Tomasso Brothers Fine Art

Michael Goedhuis Gallery

Phoenix Ancient Art

Whitford Art

Tambaran Gallery

Trinity House

Martin du Louvre

My friend Cole Harrell admiring the art, but also stopped to “smell” these gorgeous orchards.

The International Fine Art & Antique Dealers Show opened on Friday, October 19th until Thursday, October 25th, 2012.

Images courtesy High End Weekly™

Flower Power

This month, Bloom, one of New York’s go-to destination when it comes to flowers opened its door in The Wall Street area. After more than two years of planning, Kimberly Perrone opened this ultra chic flower shop right across from Goldman Sachs headquarters. Adjacent to the new Conrad Hotel (where Bloom is the in-house florist), the floral and interior design boutique is already catering to the residents and the financial industry employees of Battery Park City and Tribeca.

Bloom Floral Boutique

Late last week, I paid them a visit, and was impressed by the 2,100 sq.ft. boutique which sells unique flower and terrarium arrangements with one-of-a-kind gifts like throw pillows, scented candles from Christian Tortu (my favorite) and coffee table books as well as furniture for the home and garden. The overall design of the space reflects the sophisticated and sleek look of the brand’s recognizable style. Bloom is planning to have a kiosk outside the store called Bloom-to-Go that will feature beautiful, hand-tied bouquets on a ready-to-go every day basis.

Top 10 Places to Shop in 2011

Clockwise: Art Deco Furniture from Maison Gerard, OC Concept Store, Arabesques Earrings, Kiki de Montparnasse, Starlet Robe, Fine stationary from Mrs. John L. Strong.

Graham & Brown

From Top: Darcy, White & Silver Wallpaper ($70/Roll). Bottom from Left: Jana Paintable. Right: Arches Paintable Wallpaper ($30/Roll).

Handblown Czech glass from Artel.

Diamond 18k Rose Gold Bracelet from High End Weekly’s Amazon Store.

Top Left: Bookmarc by Marc Jacobs on Bleecker Street. Right: Flowers by L’Olivier. Bottom: Red Velvet cupcakes from Cannelle Patisserie, Jackson Heights, NY.

The Wondrous World of Parisian Florist Olivier Giugni

Parisian Flair

For the last few days, I’ve been eagerly anticipating my copy of Living Art by Oliver Giugni, and was not one bit disappointed when it finally arrived in the mail. Oliver’s latest book has a multitude of pages, all filled with stunning photographs, of some of the most breathtaking floral creations I have ever seen. My love for flowers, especially when they are beautifully arranged by such a talented florist like Olivier, will never wither away, even when the time has come to close the book and move on with my day.

L’Olivier Floral Atelier has a definite flair. Located at 19 East 76th Street, and 213 West 14th Street, it is truly “a wondrous world of flower extravaganza”.