Dress to Impress

Interior and floral designers share their insight into creating the perfect holiday table

Festa Della Famiglia
Table design by Corey Sanchez and interior design by John Lieberman of Bella Castilla in Flower Hill Promenade. Titled “Festa Della Famiglia” for Family Feast, their lush design features beautiful dishes from the Chiant Collection by Arte Italica with a Tuscan pot by Intrada. Bella Castilla (858.794.9003, www.bellacastilla.com)

Al Fresco At Its Best
After a late morning horseback ride, transform a charming ranch patio into the perfect backdrop for serving al fresco appetizers and wine. Vintage wire baskets house baguettes while wine is served in handblown glass stemware. In keeping with their “no need to fuss attitude,” interior designer Stephanie Parisi of Maison Soleil, together with Gloria Brader of Flora & Ambience, layer Ralph Lauren tablecloths with rustic hand-hewn conainers of casually arranged branches, berries, and pomegranates. Assorted cheeses and quiche are served on French-inspired stoneware plates with twig patterned bronze cutlery. In the foreground, blackbeard wheat and gold calendula flowers give a “just picked look” presented in casual wire baskets. Maison Soleil (858.792.0674, www.maison-soleil.com) Flora & Ambience (858.259.6730, www.flora-ambience.com)

Over The River and Through The Woods
Celebrate the season of thanks and giving with a table set to welcome family and friends. The warm glow of Florentine alabaster, mouth-blown glass finished with pewter beading — handmade in Italy — blends effortlessly with heirloom pewter pieces reflecting the timeless style of centuries old forms for a modern lifestyle. Join Le Dimora’s designers for a Holiday Home Decor Workshop, November 14, from 5-7:30pm. Enjoy wine and hors d’oeuvres as you learn how to compose your holiday decor and shop for all the trimmings. RSVP to ledimora@sbcglobal.net. (858.759.2709, www.ledimora.com)

A Perfect Holiday Setting
For a different take on a holiday table, Frank Aguilar of Finezza Fine Gifts in Rancho Santa Fe Plaza blends traditional and modern pieces worthy of celebration. Aguilar selects an impeccably groomed collection of timeless mixed and matched place settings in white and Tuscan grey with unique etching and handcrafted textures, and pairs it with elegant crystal ware, modern stainless steel cutlery, and candleholders. For the florals, Larry Anhorn, creative director of Adelaide’s, advises that nothing says Thanksgiving as much as a cornucopia filled with fall flowers, vegetables, and other interesting natural elements. Anhron’s arrangement features two cornucopias placed together to form a long and low arrangement perfect for a rectangular dining table, entry hallway, or fireplace mantle. The mix includes: rose hips, amaranthus, caramel roses, orange dahlias, orange ruffled gerberas, mango mini calla lilies, and burgundy astilbe, along with artichokes, croton leaves, and millet. Finezza Fine Gifts (760.230.6621, finezzagifts@hotmail.com) Adelaide’s La Jolla (858.454.0146, www.adelaides.com)

Home For The Holidays
Inspired by a cozy family gathering on a chilly winter’s eve, Le Dimora’s mix of vintage rustic pewter with traditional elegance and fine embroidered linens creates an inviting, festive setting. Hand-painted Italian dinnerware featuring woodland berries, pine boughs, and snowy evergreen captures the essence of the holiday season. Tam Ashworth of Isari Flower Studio complements Le Dimora’s décor with rose hips and eucalyptus pods intermixed with pops of silver berries for color, and red seasonal blooms of peonies and ranunculus with protea for a touch of seaside influence.  Join Le Dimora’s designers for a Holiday Home Decor Workshop on November 14, from 5-7:30pm. Enjoy wine and hors d’oeuvres as you learn how to compose your holiday decor & shop for all the trimmings. RSVP to ledimora@sbcglobal.net.Le Dimora (858.759.2709, www.ledimora.com) Isari Flower Studio (858.345.1701, www.isariflowerstudio.com)

Ring In The New Year With Style
Frank Aguilar of Finezza Fine Gifts pairs non-traditional holiday colors to give new meaning to the traditional New Year’s celebration. The combination of Italian-inspired ceramic dinnerware in grey and white; the timeless silver cutlery and elegant crystal ware; and the pairing of mercury glass and Tuscan candleholders with French linens in lavender, silver, white, and pink tones can turn any table into a stylish fête. Larry Anhorn, creative director for Adelaide’s, complements the table décor with non-traditional table groupings in three different sized birch containers to create a dramatic centerpiece. Each arrangement contains purple hydrangea, tricillium, dusty miller, green roses, kale, tree fern, seeded eucalyptus, and succulents. Finezza Fine Gifts (760.230.6621, finezzagifts@hotmail.com) Adelaide’s La Jolla (858.454.0146, www.adelaides.com)

Photography by Vincent Knakal