Photos by: Logan Walker for Pepper Nix Photography
Too often, centerpieces are predictable: singular, upright, bunched. So instead, event designer Chris Lavoie and floral designer Kellie Jackstien created vivacious tablescapes for a party at Stein Eriksen Lodge. Here’s how they did it.
Be Inspired.
“We began with a photo of a European hunting lodge,” says Lavoie, who channeled the image’s red velvet sofas, plaid upholstered walls, taxidermy and opulent décor into tablescapes equally saturated with rich texture, natural elements and saturated hues.
Create a canvas.
Lavoie chose scarlet red linens as the backdrop for vibrant red and pink tulips, protea, orchids and ranunculus for the terrarium-like arrangements. Lotus pods, pheasant feathers and antlers add color contrast and touches of nature, while lush moss and ferns appear to grow from the containers.
Think tablescape, not centerpiece.
“It’s like a floral version of urban sprawl,” says Lavoie. He and Jackstien surrounded the main floral arrangement with small glass orbs filled with moss and orchids, then added mercury-glass votive holders, antlers and stems of individual flowers. “Full and lush is more interesting and comfortable.”
Measure up.
“A great rule of thumb for a dinner party table is that the tallest arrangement should either be 12 inches or shorter or very tall, 30-inches or higher, with a narrow base. Anything in between blocks conversation across the table,” Lavoie explains.
Consider the whole.
“People experience an event in layers,” Lavoie says. First, they take in the overall space and then, at the table, they feast on the tablescapes and evaluate everything from the linens’ textures to the fork’s weight. “Think about the entire experience you create,” Lavoie advises.
