The holiday season is magical. Store shelves are filled with beautiful decorations and gifts to give, festive songs and hymns are sung by choirs, and joy seems to permeate the air. Perhaps the most meaningful gift of this time of year is the company we keep with loved ones. For many, the tradition of gathering around the table to enjoy a meal forged from the fruits of love and labor is practiced during the holidays. It’s a tradition I hold in high importance.
We wanted to celebrate that tradition by asking talented interior designers to create exquisite holiday tablescapes. The goal was to inspire you, the reader, and to celebrate the beauty of coming together to enjoy a meal. Each designer implemented their personal flair, showcasing what the holidays look like for them through high-end design.
In Arizona, Joyce Lynch, realtor at Russ Lyon Sotheby’s International Realty, was gracious enough to host us at her listing in Paradise Valley. The warmth of the home’s Tuscan architecture was the perfect setting for this occasion. We are truly grateful for the ICONIC hospitality.
So, get inspired, take in the beauty of design interpretation, and embrace this time of year, which unites us.
Kristin Lane | Cedarhurst Home
Chris Loomis
For Kristin Lane, founder of Cedarhurst Home, dining al fresco during the holidays is a new luxury. “Coming from Portland, where it’s rainy and cold, our tablescapes have always been inside,” Lane says. “Getting to do an outdoor dining tablescape is so important to me and my family. I took inspiration from the desert for this design and named it “Laesta al fresca” (holidays outside).”
Cactus greens, browns and neutrals complemented by the natural red jewel tones of the pomegranate showcase the colors of the desert terrain while also offering a subtle holiday feel. The overall setup complements the beauty of its surroundings.
Unexpected elements such as stacked books are also features of the table setting, proving that even items around the home can be used to embellish a display.
“I feel like it’s easy to be overwhelmed at the thought of putting together a tablescape, but in reality, you can find things around your house to include, such as lamps or candles. I think it helps to find inspiration from the decor you already have.”
Chris Loomis
Lane’s refined yet relaxed setting fosters light-hearted conversation and laughter around the table. Lane places immense value on setting the table for friends and family. I can’t think of anything more special than a dinner party with that extra touch of a tablescape, ” she says. Thank you to my incredible team for helping me bring this tablescape to life.”
Lane’s Favorite Holiday Memory: “My family always makes Eggs Benedict on Christmas morning. I used to do it with my mom and dad growing up, and now I have carried that tradition on with my two sons and husband.”
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Patrick Dragonette | Dragonette Ltd.
Mark Sacro
Inspired by whimsy, Patrick Dragonette, owner of Dragonette Ltd., designed a maximalist tablescape that commands attention and tells a story of eclecticism. Beautiful china by Fitz and Floyd and Jean Cocteau adorns the table, adding visual interest. “I love the china that I used,” Dragonette says. “I used china with five different patterns for this tablescape because to me, variety is much more interesting than a table with matching china.”
Mark Sacro
Leopard print accents, Gio Ponti Diamond flatware and a stunning flower display add to the opulence of Dragonette’s design. Sentimental holiday decor is thoughtfully placed throughout the design. “I was going through our Christmas decorations that we have at the office and found a small box of pinecone elf ornaments that were from the 1960s but never used; they were reminiscent of my childhood,” Dragonette shares.
Dragonette’s take on the holiday tablescape encourages fun and sparks conversation with its eye-catching, jewel-tone color palette, formal plate settings and a mix of modern and nostalgic decor.
Hosting dinner parties is not a new feat for Dragonette. “ In the Marrakesh community [in the summer] we have a supper club, so every Sunday we gather together at someone’s house for dinner, potluck style… I love it and I think the experience is really important. Friends appreciate the effort that is put in… People need to stop and appreciate the beauty of the world, and one of the ways to do that is to set a beautiful table.”
Dragonette’s Favorite Holiday Memory: “My mom would always work very hard to make the holidays important and special… One year, I remember getting ice skates, and the wrapping that the gift was in was beautiful; it was winter-themed Barbie and Ken coloring pages, and she colored the images in and wrapped our gifts in that paper.”
Lisa Fontaine | Lisa Fontaine Design Studio
Chris Loomis
Lisa Fontaine, founder of Lisa Fontaine Design Studio has always valued curation and is most known for her ability to design a home that seamlessly showcases her client’s most valued possessions. She wanted to utilize this talent for her design. “For me, the tablescape had to reflect how I really feel about design,” Fontaine explains. “I wanted to balance old elements with modern elements.”
Her tablescape reflects this sentiment. A stunning floral display of yellow, red and green in a gold vase by Patricia Poto, owner of Wild Child Floral Design, anchors the design while drawing the eye in. From there, Fontaine included a mixture of vintage items, such as a Paris cafe’s napkin holders that date back to the 1800s, with modern items like glassware and other elements that can be purchased in her shop.
Fontaine’s inspiration came from the prominent designer, Georges Briard. “He is a designer from the ‘50s and ‘70s that I just adore,” Fontaine says. “I have been following his work for some time now. He designs everything from plates to barware. When I was asked to do this, I knew I wanted to source some of his pieces.” Briard’s Vintage MCM Imperial Imari dinner and salad plates are featured in Fontaine’s design and inspired her color palette.
Chris Loomis
According to Fontaine, setting the stage for connection is the most important part of it. “My hope is that tablescapes encourage people to take inspiration and be thoughtful. The goal is to create something unique, personal and meaningful. It’s not about perfection, it’s about connection.”
Fontaine’s Favorite Holiday Memory: “I hosted a dinner party on my outdoor patio one year. It was one of those nights where the conversation and the bottle of wine were never-ending. Those nights are everything to me. The connections and friendships are so important.”
Laurie Moulton | Lolo Interiors
Mark Sacro
Working out of her ICONIC showroom, Lolo Interiors, founder Laurie Moulton was inspired by the connections forged during Thanksgiving. “It’s my favorite holiday because of the connections you build with people you love during that time, whether it’s your friends and family, or new people you’re inviting into your life who might not have plans for Thanksgiving,” Moulton says. “It seems to be the holiday where you can really connect on a human level.”
Mark Sacro
Moulton’s tablescape promotes intimacy, with the goal of bringing people together through effortless conversation. Her four-seated design utilizes organic materials such as a stone-base table with an iron top and eclectic ceramics. Candlelight sets the mood while a vintage pot serves as the focal point.
Moulton sourced four different upholstered chairs around the table to add variety while also mimicking the reality of putting together a tablescape for multiple people at home, “The whole idea is to bring in that sense of pulling chairs from different rooms of your house,” she says.
The tablescape Moulton designed is reflective of her everyday design aesthetic. “Everything that we do in our design is based on biophilic design principles,” Moulton says.
“I create a story and pull everything together based on the narrative I’ve come up with. For this project, I was able to pull everything from my shop. I wanted to put something together to reflect how I would celebrate at my home, hosting with my family and friends.
Moulton’s Favorite Holiday Memory: “My favorite holiday memory is Thanksgiving at my grandparents’ house. I love this memory because you have your extended family, cousins and friends in one room. It’s truly about that connection and getting to know people; my grandma would always make it very intimate; it was an environment that made you feel at ease.”
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Maria Zambrano | Maria Z Interiors
Chris Loomis
Inspired by the holiday tune, “White Christmas,” Maria Zambrano, founder of Maria Z Interiors, created a contemporary tablescape with holiday essence. “That is one of my favorite Christmas songs,” she says. “When I listen to it, I think of cozying up by the fireplace with everybody gathered around.”
She utilized a white palette with gold accents. Large candles in glass candleholders add height to the table, while stone grape decor is the anchor. Leafy accents and forest-green napkins folded into trees add a hint of festivity. Glassware with gold rims adds to the overall grandeur of the space. The result is a clean, contemporary, inviting space promoting gathering and celebration.
Zambrano loves the immediate satisfaction she gets when designing tablescapes. “You don’t have to wait a month to create one,” she says. More importantly, she values the byproduct that tablescapes bring, friendship and connection. “When you share a meal with someone in your family, you are creating memories. We all live for good memories; they’re engraved into our brains.”
Chris Loomis
Looking back on fond memories of Christmas in Argentina, Zambrano shares that the holidays looked different growing up there. “In Argentina, Christmas is in the summertime, so it has a totally different feel. We wouldn’t eat heavier foods, but we would still gather around the table to share a meal.”
Zambrano’s Favorite Holiday Memory: “I love the memories of my family being in the same place at my grandmother’s house. We all sit around the table to talk, eat and laugh.”
Robin Weller | Robin Weller Design
Mark Sacro
Interior designer Robin Weller with Robin Weller Design centered her tablescape design around her newly renovated home in Palm Desert. “My home has a lot of neutrals, blush tones and earth tones. I would describe it as soft contemporary,” Weller explains. “For the tablescape, we opted for jewel tones because red and green don’t work with my house.”
Mark Sacro
Metallic elements and jewel tones, such as gold chargers, gold-accented plates and silverware, and eggplant-colored glasses, add an element of grandeur. Meanwhile, geometric stone napkin holders anchor the table, connecting it to the surrounding desert landscape. Partners such as Lotus Garden, who contributed to the stunning floral display, and Bliss Home, where the linens were purchased, chargers and plates, helped to tie the tablescape together, creating a finished product that is pristine and ICONIC.
“Working with John from Lotus Garden was so easy,” Weller says. “ It was really fun to collaborate on a floral design that still feels festive, but is not so traditional looking.”
For Weller, designing a tablescape goes deeper than putting something beautiful together for people to look at. “ I think it’s part of the tradition,” Weller says.
“It’s really important to have that time together around the table… My four grown children can’t wait to come home for Thanksgiving and Christmas. They love having our traditional meals around the dining room table…We really value those times when we’re together.”
Weller’s Favorite Holiday Memory: “We have spent many Thanksgivings in the desert at Big Horn. I think my fondest memories are from our time with my parents and my children. The weather is always beautiful and the time together as a family either playing tennis, pickleball or golf is always treasured. It is one of the main reasons I purchased my home in Big Horn last year. I look forward to creating more memories with my children and their children over the years to come!”
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