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Featured in Vogue Holiday Gift Guide: Georg Jensen Sky Ice Cubes
Seeing our Georg Jensen Sky Ice Cubes in Vogue’s Holiday Gift Guide certainly made us feel a lot more stylish today:
Easy Does It: Chic Entertaining with Paper Plates and Napkins
We all have our favorite linen napkins and hand painted dinnerware. But sometimes you have a lot of guests or a crowd shows up for a last-minute pool party (hey, we live in L.A.), and it’s gracious to never fuss when you entertain.
Those are perfect times to use paper napkins and acrylic. The good news is that you can still do it stylishly. We love making our friends feel special, so here are a few of our tried-and-true tips for entertaining with paper:
- Mix and match your table settings. If your plates have an intricate motif, pick up the colors in your napkins or glassware. Or, if you are using plain dinnerware, choose a festive napkin to commemorate a special occasion.
- Layer your settings. Whether you lay simple placemats, or chargers, or a tablecloth underneath, layers help bring color and dimension to your table.
- Don’t skimp on table decorations. Try greenery from your garden or fruit from the market or a few candles sprinkled throughout … it all helps.
- Use paper napkins effectively. Place them near your beverage and hors d’oeuvre stations, but also use them to line any clear bowls you might have. For example, parfaits served in coupe bowls can be beautifully presented on top of cocktail napkins.
- The grand finale: make sure your plates complement your dessert. We all look forward to indulging a little at the end, so think about what you’re serving and dress it up accordingly.
Keeps things simple, and get to work on that new drink you are dying to try out. Let’s get the party started.
The Details: Everything You Need for a Seaside Escape at Home
We hear you … it takes effort to cook meal after meal while quarantining, so why not take the whole family outdoors and do a seaside escape?
Bordallo Pinheiro: Why this 19th Century Portuguese Artist is More Relevant Than Ever Today
In our entire time at Gracious Style, we’ve never really come across a line that resonated quite like the one we’re about to share with you. On the surface, this Portuguese company produces charming pieces reminiscent of a simpler time, but wait until you hear how it all started, and you’ll see why it’s more relevant now than ever before.
Rafael Bordallo Pinheiro was a Portuguese cartoonist in the 19th century. He created a character called “Ze Povinho,” who personified the average Portuguese man: a rustic farm laborer who was kind to his friends and utterly disrespectful of the rich and powerful who took advantage of him. Pinheiro was also an artist who widely drew inspiration from nature.
As Seen in Southern Lady: Good as Gold” Table Setting
We love the “Good as Gold” feature put together by Mary Beth Jones in the Dec 2019 issue of Southern Lady. Whether you decide to go modern or traditional, gold is a great way to bring warmth to the table. And during the holidays, mixed with red and persimmon, it’s a look you can enjoy from Thanksgiving through Christmas.
Which One’s Your Favorite? Two Takes on Kim Seybert’s Bouquet Runner
We always look forward to Kim Seybert’s spring collections. One of the more gorgeous reminders of the changing of the seasons, her new Bouquet runner and placemat create a spectacular floral backdrop for entertaining.
Take a look at how quickly you can change the look just by editing the accessories around it.
Here are some other ideas for accessorizing these amazing runners:
Freshen Up Your Home with These Boho Chic Essentials
As you plan your summer travels to Bali, India, and Morocco, here are some easy ways to update your home with a relaxed vibe.
Inspired by Nature: Elegant Entertaining with TarHong’s Acrylic and Melamine Dinnerware
Have you seen the latest in melamine dinnerware? Many of the newest collections from Los Angeles-based TarHong are inspired by natural materials, so they’re perfect for indoor dining.
Escape to the wine country with the Marin and French Oak melamine collections:
Always On Vacation: Fine Art Photographer Gray Malin
Living in Los Angeles, we can’t help being drawn to anything that reminds us to spend more time outdoors. And whether it’s in Beverly Hills or Lake Como, images of folks on vacation always make us smile.
Gray Malin and his fine art photographs will do the same for you. The series which shot him to fame, Prada Marfa, is Marfa, Texas (known for its modern art installations) like you’ve never seen it:
The Instant Decorator: Poolside Project
Inspired by Gray Malin’s photographs at the Coral Casino Beach and Cabana Club in Santa Barbara, we styled a collection to help you dress up your poolside in minutes.
