Vintage hotel silverware sets the stage for an afternoon tea. Matouk placemats and Deborah Rhodes table napkins are from Neiman Marcus. Floral arrangements are by Lemon Dahlia.
Tall lavender delphiniums complement similarly hued napkins, each with a vintage silver napkin ring.
One of the challenges of using small silver containers for flowers is the issue of balance. Blooms that are too large or heavy can actually tip the objects. Here, a series of diminutive pitchers are filled with dahlias, phlox, ageratum, petunias and gomphrena. Floral designer Karen Legan notes, “Color on the table hits the heart of guests.”
Vintage silverware often carries a hotel’s name, logo or initials.
Karen Legan and Debra Goldstein.
This arrangement includes a David Austin Juliet garden rose, lavender scabiosa, pink asters, blueberry branches and geranium leaves; treats are from Marcia Selden Catering.
Fresh flowers elevate a simple bar tray
The interior design for the dining room, and the entire house, is by Gregory Shano Interiors.
Legan (in her trademark lemon yellow) and Goldstein prepare for a poolside party.
Many of the fresh blooms are grown by Legan at her garden in Wilton.
Setting the table with mismatched pieces is part of the charm of collecting silver.
Pink dahlias are complemented by green pokeberry.
Napkins and navy placemats are from East Hampton Gardens; rattan chargers are from William-Wayne & Co.