EUROPA
Beautifully crafted, handmade dinnerware with a European influence was the clear frontrunner among tabletop trends. Arte Italica’s brand new Costello collection features an Italian crest stamped in ceramic. Handmade in Italy, Intrada’s entertaining collection is old-country chic. Skyros Designs and Vietri both featured elegantly detailed, pressed ceramic dinnerware that will wow every houseguest. A big plus? Both manufacturers introduced lines that are oven-to-table (i.e. freezer, oven, microwave and dishwasher safe).
POSH PICNICK
Throw out that ratty old blanket; picnicking is now an elegant affair! Concealed as a chic golf bag, The Gourmet Trotter is a brand new product from the UK. It features compartments for wine, cheese, linens and utensils. Picnic at Ascot showed innovative products including everything from stylish baskets to a wooden picnic table that folds to the size of a briefcase. Paper plates and a beach towel are so last season.
AROMATHERaPY
Though the fair was full of eye-candy, there were many delights for the nose as well. Elegant spa accessories and soothing aromas adorned booths like Aspen Bay Candles, whose products are as aesthetically pleasing as they are fragrant. Even chic tableware brands like Juliska featured deliciously scented candles in elegant glass jars.
