The launch introductions of the new line from James Dunlop Textiles took place with different groups over breakfast, lunch and cocktails.

Casual Radiance from Lenox was a strong partner with the rich, intriguing textiles of Majorelle.

Thank you Catherine Martin for inviting us into your home for this extraordinary event of the introduction of your exquisite new collection!

We met up with Brittany at her new apartment in the days leading up to her wedding. Preparations were in place, among them delightful monogrammed waffle robes, created by Matouk Linens, that were being organized as gifts for her bridal party.

Brittany feels that monograms lend a personalized touch that make each participant feel truly special and appreciated.

She and Clark selected Lenox Federal Gold Dinnerware with a monogram script “M” for McIntyre – their soon-to-be-shared name. The gold accent on the dinnerware is further highlighted by the selection of gold flatware, Imperial Caviar, and gold-rimmed glasses, Timeless Gold. All this warmth is beautifully contrasted with her cool-toned Matouk table linens.

In her new apartment, Brittany can now expand upon her design aesthetic, which is apparent in the sunny space full of whimsical art and pops of color.

The McIntyres also chose to monogram their new Tuscany Classics Aerating Decanter, perfect for entertaining their friends in style. Shown here with Timeless Gold Goblets and All-Purpose Glasses.

First step...palette! Ally knew she wanted to keep to the cool tones of sea and sky. With a busy life, she preferred patterns that would be easy to live with.

She was so surprised to know that the Marchesa by Lenox Shades Collection is microwave safe. “I thought if there was gold on the edge, that it could never go into the microwave. This is amazing! It looks so elegant! And I can throw it in the dishwasher without worrying about it!”

Lenox Bridal Director, Katrina Crews, gave her some advice on selecting different tones within the same collection to give her a casual mix-match look.

There was almost too much to choose from, but Allie also spied a few pieces from the very popular French Perle Collection to round out her selection.

When Nicole Haddad, Design Editor and Web Editor for New York Spaces Magazine, and Sebastian Vallejo, Painter Extraordinaire,  met... it was kismet. Sharing a love of Mexico, color, light and energy, they were clearly meant for each other.

Recently married, Lenox caught up with them in their mini museum of an apartment, where some of Seba’s works are prominently featured.

LENOX: Do you have friends over? How do you like to entertain? When do you bring out the china? Do you need a special occasion?

NICOLE: We do! We have been so busy lately we have not entertained as much, but we have a lot of informal dinner parties and gatherings. Many times, the get-togethers just involve my hall neighbors and neighborhood friends, all of whom have become a family of sorts. Considering this is New York City, I am not too embarrassed to say we don’t even have a dining table, or the space for one. But our building offers a shared barbecue space on the second floor that we utilize a lot in the summer months. That has been a saving grace.

I always bring out the china! My younger self would have saved everything for the perfect moment. Now, I see no reason not to use the things you love the most every day. Beauty elevates the everyday, and there is no reason not to embrace it when you can.

LENOX: Do you have a favorite color?

NICOLE: If I am going to wear it, it is black. In that sense, I am a New Yorker at heart. I don’t think people even recognize me when I am in color. In terms of everything else, I am a color hound. I absolutely love teal. As for color combinations, I call it my Dunkin’ Donuts moment: the combination of pinks and oranges in all their different hues always draws my attention.

LENOX: How did you decide on the Lenox patterns you chose? Did you talk about them together? What do you like about them?

NICOLE: I love Lenox, so I constantly scour the site to check out the new collections. Geodesia Blue has always been a particular favorite. The pattern is completely stunning, and each piece looks as spectacular on its own as it does as a whole. My family heritage on my father’s side is Lebanese, and although he grew up in Mexico, I have always had a gravitational pull toward the intricate patterns of the Middle East. The Geodesia collection somehow reminds me of it. I also love that it can serve as both casual or formal dinnerware. After I settled on it, I asked Seba to look through the site. He also chose the pattern (without my prodding, I promise), which just solidified the decision.

As for the Firelight Signature Stemware? Those were a no-brainer. They feature the perfect combination of simplicity and edge. And the exquisite cut-crystal pattern actually does flicker in the light of the fire. Yes, please!

LENOX: We notice you chose Marchesa flatware! What was it about the pattern that attracted you?

NICOLE: Well, first of all, the shapes are quite beautiful! They fit my criteria for both form and function, and the handles have a hammered finish. Did I say I love texture? The tactile quality of this flatware just makes me happy. While I appreciate simplicity in design, there has to be an edge for me to truly love it. This flatware collection is quite perfect. And it goes so well with Matouk linens! Saying that, I am not quite sure anything would not go well with them, but they really play off each other well and perfectly complement the Lenox dinnerware.

LENOX: You recently came back from what looked like a perfect wedding in San Miguel de Allende, Mexico. What was it like?

NICOLE: We worked with Penzi Weddings to organize everything since it was a destination wedding. They were an absolute dream and made the process incredibly smooth. We stuck to tradition. The night before the wedding, we held a Callejoneada (cover photo), which is a type of walking serenade through the town, replete with mariachis and a donkey laden with flowers and tequila to hand out to guests.

The next night, after a ceremony in the town square’s cathedral, the reception was held in a large garden that is naturally filled with bougainvillea—a much-loved flower/bush/vine of mine. Rustic wood tables were topped with succulent and lavender centerpieces, gorgeous white dinnerware, vintage flatware, and beautiful linens. Ambient lighting lined the walkways to the garden, old glass prisms topped the tables, and perforated rustic bronze tin stars hung over the dance floor—sending a cascade of twinkling lights everywhere. We danced the night away and truly celebrated our union with everyone we love.

LENOX: Now that you are married, what’s your idea of the perfect dinner? Do you prefer a casual dinner at home ? Or do you like to go all out and dress things up?

NICOLE: The perfect dinner for me usually entails a warm and intimate ambiance with a sense of conviviality. You can have that with two people or 20. I could be in sweatpants and a hoodie and have the perfect dinner experience, but sometimes, it feels great to dress up as well—especially when you’re on vacation. Then, it’s all about the magic of the place you are in. I ultimately feel, though, that the perfect dinner is about the people you are with, good food, good conversation, low lighting, and good wine, of course!

Now that Nicole and Seba are settling in after their beautiful wedding in San Miguel de Allende, Mexico, we wish them a beautiful life together, full of color, light and love.

“That pattern seems so sharp, so sartorial, so I started by pairing it with table linens inspired by men’s suiting. All the linens were custom made by my great friend Mario at NY Upholstery Services, from Stroheim’s Buxley plaid tablecloth and Salenside stripe napkins and Fabricut’s Zirconium Steel placemats. 

“Anyone’s wardrobe is a great place to find inspiration for tabletop or interior design scheme. If it’s a color or fabric that flatters, I say surround yourself with it, every day and especially on special occasions.”

“The black and silver herringbone pattern of the plates felt both like suiting to me, but also totally Art Deco.” So Patrick headed into territory with the same vibe and lines, that men might find comfortable and familiar, without being “mancave” cliché, like architecture— specifically the Chrysler Building, including highly-detailed pewter miniatures from Replica Buildings at each placesetting. “That building, to me, is the epitome of Art Deco style.” Plus, he says, “Art Deco is so elegant to me, and I think there are plenty of Dads who appreciate a little elegance.”

The angular shapes continue with a scattering of Artists Blocks from Jayson Home that look like they jumped right off the plates, and the lines continue in the Trent flatware and Firelight Platinum stemware. And the simple black and silver palette is continued with plain black tapers by AnaCandles in the designer’s own vintage silverplate candleholders.

We think any Dad would also appreciate the surprise of Steel Blaze Swiss Quartz watches used as napkin rings. “I love the idea that these Father’s Day gifts are hiding right out in the open, and would start the meal with that very special gift.”

The darker fabrics and plates were given a summer-y vibe, with a big burst of chartreuse roses. “Why should moms get all the floral love? I think even the most stoic of fathers secretly like a little fancy fuss every now and then. So I didn’t back away from flowers. With everything else hard-edged and clean-lined, the centerpiece could be unabashedly floral, and we’d still get our handsome on!” And this dash of sunny color also makes that plaid backdrop picnic-evocative.

With a haber-dashing setting like this, we think tabletops specially for men should totally be a thing. Here’s to the Dads!

“Easter décor can be fun, but often, a little too ‘twee,’ a British term I love, for overly cutesy, sugar-y décor. Sure, kids can have fun, with a riot of color and an overload of cute, but can you do Easter in a little cleaner, more grown-up and contemporary way? I wanted to find out! ” Here are Patrick’s steps and tips for a more modern take on Easter... without losing any of the season’s springy charm.

Pick a starting point. For Patrick, it all started with the plates: our “Confetti” Entertain 365 pattern. “I saw those little blocks of color, and immediately knew these would be perfect for a more modern Easter. They’re vaguely mid-century modern to me, and do what a great pattern always does: straddle that line between every-day and special occasion. As Easter-perfect as they seem, this pattern would work pretty much day in and day out.”

Limit your palette. “I love these plates since they include little bits of almost every color, and do what so many patterns don’t: mix warm and cool colors. But with so many jumping-off points, I limited what I pulled from them to the cooler end of the spectrum. And surprise: they worked perfectly with the seasonal lilacs and lavenders... even though not a speck of that color appears on the plate!” Why does it work? The plate’s blue and pinks play super well with lavender, since both those colors make up the purpley hue.

Overall, the table is made of only four colors: Lavender, spring green, aqua/robin’s egg blue, and white... and that keeps a happy variety of things cool, calm and collected. A smattering of gold keeps it festive, and the Marchesa by Lenox Imperial Caviar flatware and (Patrick’s own) napkin rings find a partner in the yellow color blocks on the plates and bowls. “The key, too, is to use close variations of a color, some slightly lighter, some darker, and really close neighbors on the color wheel. That keeps it layered looking, and keeps just as much interest in a limited palette."

Intentional White White plays a big part in the color story. “I refer to ‘intentional white’ all the time: when you use white as choice, not a default.” The bunny from Crate & Barrel, the Entertain 365 Sculpture dinner plates (that white-on-white basket weave became Patrick’s clean-lined stand-in for the Easter basket.), and the white candle stripes and white dots of the table cloth all serve to give all that color and pattern a breather “That white is like a breeze running through the grass greens and sky blues, “ Patrick says. “And, when used intentionally, white has a great modern history: think gallery walls, iPhones, and the Whitney Museum.” Underlying Geometry Even if you didn’t pay attention in geometry class, basic shapes can help you sort out a scheme, narrow your choices from the gigantic universe of options, keep even a variety of things related... and ultimately, through their repetition, add to the sense of calm. “In pretty much every project, table top or entire apartment, I pick a primary and a secondary geometry, shape or pattern to use as an underpinning. For this table, I started with circles that morph into ovals.”

The circles show up as dots in the Quadrille “Mojave” fabric used as a tablecloth, in the napkin rings, and the cut-outs of the “Ruth” bowl, in Ocean, from Lawrence McRae pottery ... and of course, place settings themselves: the Unison Home white-edged cork placemat , the Lenox Marchesa Spring Lark Sky Blue Charger , the Confetti and Sculpture dishes and bowls. “And the cool thing about circles? From another angle, they become egg-ish ovals.” Who knew geometry class could be so fun?

But circles aren’t the only geometric form shaping up the table: the Confetti’s bands and rectangles of color also gave way to the assortment of striped candles from Ana Candle/FiveStripes , a personal favorite of the designer’s, as does the subtle basketweave of the dinner plates.

Break up to make up. “I’ve noticed a lot of ‘mix and match’ color schemes for spring in the past, where every guest has a different color glass, charger and napkin from their table mates. That look can be fun, but I also find it a tiny bit chaotic.” That’s why Patrick took just the purple goblets from our Tuscany Classics Lustre collection, saving the other colors for another set-up. “That slight purple tinge brings color upwards on the table, not always easy to do. And what could say spring more than that tulip shape?”

Keep it simple, Spring! “I like one-color flower arrangements. They’re simple and chic, and look effortless even if they aren’t! Plus I think you get a lot of look for the money.” Patrick’s tip: Buy as many as you can carry, or as many as you can afford. “No one’s ever said, ‘There are too many flowers’!” “I did break a rule here: generally, highly scented flowers shouldn’t be used around food. But with these hyacinths, I just couldn’t resist!”

Tikaa wanted to take her passion for dinnerware one step further. She was not one to shy away from opportunities and she asked Lenox if she could design some china.

Tikaa was invited by Lenox to embark on a journey experiencing first hand the process of producing fine china in the U.S.A.

Tikaa put colored pencil to paper and worked on some ideas...

She then flew to New York City to visit the Lenox offices and met with the marketing and design teams to show her thoughts. After a review and tour of the showroom, Lenox selected 2 of Tikaa’s ideas to be made into dessert sets.

Tikaa shared her excitement each step of the way by posting on Instagram @totallytikaa and Snapchat @tikaac to her many adoring fans.

Lenox interpreted the designs for china and once approved, Tikaa got a look at the real thing when she took a trip to the factory in Kinston, North Carolina.

At the factory, Tikaa developed a new respect for the artisans that decorate each plate with such accuracy and care. She even tried her hand at decorative trim on the beloved Holiday pattern. Hmmm.

After travelling to trade shows across the country - and the globe -  the 2 Totally Tikaa dessert sets are now available for purchase!

We love that the 2 collections are so fun and colorful. The pretty in pink Galleria...

...and Riverwalk, inspired by Tikaa’s love of Mexican tops and their beautiful decorative trims.

Here’s a closer look...for a gilt-y, guilt-free holiday look, just take Casual Radiance, layer on a fabulous, slightly sparkly silver napkin, some gorgeous sleek and chic gold flatware and gold-trimmed stemware and Voila! A holiday look is made!

Oh, and a stress-free, bought-it-at-the-famer’s-market garland makes the perfect runner. A dash of cranberry in your drinks adds color and taste.

Holidays should be fun and easy...don’t you think?

With a pine centerpiece, crystal and silver accents and a beautiful fabric tablecloth made of Umbria fabric, in color 01 from Fabricut, Patrick sets a snowscape perfectly suited to December get-togethers.

He played off the silver accent in Geodesia with his own silver chargers, and then went a step further and added Orbit placemats, in silver, from Jayson Home.

The crystal elements - Giza Crystal Pyramids and Selenite Tealight Holders, also from Jayson Home - added to the icy effect.

Patrick added further finesse with Darrow Flatware, which has soft, scalloped ends and a silvery luster.

For stemware, he chose  Firelight Platinum Goblets from Lenox. The beautifully cut crystal was a perfect complement to the overall concept. And the platinum edges add cool shimmer and shine.

To complete the snowy scene, Patrick chose DOF glasses from the new Creekside collection and used them as votives at each placesetting. Fire and Ice! He even added sweet and chic silver polar bears of his own to the festivities.

Combining a gold-accented dinnerware mix of the floral Marchesa by Lenox Painted Camelia , the artfully bold Casual Radiance, and the simply elegant Federal Gold, Patrick added the warm accent of his own copper chargers and hammered napkin holders. 

Instead of a tablecloth, he used a tone-on-tone wood patterned wallpaper appropriately named “Oh so faux” in Whitewash from Alphaworkshops

Patrick also worked in warm gold accents, accessorizing with Timeless Gold Stemware and Marchesa By Lenox Imperial Caviar Flatware. The gorgeous peonies and pomegranates are offset by bark containers and lend a rustic counterpoint to the elegant setting.

We love the imaginative use of the real birch placemats from New York’s flower district. That, along with the green tone of the napkins suits the placesetting...to a tea!

Gold is game for all-out tablescapes. @fashionablehostess put on this wonderful event to glowing reviews.

Shown: Casual Radiance and Marchesa by Lenox Gilded Pearl Dinnerware. Marchesa by Lenox Imperial Caviar Gold Flatware.

Here’s another view of Marchesa by Lenox Gilded Pearl by @fashionablehostess So Chic!

Don’t forget to accessorize with stemware! These Timeless Gold Stems are the perfect accent to a holiday table.