An Evening with Eddie Ross

A week ago I attended a tabletop and entertaining workshop with the oh-so-talented blogger, lifestyle designer and Bravo’s Top Design finalist Eddie Ross and walked away with lots of inspiration and styling tips to entertain in style.

{Here’s the adorable Eddie letting us in on all his entertaining secrets!}

Eddie’s presentation was held at the super cute tabletop and gift boutique Travadavi, here in Atlanta. Travadavi has a wonderful selection of china and dinnerware, serving accessories, gifts and entertaining essentials. Surrounded by such gorgeous table wares made the event even more exciting.

Eddie’s presentation was all about Spring table styling and he created a beautiful and colorful table setting just for the event.

The multi-color tablecloth, in a modern pattern was the foundation for the table and was such visual fun. Isn’t this color combo great for a spring party?

The individual place settings were of course created in true Eddie Ross style. I adore the modern bright orange charger plate layered with the traditional Asian themed dinner plate to add a bit is style contrast.

As a tie-in to the gold rim on the charger plate, Eddie used gold flatware. Notice the salad fork and dinner fork are different patterns? This was one of Eddie’s tips for adding a unique style statement to your tablescapes.

Another eclectic touch Eddie used on the table was mixing the stemware styles…gold goblets, clear champagne flutes and fluted opaque white water glasses. White goblets are definitely on my shopping list now!

The flower arrangement Eddie created as the centerpiece was so beautiful. I love that all the flowers are in the same color family yet the variety of stems used add so much visual interest and texture.

As a fun and creative way to mark each place setting, Eddie created these adorable butterfly name cards to sit on the edge of each glass. Don’t you just love these? Eddie said he’d put the how-to instructions for these cards on his blog or Facebook page so check there. I think these little cards would also be a fun way to decorate a spring gift!

And, another tip from Eddie to make your table come to life was to incorporate a few decorative accessories that relate back to your table theme/patternwork. Eddie used these porcelain Chinoiserie figurines to play off the Asian themed dinnerware.

A few other Eddie Ross touches that really made the table stand out…

A beautiful salt-cellar and silverplated pepper holder….

A 1920’s petite silverplated candy dish filled with jelly beans…

(I was lucky enough to find these exact candy dishes last year at a thrift store for .25 cents each)

And a simple yet elegant wrapped take-away-gift for each guest!

In addition to being wowed by the beautiful table Eddie created, I also walked away to some great style tips I wanted to share with you:

Mix old and new! Combine antique china with newer pieces to add character to your table.
Layer your table linens! A solid tablecloth with a patterned topper or visa versa will give your table impact and add interest from the floor up.
Use solid colors! Incorporating solid color pieces will help to tie together a mix of patterns you may use to decorate your table.
Mix finishes! Mixing gold and silver, matte and shiny, clear and opaque will give your table an eclectic edge.
Focus your flowers! Staying with a narrow color palette for your flowers will make the arrangement look more expensive and custom.
Be creative with your place cards! Try a stylized name card that reflects the theme of your table.
Candles are a must! Use a mix of candlestick style, all in the same finish to add the touch of warmth. Eddie’s go to source for taper candles is Creative Candles. I sold these in my store and must say they are an excellent candle and come in so many color and sizes!
Stay away from white napkins. In Eddie’s words, “white napkins are no-fail”, but lack creativity and interest. Instead, opt for a colored napkin which will make the table livelier.
Don’t forgo napkin rings! Just like the jewelry you wear, napkin rings add that finishing touch. Think of them as jewelry for the table.
Don’t overdose on a pattern theme! Instead of using multiple floral patterns within your tablescape, mix it up. Mix a geometric with a floral and use solid colors to tie it all together.

The evening ended with a Q & A session and one of the things I took note of were the items Eddie listed as Tabletop Essentials:

Colored Stemware
Classic Salt and Pepper Shakers
Mix and match Flatware
Candlesticks (versus pillar or jar candles)
Linen Napkins
A Tablecloth

The evening with one of my design idols was so much fun and so inspiring!

If you don’t already, make sure to follow Eddie’s blog, which is choke full of design advice, inspiration and styling tips. He also has a listing of his appearances around the country and you definitely don’t want to miss him if he’s coming to your town.

And, for all the blog readers in Atlanta, make sure to stop by Travadavi to pick up some of their great tabletop and gift items! You’ll also love the beautiful store design!