Holiday Decor Ideas: 3 Hanukkah Table Settings

Irwin Weiner ASID - Having grown up in South Africa, our Jewish celebrations were slightly different than they are here in the United States. We never emphasized Hanukkah, which has become a bit of the Jewish answer to December's Christmas celebration for Christians. But here's my bottom line: holidays are a great reason to gather family and friends together to celebrate, entertain, talk and share, and make memories that will last a lifetime.

And nothing is more memorable than holiday table decor; the right table settings make everyone sit up and take notice. You know when you're at a special meal; the details are all "just so." The first of three Hanukkah table settings I admired (see top two photos) is from Pottery Barn. Their Tree of Life Menorah salad plates play off strong white china for a simple, elegant place setting. I also like the height of the two table bouquets; keep centerpieces either super short or nice and tall to avoid blocking views of the diners sitting across the table from you - there's nothing more annoying than to have to talk over the top of a "jungle."

Above: Williams-Sonoma's Ornamental Jacquard Table Runner makes a soft, yet striking fabric highlight to a Hanukkah table, particularly allowing the lovely wood of this table to show through. If your table is durable and lovely, there's no need to hide it under tablecloths or placemats - but a lovely runner will add a tactile layer to the table that's lovely.

Above: I liked Martha Stewart's crafty take on holiday tables, showing off her silvery DIY Manzanita-Branch Menorah, set off by shimmering blue fabric and three different takes on dinnerware: patterned silver, light blue on light blue, and white with a banded metallic and leaf design.

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Design Video: Brad Ford Demonstrates the Importance of Handhelds

Irwin Weiner ASID - Bravo to interior designer Brad Ford. In an Architectural Digest video promoting the Samsung Galaxy Note 2 tablet (click here to view the video), Brad shows how today's apps and handheld features are a crucial part of the interior design industry.

I use my iPad in the same way Brad uses his Galaxy: track schedules and appointments, make notes on everything from client billing hours to design inspirations, sketch and draw, take photographs of client spaces and proposed resources, and use presentation tools to show clients aspects of their projects. We use handhelds to organize our thoughts, remember resources we've just found in showrooms, and store on-the-job sketches and notes; they've become a key extension of our staff and an important tool. Watch today's video to see Brad Ford in typical designer scenarios and to hear him talk about his contemporary spaces "with soul." 

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Yes, There's Even Architecture for Doghouses

Cubix dog mansion

Jay Johnson - Why should our beloved pet dogs be left out of the contemporary design trends sweeping our interiors? What's the use of styling a client's home in sleek modern furnishings, and stepping outside to the back or side yard to see an old-fashioned, ho-hum doghouse?

Exclusive British "pooch palace," designed for two Great Danes

Designers have taken care of Fido, too, and given us a huge range of choices incontemporary doghouse structures that will blend in with modern home decor. Click on any photo for more product information. 

Chalet doghouse from FORMA Italia

Barkitecture Houston doghouse design from Brave / Architecture

The Cube custom doghouse from Meset Shop

Cromo doghouse from FORMA Italia

Who started the modern doghouse movement? Frank Lloyd Wright, of course!

Click here to read Frank Lloyd Wright's Doghouse: Fallingwater for Fido?

Sheffield School began as an Interior Design school in 1985, and then expanded our course offerings to train people in other design-related fields, including Feng Shui, Wedding and Event Planning, and Jewelry Design. With thousands of active students and more than 50,000 graduates, Sheffield has trained more design professionals than any school in the world.

Baccarat Video Showcases Elegant, Neutral Decor

Blou Je Te Vois Flou Zenith Chandelier, 24 Lights by Baccarat

Irwin Weiner ASID - I enjoyed this marketing video from French crystal manufacturer Baccarat. Aimed at showcasing the Baccarat Residences in the Dubai Pearl, it focuses on a room-by-room tour of a mansion decorated in a very subdued neutral style. Mirrored furniture, silvered and gilt furnishings, golds and beiges and tans and browns - everything emphasises two elements of the decor: the architectural bones of this luxurious space and the glitter and sparkle of the Baccarat accessories, including chandeliers, sconces, vases, wine and glass stems, and barware.

Bedroom in Baccarat Residences at the Dubai Pearl

Yes, it was a kick seeing the amazing Baccarat high-end product line highlighted like this, but it was also instructive to see how effective a neutral - or limited palette - decor can be when coupled with Hollywood Regency style mirrored furnishings and elegant crystal. The silvery and golden tones are picked up with reflected crystal surfaces and the whole is much more than the sum of its parts. That's a good goal for interior design, isn't it?

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