MacBeth Collection is a bucket of fun!

Though her métier is designing and producing containers, Margaret Mary Josephs and her creations are anything but contained. With an infectious sense of fashion and need to steer the lackluster home accessories category in a new direction, Margaret Josephs launched The MacBeth Collection with an opening mantra of Decorate your life.I loved visiting this booth during the Gift Fair - - - it was loaded with color and overflowing with energy. Margaret Josephs designs each season with a fashion eye in terms of what colors and patterns are going to help make a room's decor stand out. And stand out is what they do.

The Macbeth Collection is full of beautiful vases, wastebaskets, tissue box covers, buckets and odds and ends – in short, gifts and whatever else is under the sun. Margaret has put her individual stamp on these galvanized metal items, via the whimsical designs she decoupages on the metal. It is this uniqueness that has made The MacBeth Collection a must-have item.


This March, Margaret Mary Joseph flew to Chicago to accept one of Country Living magazine’s Entrepreneur of the Year awards. And, how this for a coup? Margaret’s yellow and white polka-dot flower pitcher is featured on the spring cover of Martha Stewart’s Blueprint Magazine.

After triple-digit growth and distribution in more than 3,500 stores nation-wide, what’s next for MacBeth? Disposable plates, napkins, placemats and other pieces for entertaining. Can't wait!

Feminine Energy: Brocade Home + Rehabilitated dishware

Two trends have dominated mainstream home furnishings for the past decade: an urban loft style of skinny sofas and plastic chairs, and a masculine look of big, brown leather sofas and chunky, dark tables and chests.

Well, watch out. The girls are back in town. Sarah Cihat and Lisa Versacio are taking home décor by storm.
Above, check out Brocade’s Summer Sale catalog with Sarah Cihat’s “Rehabilitated” dishware, gracing the cover. I’m always looking for new and creative ways to display my china collection so I immediately fell in love with this cover. If you missed my previous post “The Art of Arranging with Plates”, check it out and gather tips on how to curate a gallery-worthy china arrangement of your own.


Sarah Cihat, The Parsons School of Design graduate rescues used plates, mugs, bowls, and other ceramics and transforms them into gorgeous and functional pieces of art. Usually a dish’s history shows, take a close look at Rehabilitated dishware and beneath the glazed silhouettes, you’ll find the plate’s original design ( a 70’s-influenced ivory and yellow flower pattern) peeking through.


Brocade Home is pretty fabulous. Restoration Hardware knew they had a winner when they added this new store to their portfolio. The pattern plates, the silver tea set and tray are tableware winners in my book! Brocade Home and Cihat’s clever creation allow pretty and delicate to co-exist with a modern edge.

When Lisa Versacio, a FIT graduate, left West Elm, she saw something missing from the home retail landscape. She conceived a line of merchandise with elements of modern, elements of vintage and something she calls a “softness meets strength” mood. Brocade Home is exactly that. It’s minimalist boudoir, with comfort and glamour. This is prettier without being icky sweet.

The rooms aren't crowded with things. There is still an element of order and cleanliness, but adding a chandelier or carved mirror can warm that up. Brocade Home balances the clean lines and the more decorated and glamorous pieces.

I’m not saying the modern style is dead. The mixing of Rehabilitated and Brocade Home just tells me that a convergence of clean lines with something soft and more decorative is on the rise.

Your day. Your dress. Your keepsake. Your style.

When I was a little girl I dreamed of the day when I would be getting married. At the time, I fantasized about a white satin dress, string of pearls, ruffles, roses and a tiara. Not anymore! While princess dresses dazzle on some women, they’re far from the only option. There’s the dresses with the sleek silhouettes, the edgy runway-inspired numbers or gowns with ethereal fabrics, like chiffon, that flow as freely as a stream.

Whatever dress I choose, I'll no doubt knock’em dead! So why not commission a keepsake of the most beautiful dress you'll ever wear. Few of us are lucky enough to have Giorgio Armani personally design our wedding gown, but that doesn’t mean you can’t have a keepsake sketch like the one he gave Katie Holmes (below).

I’ve received several emails inquiring about the fashion sketches in my header.
I’m so proud to spotlight one my very best friends on Toast and Table’s today. Brooke Hagel, a graduate of Fashion Institute of Technology in New York City, is one of the most talented fashion illustrators around!

Submit pictures of yourself in your dress to her and she will create a framed memento in your image.

Brooke knows fashion! She has interned on “Sex and The City” so she lives and breathes details, details, details… she will replicate every detail of your gown – down to the bows, pleats, crystals and lacy embellishments. If you’re interested please contact her at fabulousdoodles@gmail.com

What’s your personal every day style and how do you translate that style into a wedding look you’ll love? This week I spotlighted three registry profiles: romantic, modern and natural. I’m more of a natural girl myself. Your wedding is your day. Make sure it belongs to the “real” you!

Wedding registry ideas with "Modern Sensibilities"

Geometric patterns, clean lines and splashes of bold colors -- reflecting everything from updated-retro to casual contemporary designs are gracing the modern table. A backward glance can seem avant-garde but a slight nod to the 60's with pulsating prints and high contrasting colors can bring fun and whimsy to your table. Cutting-edge color combos are the easiest way to declare your style allegiance. I've pictured the ever chic black andwhite with yellow, but any bracing unexpected hues will do. (Pictured above l to r: Black midnight globlets, s/12, $30.00, tall wineglasses, s/12, $24.00, Artland; vase, $17.00, bowl, $19.00, Bo Concept. Ombrages collection, Raynaud, Devine Corporation).

"The modernist rocks streamlined shapes and space-age patterns with minimal embellishments". - Brides Magazine

(above l to r: Mistic silver candleholder& vase, $470.00, San Francisco MoMA, 888-357-0037 ; Chip & Dip tray, Magppie, $55.00, Unica Home). (below l to r: Ascutney Sugar Bowl and Creamer, $60 each, Simon Pearce; Amadeo decanter 220 pounds, The Conran Shop).

Hip, Hip, Horray! For the bride with edgy elegance. China with details that sparkle, pieces in easy- to- care- for materials, like nickel and stainless steel, speciality pieces like decanter and espresso cups will reflect your sophisticated taste. Include any of these funky menagerie of tabletop wares and your registry will show off your groovy sense of style:

(l to r: Baccarat cube candleholders, $235.00, Bloomingdales; Torcello double old fashion glasses, s/6, $270.00, Moss).

(above: Rosenthal Suomi Celebration, 5pc place setting, $170.00, covered sugar and creamer, $184.00, Open vegetable 7 1/2", $234.00, Platter 13", $142.00; Copper reflection plate 8 1/2", $35.00, Michael C. Fina).

(l to r: New wave after dinner cup and saucer set, $33.00, Villeroy and Boch; Bernardaud Salsa gift set $97.59, Artedona).

(l to r: Victoria tea pot, $274.00, Driade Kosmo; JL Coquet prelude platinium presentation plate, $232.50, dinner plate, $61.71 & dessert plate, $55.97, Artedona).

(l to r: Nambe ripple fruit bowl, $85.00, Wave porcelain vase, $150.00, Wedge tray, $200.00; Sasaki, stainless steel flatware, 5pc place settings, Cafe de Flore, $40.00, Double Helix, $30.00, peapod, $40.00, Michael C. Fina).

The Global Table Summer Series - "Proscht" to Switzerland.

The summer season is here and like many of you my thoughts have turned to summer vacation. Just as there is an array of vacation options available stateside and seaside, at home and abroad, tableware options are no exception.

From your back door to the world's front door. Join me this week as I celebrate the culture and environment in which wonderful tableware is created all over the world. Welcome to the second installment of this week's global table summer series.


Chocolate, watches and the Matterhorn - could anything be more typically Swiss? Adding to that list, in the small idyllic city of Winterthur, Switzerland, a group of artisans have been charming Swiss residents with handcrafted tableware for more than two decades. Now Felix Vogler, Founder and Creative Director of Terra Keramik is bringing his shiny, playful, colorful ceramics (think M&M’s) to the United States.

(l to r: serving bowl, $98.00; cappuccino cup, $32.00)

(l to r: small plate, $24.00; dinner plate, $38.00)

(l to r: soup bowl, $29.00; fondue pot, $89.00)

( l to r: tea pot, $102.00; coffee mug, $28.00)

From teapots to fondue sets, each piece is accented in platinum and signed by the artist. The pieces are triple-fired using an energy-reducing clay and finished in a choice of eight brilliant glazes. I love this collection! The platinum edging gives each piece a sleek, sophisticated look.

“Proscht” to Switzerland.

(l to r: tablesetting image featured in Southern Accents, July 2007; White dinner plate, $38.00)

DOUBLE DUTCH: Tord Boontje and Hella Jongerius

You may not recognize their names and you may even have a hard time pronouncing it, but I have little doubt you’ll have a hard time recognizing their work. This dynamic duo is on the cutting edge of home design and they are poised to become major players in tableware. Dutch designers Hella Jongerius and Tord Boontje are known for juxtaposing the old and new, craft and industry, high tech and low tech , it is this brilliant combination that makes both their works so extraordinary.


Who will ever forget when Target and Tord Boontje partnered to create Studio Tord Boontje for Target, a whimsical product collection in Target stores that represented a contemporary interpretation of holiday design. Tord was the first Target designer partner to create the in-store environment, marketing, advertising and product packaging for a seasonal campaign.

Coming up next by Tord Boontje is a collection of kitchenware for Artecnica! I can’t wait!

The Dutch designer Hella Jongerius is on the cusp of design, craft and art. Her work has quickly become modern classics for their simplicity, wit and spare beauty. Hella Jongerius' four-piece ceramic collection is part of Artecnica's socially and environmentally responsible Design With Conscience collection. It is handcrafted by artisans in Peru, with the help of the non-profit organization Aid to Artisans.
'Beads and Pieces' collection is executed in the smooth black ceramic typical of traditional Peruvian pottery. Small bowl - $125.00, Medium bowl - $250.00, Large bowl - $675.00, Bottle - $475.00, ModernPoverty.com.

Tord Boontje’s Table stories is a collection of dinnerware designs in fine porcelain and glass with sophisticated and intricate graphics named dreamscapes. All dishware is available in blue, red and light grey over white porcelain with patterns on both sides of plates. All glassware is screened over clear glass.

above - (l): Table Stories red charger, $70.00. (r): Table Stories blue charger, $70.00
below - (l): Table Stories dinner set of 4, $175.00 (r): Table Stories bowls set of 4, $165.00. All available at Moss.

Artecnica collaborated with Guatemalan craftsmen to bring Emma Woffenden and Tord Boontje’s designs to the market. TranSglass® is included in the permanent collection of MoMA New York. Since its launch, it has become one of Artecnica’s best-selling items. With its recycled origins and sleek, fluid design, tranSglass® conveys a positive attitude towards the environment. The new collection features vases, candle holders, carafes and tumblers crafted from recycled bottles.
The transglass collection includes four vases, ModernPoverty.com, $120.00

To learn more about these two phenomenal designers, pick up their books. Great reads, wonderful addition to the coffee table and perfect for gifts.

(l): Hella Jongerius, the book signed by Hella Jongerius, $55.00, Moss. (r): Tord Boontje, $47.25; Amazon.

An apple a day keeps...

An apple a day might keep you-know-who away, but using them as a table decorative accessory is here to stay forever. The one table accessory that never goes out of style is the apple. Sit them on candle sticks, let them bulge out of a bowl or place one on top of a plate. Anyway you slice it, you can't lose when you decorate your table with apples. Look at the way KleinReid used their apple in the tablesetting they presented at this year's DIFFA Dining by Design event, isn't it great? It was one of my favorite tables!

I know the trend this summer is all about bringing the indoors "out" - - - with patio refrigerators, teek outdoor furniture, deck bars and poolside pavilions everywhere you turn; however as any New Yorker can attest the far simpler task is bringing the outdoors "in". One of the downsides of living in Manhattan is the absence of a sprawling backyard. Even so, many New Yorkers find ways to bring some of nature indoors by simply decorating with apples.


(l) to (r): White porcelain apple, KleinReid. White apple, Victoria Hagan, Target.

(above): Spring fruit, blown glass, artful home

Fashioning them into table centerpieces, arranging them on the mantel and placing their picture in a frame are just some of their uses.

(above): Images taken from Domino picture gallery

(l) to (r): hand blown apples, Simon Pearce; crystal apple, Waterford.

(l) to (r): crystal apple, Tiffany; 23 karat gold apples, Gumps.

One of the freshest natural decorating ideas pertain to fruits and vegetables. If sweet pears or damson plums are in season, line them up on your table. If you've just shelled delicious green peas, place them in a beautiful bowl. And don't fret if your artful displays are eaten. Apples are the little things that lend all-important splashes of color and touches of home sweet home. Look how they are used on tables and as tables.

(above): Images taken from the Design Assistant, Cottage Living.

(l) to (r): Apple wood table, Artful home; Apple platter, Jonathan Adler.

Don't limit your table with just apples. Every season, look around you and you'll find hundreds of ways to decorate your table with nature. Experiment with seashells, beach glass, sprigs of lavender, purple heads of cabbage, green pods of peas and many, many more.

To see some great examples on how you can incorporate nature on your table, check out Style Me Pretty's post on Samatha and Ryan's wedding, AbbyJean took some great picture of their centerpieces - - - they were made with green beans, brussels sprouts and banana leaves! Fabulous. "The seasons change all the time and so should your table."