Asheville shops liven up holiday meals with thoughtful table goods
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PostedDecember 12, 2019
FLORA FINESSE: The centerpiece is one of the most important considerations in planning festive table decor. Pictured is a holiday centerpiece designed by Flora owner Melissa Thomas for an in-house workshop a few years ago. Photo by Juliana Renee While gathering around the table with friends and family is an occasion many look forward to during the holiday season, these rare meals can also be a bit unnerving. Perhaps your uncle is fed up with the “OK, boomer” memes you’ve been circulating on the internet. Or your parents are still skeptical about your sister’s decision to get a liberal arts degree. Or a guest brings up a really fun and festive topic, like political gerrymandering. Some of these phenomena might be an inevitable part — even a staple — of the holiday experience. However, when we sit down to a meal, we’re affected, at least to some degree, by the surrounding atmosphere. To that end, the way one sets a table has the potential to be a secret weapon in defusing discomfort and cultivating a sense of warmth and intimacy. With that idyllic scenario in mind, here’s a crash guide for finding Asheville shops offering jazzy table goods and, with the help of local interior designer Amber Baxley , ideas for arranging them properly. “I think [table “” not found /]
sets the mood for the entire dinner. When people see a really beautiful setting, it makes them feel good,” asserts Baxley, who works at ID.ology Interiors & Design. “I definitely think it’s fun to mix it up every year. It’s a way to have a creative outlet and a way to have fun during the holidays. Every year guests will wonder what the table will look like this year.” While one can never go wrong with classic color schemes such as dark red, green and gold, Baxley says the hot trends this year include the color cayenne (a bright red-orange) and incorporating pops of neon into the design. “It’s also very important to mix materials. A lot of people like to incorporate burlap. But if you’re going to have naturally textured […]
