For many of us, seeing family and friends is more meaningful now than ever. Gatherings are no longer obligatory or stressful—it’s truly become a celebration of joy. With the holiday season rolling in, the stakes for decorating are higher than ever.
If you’re planning on hosting the holiday feast this Christmas, the table should be as memorable as the menu. Once you’ve figured out your holiday centerpiece (and decided what you’re serving), it’s down to the plates, linens, and other holiday table decor. Fortunately, Rustan’s knows exactly how to help you with your decorating with a little help from a master tablescapist and some of the finest brands for your table spread.
Inspired by Art
From September 7 to 18, Rustan’s in partnership with Shangri-La Plaza presents The Art of Tablescaping, an exhibit featuring artistic tablescapes styled by Rustan’s for the Arts artists, accompanies by tableware and accessories from the Home brands. The exhibit, which is displayed at the second floor of Shangri-La Plaza at the Grand Atrium, highlights prints, sculptures, and paintings from Paulina Luz Sotto, Tara Soriano, and Caress Banson, all serving as backdrops and inspiration for the tablescapes.
Using the artwork by her grandfather, mentor, and Philippine National Artist Arturo Luz, Paulina Luz Sotto transformed the Homage into Isamu Noguchi sculpture and made it the centerpiece of her tablescape. Using tableware and accessories from Lenox, Vista Alegre, EME, Rustan’s Home, Ralph Lauren, and Prizmic & Brill, the artist perfectly translated beauty into simplicity in her design.
For Tara Soriano, she wanted to create a fun floral tablescape structured around the color palette of her painting. She used dinnerware and flatware from Mikasa, Novita Home, Chef & Sommelier, Sugarplum Lifestyle, and EME. It is the perfect set-up to kickstart the holiday gatherings with the girls.
Caress Banson, together with her daughters-in-law Martina Banson and Amanda Banson, presented two styles—a Filipiniana spread and a Bar Chow table. Inspired by Banson’s color palette, Martina created a rainbow brunch al fresco dining ensemble with dinnerware and glassware from Bordallo Pinheiro, Multiple Choice, Noritake, Vista Alegre, Sugarplum Lifestyle, Amber & Anne, and Liwayway to bring into life Banson’s trademark burst of color. For the bar chow table, Amanda partnered with the artist’s ode to Jean-Michel Basquiat using Noritake, Seletti, Bar Professional, and KAH.
Last September 15, Rustan’s staged a cocktail event hosted by Bianca Valerio and featured two table settings styled by the Queen of Tablescaping and host of the TFC-airing Table Love by Pinky, Pinky Tobiano. Some of the guests in attendance were friends of Pinky Tobiano including Dani Camcam, Kourtney Camcam, Leo Espinosa, and Tessa Valdes to name a few. At the event, the master tablescapist talked about the elements of tablescaping, the inspiration behind the spreads, and the brands she used.
The first tablescape presented is aptly named Tickle Me Pink. If you already have eyes on your florals, it’s easier to curate your tablescape. For the first table, Tobiano used complementing accents like purple, white, and blue arrangement. Go for something artsy like the Royal Albert x Miranda Kerr Tea Set, Bugatti, and Pimpernel. The color play from the flowers and the tableware give a warm finish and the printed placemats give an elegant touch to the overall look.
For those who dream of La Dolce Vita, whiling away the long summer evenings in the lush gardens of an Italian villa, the Amalfi Coast tablescape is just the right design for your next gathering. It is inspired by the color palette of the Mediterranean, featuring blue and white tableware from Spode Blue Italian, Schott Zwiesel, Oneida, Rustan’s Home, and Styles Asia Home. To elevate the tablespace, some green foliage and lemons add a fresh punch to create the perfect setting. The third and final tablescape, named Bahay Kubo, used the elements of the iconic folk song featuring the beautiful plates of Bernardaud x Anita Magsaysay-Ho.
Make it a home
During the 12-day exhibit, participating home brands also featured set-ups, highlighting appliances, dinnerware, and other items to make tablescaping easier at home. From September 15-18, enjoy activities such as coffee sampling from Breville, Delonghi, and Smeg, juice sampling by Nutribullet, and wine sampling by Philippine Wine Merchants. Other participating brands include Royal Doulton, Mikasa, Lenox, Luigi Bormioli, Robert Welch, Herdmar, Ooni, and Kamado Joe, to name a few.
Treats for the home
Throughout the exhibit, Rustan’s offers more treats for you when you shop their participating brands. From September 7-18, enjoy x5 FSP points when you shop these tabletop brands at Rustan’sShangri-La: Royal Albert, Royal Doulton, Noritake, Spode, Lenox, Mikasa, Herdmar, EME Posaterie, Oneida, Robert Welch, Vista Alegre, Luigi Bormioli, Pimpernel, and C&F Home.
20% off will be offered on the regular collection of Schott Zwiesel all month long at all stores. In addition, FSP members will enjoy an additional 10% off on the brand. LSA International likewise offers 20% off on all items at all stores until the end of September. ZenPots will be treating shoppers to 20% off on all items if you shop at Rustan’s Makati, Shangri-La, Alabang, and Gateway. Smeg will also offer 15% off on selected items on September 12-15 and 28-30 when you shop at Rustan’s Makati and Shangri-La.
Breville also features up to 20% off on selected items, Delonghi offers 5% off on selected items at all stores until the end of September. So whether you are preparing a banquet for a family gathering or an intimate set-up with your loved one, Rustan’s shows you the beautiful art of tablescaping to celebrate the finest moments with the people in your life.
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