Thursday, November 19, 2009

Tablescape Thursday - How The Pros Do It

This could be a pretty holiday table - I love the cherub!


The images in the catalog (hard copy and on line) for The Horchow Collection are some of the most beautiful in terms of photography and styling. They have been inspiring visual vamps forever. The table settings are especially gorgeous, and I got to wondering who does this incredible work?

This all white and green could be a refreshing and modern holiday color scheme

In 1971, Roger Horchow started The Horchow Collection, the first luxury mail-order catalog that was not preceded by a brick-and-mortar presence. He sold the Horchow Collection to Neiman Marcus in 1988.

This blue and white table would be lovely for Chanukkah

I phoned Neiman Marcus and spoke with the Public Relations office.

The bird motif is so cute for Thanksgiving

They directed me to Melinda Lee who does their PR work, and she was so sweet. She told me what I suspected, that there is a huge stable of photographers and stylists used on a free lance basis.

The corals and greens are another way to go modern for the holidays

The Horchow look is pretty much on automatic at this point. The merchandise is pretty and inspiring to the talent that photographs the images regularly.

This evocative deep brown palette is so warm for Thanksgiving

I really wanted to give some love to the talent, but no names were offered. I told Melinda how much the work is appreciated, and she thanked me.

Classic red for that special Christmas breakfast

So if any of you do work for Horchow, let me know. We would all love to hear the back story around the photo shoots.

The full holiday treatment! Love the trees and the favors and the cranberries in the glasses!

With holiday table setting on all of our minds, I'm sure many of you peruse the Horchow catalogs for ideas and for wishing.

These aqua banded plated from Horchow are one of my favorites

Their merchandise is lovely, and varied, with something pretty for everyone.

In some places where the climate is warm, you could do an alfresco setting like this

As ever, go to Between Naps On The Porch for more great ideas at Tablescape Thursday HERE

And don't forget to enter your table setting in Christiane's contest with great prizes from Dwell Studio HERE

20 comments:

Atticmag said...

In complete agreement about Horchow's presentations. Always an inspiration. And the merchandise is so tempting. Add my kudos to the stylists/photographers.
Jane T.

susan said...

I'd like to know if any of the Horchow people want to resign or take a leave of absence--I can be ready to fill in at a moment's notice :) What a fun job!

Kathysue said...

Loved all of these images and I agree they do an amazing job.Thank you for sharing and also for trying to give credit to those talented people at Horchow. Kathysue

Greet Lefèvre said...

These pictures are so beautiful!
I love the image of the Christmas breakfast table! You gave us a lot of inspiration! Thank you so much!

Greet

Yvonne@StoneGable said...

oooohhhhh, aaahhhhh, gasp, sigh, oooohhhhhh... That is my reaction! What beautiful tables. I LOVE the red bird table. So beautiful and a little different for Thanksgiving. I think I am on the lookout for phesants for my table for next year. Each table gave me so many creative ideas!
Thank you for sharing such an imformative and interesting story, too.
Happy and blessed Thanksgiving!

Yvonne

Unknown said...

I have admired their things for many years. Thank you for sharing these lovely photos. I have a question - on my Christmas Table I want to use a ceramic Santa sitting on a reindeer. How do you use an object like this in the center of a table? It is about 14 inches high. I would appreciate any help.


Charla
Charla

Anonymous said...

Beautiful table settings! I haven't gotten a horchow catalog in a while. I am going to have to go and add my name to their mailing list again!
Thanks for the inspiration~

DecRenew Interiors said...

Horchow always does an outstanding job with showcasing their products. They always capture me with their style and sophistictation. Fun that they have ecclectic items as well as traditional.

Thanks for sharing, love your blog!

Ruthie

Renae Moore said...

Ohhh, I just LOVE these. How very fun for the stylists to have Neiman Marcus at their fingertips to create such lovelies. Great inspiration...
Thanks Ms. V!
xoxo

food with style said...

they give good table~

MFAMB said...

look at you all research and business!! too bad no names were given. beautiful work.

Jeanette said...

So much inspiration, incredible images. Just lovely.

Julio Muao said...

I love love Horchows tablescapes! they set some of the best over the top gorgeous tables.

Mid-Atlantic Martha said...

Thanks for lots of lovely inspiration!

Sue said...

What wonderful photos and table settings. I love the inside information you shared. If only we could order everything we wanted!

Sue

Linda in AZ * said...

* Val~ I've always had good luck w/ Horchow in every respect... AND, I've learned to always keep receiving my catalogues/E-mail updates, even if I only take a minute or two to glance at them (just in CASE I "missed something" during the first go 'round)!!!

ANd IMHO one can never, ever tire of seeing an imaginative, creative & beautifully presented table... that's one of "MY" things, even tho I don't much care for COOKING anymore!!! (Mom always used to say, if you're not a "WOW" of a cook, "WOW" them with EVERYTHING ELSE @ the table & make a big fanfare out of a SPECIAL, FLAMING DESSERT!! That good advice has always worked for me... I'm SMILING right now, because SOME of our friends even SAY I'm a great cook!! (Ha! Little did they know it was just the plates off of which they were eating & the stemware from which they were drinking!!! Oh yes, and the ever-filled wine glasses help too, of course!)... I think THAT'S the MOST FUN thing!!!!

THANKS, Sweets!
Love, Linda *
(P.S. Will be getting back to you on that chandelier very shortly! XO)~

Anonymous said...

I love your blog! Your pictures (or someone's) are amazing. Thank you and by the way I think you need no help in blogging at all. Have your best year ever. Thought I would cover the rest of the days. lol Take care and come and visit my blog sometime.

CJ
http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/DesignsForYou/~3/ZHW5R6O0IVM/url-httpwwwbeenbloggedblogspotcom.html

C.J. said...

not so sure what happened there. It took my blog site and nothing else. Oh god, I am such a whiz at this, lol actually what I said was that I really like your blog. Your pictures are wonderful and the content interesting. There, I've said it again. Oh my, sounds like a song.

cotedetexas said...

What a fabulous idea - you da best!

Anonymous said...

Had to send a few of these stunning tablescapes into my computer's picture pipeline. The darn thing's running slower all the time since I started following your blog! I've been loading it up with all kinds of visual vamp eye candy!