The long hallway setup made for more orderly viewing and allowed most of the designers to build rooms around their tables. Perhaps for that reason most of the designs felt more like dining rooms than event tables. (The prevalence of interior designers over event designers probably influenced this, too.) But with so many creative minds working so hard to show off there were plenty of design ideas for other events.

The most noticeable trend this year was the use of black and white, in everything from table and chair linens, stemware, fabrics, feathers, and floor coverings. Philip Gorrivan had an elegant space that mixed elements of various eras with fabric that he designed for Quadrille Fabrics & Wallpapers—in a pattern reminiscent of 18th-century, Moorish fretwork—draping the space. A 1970's chandelier echoed the pattern and had black-and-white plumage on top—a historical reference to the Prince of Wales and the royal connection to the extravagant pavilion in Brighton, England, which inspired his overall design. Michael Tavano's table for F. Schumacher and Company not only made use of the company's line of black-and-white fabrics, but also featured a white gravel floor that tied in to the garden feel of his dining area.

Unique floor treatments were all over the place—from Tavano's gravel to the wooden planks, sea grass carpets, and sand that embellished Nautica's beachy dining room. The sparkling white setting that Gabellini Sheppard Associates created for Swarovski and B&B Italia featured shimmering silver carpet, and Ted Allen and Barry Rice's setting had a floor covering made of moss. The Savannah College of Art and Design's (SCAD) beautiful white carriage was not only one of the most memorable tables (the carriage had been cleverly modified into a dining banquette), but it too had unique flooring; it sat upon chalkboard tiles with drawings of the Southern city done by SCAD students. References to nature were everywhere—particularly in the use of branches, which showed up as stacked driftwood lamps at Artistic Tile's table (the company's dining room also had suspended displays of branches over tables), and in rows of birches along the walls of Vicente Wolf's wintry, white setting. Branches loosely covered the enclosed Baker Furniture dining lounge and had origami cranes hanging from them. More birds popped up in patterns and references on chair seats and napkins (Scrapile for Designtex and Terratex), vintage glassware (John Derian), and gilded nests prominently featured on the Profiles for Christofle table. Other elements of nature included the large fish tank built into the back wall of Eric Cohler's design and the live fish that swam in Todd Merrill's Lucite table.

Asian influences also abounded. A trip to Thailand inspired interior designer Jamie Drake's table for Bergamo Fabrics, utilizing the company's rich patterns to execute a look that included golden references to Thai temples. Elle Decor editor in chief Margaret Russell put a brightly colored spin on oft-used Asian accents like vases and paper lanterns at the tables hosted by the magazine, one of the evening's main sponsors, along with GE.

In addition to the new venue, this year's three-day event also added a cocktail party on Saturday night during the weekend that the exhibit was open to the public before Monday night's gala dinner. This gave Diffa the chance to raise additional funds (all in all the organization raised $500,000) and gave eventgoers a cheaper option to the gala dinner. "People loved it and danced all night," Sheppard said. "I had to turn off the music. I think the venue and the whole atmosphere contributed to the fun." Lady Bunny was the DJ on both nights, and Creative Edge Parties catered each event. Monday's dinner for 700 guests featured 20-spice duck breast, grape and zinfandel sauce, and toasted walnut spaetzle served with roasted vegetables.

—Chad Kaydo, Mark Mavrigian & Anna Sekula

Posted 03.21.06

Photos: Jeff Thomas/Image Capture

More From Diffa's Dining by Design Event

Diffa Showcases New Ideas (Part Two)

Diffa Showcases New Ideas (Part Three)

Diffa Decor Trend: Black-and-White Tables

Diffa Decor Trend: Ethnic Influences

Diffa Decor Trend: Wooden Branches

Diffa's Tabletop Ideas

Related Stories

Diffa Shows the Next Decor Trends

Diffa's Dazzling Table Designs