With dining-room vignettes from nearly 30 artists, architects, and interior designers, Diffa Chicago's "Dining by Design" was a font of design inspiration.
This year, the use of flowers was noticeably restrained. While tables did contain floral arrangements in spots—one held lush bunches of pink roses, for example—other decor pieces incorporated more avant-garde materials. In one vignette, a tangle of wishbones covered a row of candles; another table was dotted with oversize eggs; and still another used foil-wrapped condoms as ornamentation. Here's a look at the most inspiring ideas from Diffa's Dining by Design, which took place at the Merchandise Mart from November 7 to 9.
A canopy of twigs and a wraparound scene of birds flying in a blue sky gave a calming vibe to the table from Halcon designed by Perkins & Will and TenFab.
Photo: Barry Brecheisen for BizBash
Knoll's table, designed by Gary Lee Partners, had a carpet of overlapping red shapes that resembled rose petals. The table's single chair was decorated with long, ghostly pieces of fringe.
Photo: Barry Brecheisen for BizBash
The Diffa Chicago auxiliary board designed the "Believe in Change" donation table. Plastic piggy banks sat atop stacks of plates in the installation, and guests who donated were given red ribbons to pin on a hanging pig. One of the board members revealed that the pig's round middle was made from a covered yoga ball.
Photo: Barry Brecheisen for BizBash
Guests stood for several minutes, seemingly mesmerized, in front of the vignette for Diffa/Chicago by Lional Rivero of Event Creative. The setting included golden hues, undulating lines, and a wall covered in patterns that resembled raindrops in puddles.
Photo: Barry Brecheisen for BizBash
There was a beauty-product-laboratory feel at the table from Geiger and Interior Investments, designed by Harley Ellis Devereaux. A sign spanning the entrance to the vignette read: "Makeup can only make you pretty on the outside, but it doesn't help if you're ugly on the inside. Unless you eat the makeup." The table was covered in mirrors and test tubes.
Photo: Barry Brecheisen for BizBash
Instead of snacks, dishes held makeup sponges and bottles of red nail polish.
Photo: Barry Brecheisen for BizBash
A jewel-hued centerpiece, which contained pomegranates and artichokes as well as flowers, ran down the center of Room & Board's table. On the walls, botanical prints complemented the natural theme.
Photo: Barry Brecheisen for BizBash
The Steelcase table, designed by HOK, had an apparent theme of sight. A prop pair of binoculars stood in front of the table, and an eye pattern decked the back wall.
Photo: Barry Brecheisen for BizBash
Walls punctured with wine bottles surrounded the rustic vignette from OFS Brands designed by Nelson.
Photo: Barry Brecheisen for BizBash
Ostrich eggs and plastic utensils decked the table from Premiere Music and Film Systems's table, designed by Jeanne Michaels Interiors. The picnic-like setting was rounded out with wine glasses and a woven basket in the center of the table.
Photo: Barry Brecheisen for BizBash
Orange flowers in green bud vases created a simple but lush centerpiece.
Photo: Barry Brecheisen for BizBash
Orchids in small golden vases topped stacks of patterned plates in the setting for Oscar Isberian, designed by Meg Caswell.
Photo: Barry Brecheisen for BizBash
With sketchpads instead of plates, a bucket of paintbrushes, and paintings stacked up against the wall, the table for Agati Furniture/Desks was modeled on an artist's studio.
Photo: Barry Brecheisen for BizBash
The bright, sunny-day-inspired vignette from Kadlec Architecture & Design had no table at all; instead, a cluster of bikes surrounded a center of flower-filled bike baskets.
Photo: Barry Brecheisen for BizBash
Ornaments that resembled glitter-flecked sea urchins sat in bowls at Cambria's table, designed by Susan Fredman Design Group.
Photo: Barry Brecheisen for BizBash
Springy hues of pink and green—and big bunches of roses—spruced up the flowery table for Northwestern Memorial Foundation, designed by Sanjay R. Singhal Professional Design Services.
Photo: Barry Brecheisen for BizBash
The Coalesse table, designed by Gensler, had subtle twinkle lights and a wishbone pattern swirling on its walls.
Photo: Barry Brecheisen for BizBash
The table's centerpiece was a dense arrangement of wishbones, laid over a row of softly glowing electric candles.
Photo: Barry Brecheisen for BizBash
Surrounded by a cocoon of black strings, the Mohawk Group vignette designed by Gensler had a chandelier made of gold-wrapped condoms. A dish of the shiny prophylactics also shone in the monochromatic setting.
Photo: Barry Brecheisen for BizBash
Strips of recycled paper formed a feather-like canopy over the setting designed by Aria Group for Cooperativa Ceramica D'Imola North America.
Photo: Barry Brecheisen for BizBash
A chandelier made of bunches of baby's breath hung over the flowery setting at CS Interiors's table designed by Lalique Interiors with Natural Beauties Floral.
Photo: Barry Brecheisen for BizBash
Event Creative designed a festive table, replete with glittering lampshades, for BizBash.
Photo: Barry Brecheisen for BizBash
An elegant tailgate party inspired the vignette from Sparc Inc., designed by Richard Cassis and Hunter Kaiser.
Photo: Barry Brecheisen for BizBash
On its grill, the vignette had a photo of the recently deceased chef Charlie Trotter. A note dedicated the scene to him.
Photo: Barry Brecheisen for BizBash
