On November 3, jewelry and gift store Shreve, Crump & Low hosted a preview party for its its annual Festive Tables event. Benefiting the Massachusetts Society to Prevent Cruelty to Children, the cocktail party and silent auction kicked off the installation, where seven local designers pulled china, stemware, and accessories from Shreve’s collection, and mixed in their own style to create tabletops for holiday entertaining.
“This is a way for shoppers to get ideas and take chances with their own holiday tables,” said Susan McDonough, tabletop and gift buyer for the store. The tables, on both floors of Shreve’s Boylston Street shop, will be on display through November 28.
Ten percent of sales from the preview evening went directly to the the society, and guests bid in a silent auction for two hours of design time with the designer of their choice. The designers were given free range to complete their idea of an inspiring table setting, and Erin Gates of Elements Interiors (and author of the design blog Elements of Style) incorporated Shreve’s signature gurgling cods and "Baccarat" goblets on a table draped in an orange zebra-print tablecloth trimmed in deep purple by PMK Designs. Upstairs, Taniya Nayak (of HGTV’s Destination Design and other shows) and her team designed a tabletop with an earthy sensibility. Other designs included those from Duffy Design Group, Kathleen Sullivan Elliott Interior Design, Eleven Interiors, Turtle Bay Interiors, and ESJ Designs.
As guests circulated the store, they sipped wine from Urban Grape and sampled small bites from Bakers Best Catering. An informal speaking program allowed designers—and in some cases, a parent, spouse, or friend—to share their Festive Tables vision and the importance of partnering with Shreve’s and the society to help children.
The annual Festive Tables showcase began in the early 1990s, in Shreve’s now-closed flagship store, and this is the second year the event has been held in the Boylston Street location; it is the first partnership between the charity and the store. “This year is special because we’ve partnered with two children’s organizations,” said McDonough, who produced the event and served as the liaison between the designers and Shreve’s stock of china, stemware, and gifts. Following the preview event, Festive Tables’ opening party on Thursday benefited the Room to Dream Foundation.
