I find so much inspiration from talking with like-minded creatives about style and design. One of these talented souls is local tablescape artist Suzanne Zingg. If you follow her on Instagram, you know she makes stunning and unique tabletop designs right in her own home.
A couple months ago I had the pleasure of sitting down with her to chat. One thing led to another, and an idea was born. Turns out we are both big fans of plaid, and the book/TV series “Outlander.” For those unfamiliar, “Outlander” by Diana Gabaldon is the story of an Englishwoman from the 1940s who gets transported the 1700s Scotland Highlands. While the storyline is quite exciting, the true beauty lies in the landscape and design of the setting. We decided to collaborate and bring the rustic elegance of the Scottish countryside to a table.
After our initial talk, I was so excited to start searching for items for Zingg to play with. The look could have easily led to tartan overload, so we knew we had to bring in other elements to provide balance and the feeling of the idyllic country setting without being overly literal.
To achieve this, we used pheasant accessories and incorporated stags. The animal imagery is important to the overall vision and represents the importance of the land and all it provided during the time period we were looking to re-create. Of course, we had to use a spot of plaid, and the neutral tartan throw blanket is the perfect touch to this bucolic table.
To achieve a sophisticated yet wild feel, we mix and matched natural elements like wood, glass and pottery with more polished textures like copper, silver and porcelain. Zingg has a great eye for balance when it comes to setting a table, and seeing what she achieved with the product is truly stunning.
The display she created brings to mind an elegant yet lively evening feast I can imagine enjoying with Clan MacKenzie, full of great conversation and even better food (thanks, Mrs. Fitz!). I love when a table can transport you to a different time and place. If only we could figure out how to transport Jamie to our table.
We have many elements for this look that haven’t even make it to the table yet. With stalks of wheat, metal chargers and plenty more plaid waiting in the wings, the look can be transformed into a display fit for any home — and just in time for Thanksgiving.
Adapted from nellhills.com. Katie Laughridge is the owner of Kansas City interior design destination Nell Hill’s. For more information, contact Katie at [email protected]
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