Project Overview

44 creatives were asked to design a table scape for an opulent dinner called
"The Art of Dining", a charity event at the National Gallery of Victoria.
Our design was about excess, a colour explosion mirroring the spectacular Leonard French stained-glass ceiling in the Grand Hall where the event was being held.

Organisation

Brett Mickan Interior Design

 

Team

Bret Mickan
Nicholas English

Project Brief

We were asked to design a table setting for a party of 10 people that reflected our design aesthetic. The table design was to celebrate creativity and innovation in dining design. The installation needed to be functional so that it could be used for a dining event on the first evening, and then on display for the viewing public over 3 days and 2 nights. Like the table in the painting "Cleopatras Ball", the table needed to reflect luxury, opulence and excess.

Project Innovation/Need

The design started by taking cues from the spectacular venue, which was the grand hall at the NGV. The magnificent stained glass ceiling was reinterpreted in a patch work tablecloth, as the base for the tables design. The tablecloth was meticulously hand made by a local women's sewing group. We incorporated works by other local artisans with custom designed vases and plates and we sourced chairs that were designed and manufactured in Australia. The design illustrating that excess can exude opulence and made all the guests at the table feel transformed into this spectacular world.

Design Challenge

The design needed to standout amongst 44 tables, while still feeling elegant.
It had to illustrate my design philosophy of being influenced by the space in which it sits along with my love of colour, while still filling the brief by making it a space in which anyone would love to dine.
The challenge was to create a design that was spectacular, but functional and it all had to be installed in a matter of hours before being open for viewing.

Sustainability

We commissioned many of the design items from local artisans and manufactures, as well as incorporating many vintage pieces. After the event the locally made chairs where used in another interior project.