New York’s Famed Orchid Dinner Draws Texas Design Stars

Each year, the Grand Ballroom of The Plaza Hotel in New York is transformed for the Orchid Dinner by the top tastemakers in design and entertaining – so it comes as no surprise that Texans had a major presence.

The event, which benefits the New York Botanical Garden‘s orchid research collection, showcased tablescapes by the design world’s who’s who, including Dallasites Kimberly Schlegel Whitman and Cathy Kincaid, and native Texan CeCe Barfield Thompson.

Schlegel Whitman, who literally wrote the book on tablescapes, built her design around the perfect centerpiece. “Years ago, I made an impulse purchases on 1stdibs, one my husband still laughs at to this day and has told me to throw away several times,” she says. “The purchase, a pagoda birdcage, has been my obsession for quite some time.”

Once she spotted a gorgeous blush birds and branches pattern at Thibaut Linens, her vision came together. Floral designer Rana Kim filled the cage with quince and wrapped it in mocha orchids for a dramatic statement, perfectly punctuated at each setting by Herend China and dinner napkins by Schlegel Whitman’s line, Halo Home by KSW.

Leading interior designer Cathy Kincaid’s tablescape came to life out of Lisa Fine’s Calico Floral Stripe fabric, which set a spirited and exotic foundation for her selection of candlesticks from John Rosselli Antiques and Carolina Irving plates provided by James Showroom.

“Our table was a blend of the Far-East and Middle-East, from the Indian style fabric to the Chinese pagoda and porcelains,” says Kincaid. “Our florist, Sebastian Li, did the most incredible job bringing our table to life!”

While the gracefully composed place settings and jaw-dropping floral designs will serve as ample entertaining inspiration for the rest of the year, the New York Botanical Garden’s 16th annual Orchid Show (which kicks of March 3 and runs through April 22) will add further fuel to our orchid obsession.

This year’s show will feature installations by Daniel Ost, the acclaimed Belgian floral artist who has been touted as the “Picasso of flower arranging.” We can’t wait to see his orchid creations.

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