Classic Pattern, New Spirit

Four tastemakers put their fanciful spins on an old-faithful Spode collection

- BETSY CRIBB WATSON

THE SPIN Ikat + Blue and White PALOMA CONTRERAS Houston, Texas @palomacontrerasdesign

"A blue-and-white look is something that works year-round. It's timeless," says Contreras. "I figured, why couldn't you use it for the holidays? It actually lends itself to this season very, very well." To keep this combo (shown at left) from feeling too fussy she established the scene with an ikat tablecloth and then topped it with sage place mats and punchy napkins. Her floral picks (black-and-white anemones and burgundy ranunculus) help too. "The flowers feel a bit crisper in contrast to the crystal glasses," the designer says. "They're classic, but there's something about them that says, 'This isn't your grandmother's setting.""

HER CLEVER PREP MOVE

"The table is integral to creating a beautiful atmosphere for a party, and that's something you can fully control ahead of time," says Contreras. "You may even set it a few days in advance and tweak as you see fit. That can eliminate a lot of stress, because it's one less thing you have to do-and it sets the mood."