OM in the Wild – a mystical birthday at The Chloe

The assignment:

a dark birthday celebration on Friday the 13th

The goal:

keep it moody, but not scary

Tricks to pulling off the look:

1. Mix the metals

2. Explore colors other than black

3. Keep it intimate

Mixing the metals

Metals set the temperature of a look, and mixing is an easy way to add drama (in this case, moodiness) to any occasion.  I tried to find as many opportunities as possible to incorporate silver and gold into the spread.  Gold tarot cards, skeletons, geometric vases, cosmic starbursts, and treat boxes were complemented by silver candelabras, floral urns, and chargers to create a moody table fit for the occasion.

Exploring other colors

I was interested in creating something moody without relying predominately on black, but planned on still using it. While it would have been much easier to make everything black, I wanted to select the black elements of the design (lace table runner, candlesticks, crystals, twinkle trees, and napkins) strategically so I could accentuate them.  Using an ivory table runner under the black lace allowed the details that would have otherwise been lost against the table linen to shine.  Visually, I wanted several levels of black that were not overpowering and the napkins, candlesticks, and trees made this possible.  I knew that black was not an option for the florals (I didn’t want them to look artificial by spraying them black), so I resorted to colors that could be found in the grocery store to keep the moodiness alive.

Keeping it intimate

A guest list of ten was perfect for adding personal touches.  Guests’ seats were marked using their zodiac sign constellation instead of name cards.  This made for a fun discussion about everyone’s birthday and star sign as they waited for appetizers to arrive. Gold-embellished tarot cards were randomly selected for each guest and awaited their arrival.  This too sparked fun conversation and got everyone in the spiritual mood.  Also at each place setting were hand-painted chocolates (resembling crystals) and a slice of obsidian crystal (to encourage personal growth).  To bring the intimacy to the next level, a tarot card reader came and read everyone’s energies and gave advice for future growth.