Oktoberfest Vignette

Oktoberfest Vignette

I work in an art showhouse in the Michigan Design Center, which is like a mini mall for interior design. There are upholstery and drapery places, furniture stores, tile places, and one art & framing place... TRA Art Group. This week the MDC hosted an event called "Celebrations" where designers were asked to create a vignette of a celebration of their choosing. Some designers did New Years Eve, Christmas, Engagement & Wedding parties, even a Divorce Party. We decided that I'd be the designer for our showroom and I wanted to be a little different and true to my roots, so I chose Oktoberfest. I transformed our front room to what I thought would be an awesome Oktoberfest dinner and gathering. So here you go, my Oktoberfest vignette.

More images on my Flickr

For my color scheme I centered around the Bavarian flag colors where Oktoberfest is celebrated, blue and white. I brought in silver elements for more "white" and brought in accents of yellow and orange for the German flag. The dishes where all blue and white motifs but they all mismatched to give in a country/elegant feel. I folded blue napkins into little Bavarian hats with feather accents to push the traditional feel. The name card holders had illustrations of Dirndls and Lederhosen in silver goblets with succulents (aka Chicks and hens, from my backyard!) in them to give more of a earthy country feel.

The center piece was comprised of thrifted beer steins holding dried flowers, twigs, and wheat, placed on top of some of my collection of old hard cover books. I also added in some candles, deer antlers and mini deer skull to give it even more of a old world feel.

The art I chose I wanted to be very eclectic and not of a certain genre. I have framed pieces beside unframed, and abstracts next to old traditionals, I wanted a feeling that the host of the party has art from his ancestors and collects new art. The ceiling drapery over the seating area I wanted to remind the guests of a tent where Oktoberfest is usually celebrated. With all the little details I tried to convey the host as collector living in a Southern German country home. I borrowed furniture from Beacon Hill and Henredon (both are located in the Design Center), the art is from our gallery, TRA Art Group.

I of course wore my Dirndl and we served homemade baked pretzels (by me), apple cidar, oktoberfest beer and german wine. Here's a quick iPhone picture of my outfit, more to come later.

So what do you think? Did you get any ideas for your own Oktoberfest party?