Our second episode of New England Living takes place in Chatham, a picturesque village located at the “elbow” of Cape Cod. Much of the show was filmed at the remarkable home of Gail and Steve. Part of the program centers around a dinner party, with food prepared by Sue Connors, chef/owner of Pisces Restaurant in South Chatham, and floral arrangements created by Patrice Milley, the owner of Patrice R. Milley Floral Designers. Patrice and her team had worked with the homeowners on their daughters’ weddings, and Gail didn’t hesitate to turn to the Chatham-based florist again for the arrangements for their dinner party.
We spoke with Patrice about why fresh flowers are such an important element in setting a stunning table.
“Flowers are the perfect addition to the tablescape as they not only add color, they also add an element of natural movement to the tabletop,” Patrice said. “Glassware, plates, and flatware are all static elements on a dining table. Once you add flowers you’ve added the bends, flow, cascade, and lines of all the individual flowers and greens, and the table comes to life.”
Patrice considered the overall décor of the home when deciding on the blooms for the dinner party.
“In designing what would become a year-round home, Gail chose a warm, neutral color palette with beige and ivory hues,” Patrice explained. “For the dinner party, we chose a color palette of rich fall tones to complement the room’s overall look.”
After considering the colors of the space, Patrice turned her creative eye to the form of her arrangements.
“The flowers were designed in several square containers set down the length of the table, with candles set in between. This is a favorite design of mine as it adds color to the entire table and allows all the guests to enjoy the flowers,” she said.
While Patrice’s design ensured that all of the guests were able to appreciate the flowers, she knew that it was more important that they be able to enjoy each other’s company. With this in mind, she made certain that the height of the arrangements didn’t impede the view across the table.
“The average adult line of sight across a dining room table is around 14 to 15 inches, so I kept Gail’s flowers around 12″ high,” she said.
We hope you’ll tune in to WCVB | CBS Boston on April 9th at 11:30 a.m. for our Chatham episode, in which Host Parker Kelley spends time talking flowers with Patrice.
