Tables Are Set for the 2013 Red and White Ball

By Ehrett Ramey

Each May, the Metro New York North chapter of the American Red Cross hosts its Red and White Ball at the NetJets Hanger in White Plains, N.Y. The fundraiser, which is spearheaded by a dedicated group of volunteers, features table designs and layouts by many top-level local decorators.

The 2013 Ball has the potential to be the most beautiful yet, with exceptionally inspiring designs. Each artist has been asked to create a unique design, one they believe embodies the Red Cross mission. 

Decorators include Tom and Kerry Sheridan of Sheridan Designs; Noelle Newell of Noelle Newell Residential Designs and Décor; Silvina Leone of Silvina Leone LLC; Kellie Grogan of Ken Gemes Interiors; Jane Ellsworth of Jane Ellsworth Interiors; and Melissa Lindsay of Pimlico Interiors. Below are sketches these artists have created and their inspiration for their layout. The Red Cross is excited to be collaborating with these designers and to offer a sneak peak of the beauty of this year’s Red and White Ball.

Melissa Lindsay of Pimlico Interiors
“I definitely wanted the design to feel ‘Americana’ but in a very unexpected way.  Instead of playing off the strong graphic element of the 'Red Cross,' I chose to do the exact opposite: a painterly abstract design in reds, blues and whites.  Painted canvases by local artist Kerri Rosenthal will wrap glass vases and will be the tablecloth—a main focal point for the design.”

Jane Ellsworth of Jane Ellsworth Interiors
“This design is for all those who give selflessly; HOPE springs eternal. Roses symbolize uplifted hearts full of love, courage and compassion.”

Kellie Grogan of Ken Gemes Interiors
“With all of the devastation of Hurricane Sandy, as well as many of this year’s winter storms, I think we are looking forward to the coming spring and summer months. We wanted to tablet o be fresh and crisp and remind everyone summer is right around the corner. We’re hoping the table will portray a sophisticated outdoor picnic feel.”

 

Silvina Leone Help Today, Hope for Tomorrow

 “This graceful vignette represents assertive and purposeful acts of love and collaboration through powerful symbols: a passive hand in need, touched by a butterfly as a sign of imminent good fortune, and an active and compassionate hand of hope, declaring: ‘Please take my hand and we will work together, with patience but in earnest, to overcome the past and emerge triumphant from this temporary hardship.’ Across cultures the butterfly remains an optimistic symbol of life and resurrection through struggle, patience and transformation, while the open and active hand signifies human action and creativity. Flowers in bloom stand for a celebration.”

 Noelle Newell – Noelle Newell Residential designs and Décor
“My inspiration is from travels to France with an eye toward beauty, refinement and romance. I am delighted to work with the powerful color red, as it is a symbol of beauty in many cultures. Louis XV’s fashion-loving, trendsetting mistress, Madame de Pompadour, fell in love with red. She moved red Versailles velvets to simpler cotton prints and stripes.”

Sheridan Interiors
“We wanted a table skirt that would make a bold statement, so we chose a graphic pattern that is both fresh and exciting. We paired it with a wide contrast backing and solid pleating for a tailored look. For our centerpiece, we wanted to do something architectural that would make the most of the height in the airport hangar. We chose a vintage bird pavilion to house flowering branches.”