The most festive season is not only reminiscent of lavish feasts, but also brings out creativity for the most thought-out and joyous tables that best evoke the spirit of togetherness and sharing.
Rustan’s tapped a mix of Manila’s stylish personalities to present shoppers with a Christmas gift guide not just for the domestic and home-entertaining divas, but for every homeowner who requires just a bit of guidance to achieve that polish and sophistication for their holiday table, whatever their style may be.
Stephanie Kienle-Gonzalez, VP for sales and marketing, Philux
Jessica Kienle, head of design, Philux
We have chosen pieces from Philux’s California collection to give a casual chic and homey feel to our vignette. Christmas is about spending time with your loved ones, so being in a relaxed and cozy environment is key. We accessorized it with beautiful pieces for the home for hosting during this holiday season. We also added small decorative items with a bit of sparkle to add to the festive feel.
Chito Antonio, architect
For this table setting, I used Mark Chagall because of his color sense. I like the pattern of the plates because of the color. I like plates that are happy. I don’t like anything depressing, the food has to always look appetizing on the plates. The plates should not be too complicated. It’s for my close friends and family. What’s in it? It could be a box of marron glacés, a scented candle from Diptyque, which is one of my favorites.
Yelitza Ventura, Chargé d’ Affaires, Embassy of Venezuela
I got my inspiration just when I came into Rustan’s. They have so many beautiful Christmas items so it’s not hard to decorate when you have all these amazing items to choose from.
Dita Sandico, fashion designer
Colored plates and matching glassware from the Bernardaud collection—all set in a natural setting, perfect for gatherings in the beach up, up in the mountains, or simply at home relaxing with friends.
There are placemats and soft wave throw pillows made from Banaca, handwoven by the indigenous weavers of Catanduanes.
Stephanie Chong, hotel executive
The things on my vignette are the things I want for my home. I love to entertain friends at home, and these are the things on my wish list.
Lia Bernardo, personal growth and integrative health consultant
I did a traditional Christmas dinner table setting incorporating sterling silver, bone china and crystals. I’m usually a very casual person even when I entertain at home, but I think Christmas is such a special time for elegance and tradition that I chose pieces that could have been handed down from one generation to the next. It is reflective of family traditions and family heirlooms.
Mariana Mayorga, Rustan’s personal shopper
My gift vignette shows a bit of myself. I tend to be really classy and simple, but I try to add something that makes me different and unique. In this occasion, I decided to prepare a romantic dinner for two, as I have a long-distance relationship and I would love to have my special someone with me to celebrate Christmas with. It is just a simple romantic dinner for two.
Bianca Zobel, mother and interior-design enthusiast
Table 1. Dec. 25 is the most exciting day of the year for most kids, so I wanted to set the breakfast table for that special day. The plates and cups are designed with Christmas trees with all the presents Santa brought and the rest of the decor is in red-and-white with hits of green that are an extremely classical approach where you can never go wrong.
Table 2. This table is sophisticated, elegant and chic. I wanted to mix different plates and crystal ware in the same color scheme to give texture to the table. Beautiful white linen tablecloth and simple Christmasy flowers are the final touch. White and copper are the latest thing in Europe and I wanted to blend that with the elegance and tradition of a typical Manila Christmas dinner. I wanted to take into account all the details and put seating cards on Christmas decorations that guests can take as a giveaway.
Table 3. People are a little saturated with the amount of lunches and dinners there are these days. I thought of presenting a fun modern merienda table for a girls’ get-together. Using silver and tropical motifs as the decor and a nice everyday tea set for the occasion is the perfect way of having your friends to exchange presents. It’s a sophisticated merienda with a Christmas touch.
