Five donors have offered their homes as locations for the dinner parties, including Kim and Phil White, whose E. Fay Jones-designed home has stunning views of the Arkansas River, especially from the dining room.
Guests will enjoy a tablescape designed to reflect the appeal of Jones’ embrace of the native landscape of every structure he ever designed.
His use of native stone and wood, with glass walls that include the outdoors organically into the interior, are echoed by the transparent tabletop, ivory china and light-refracting lead crystal stemware. The meal will be catered by The Rialto of Fort Smith.
Earl Douglas, professional decorator and producer of the Showhouse Ball, created the subtly stunning tablescape with a centerpiece of pink ranunculi, hydrangeas and wild curly willow by Linda Watson of Tate’s Floral and Gift Shop, Van Buren.
Phil White designed the dining table in homage to Jones’ design principles. His good friend, wood craftsman Easy Barber, built the table and other custom furniture for the home.
Phil’s choice of the heavy glass top dictated the auction dinner’s tablescape design, also in keeping with Kim’s taste for simple, yet beautiful things.
Tickets for the Sept. 26 Ball are available by calling 479-226-9530.
There happen to be five private dinner parties to be offered for auction at the upcoming ball for Bob Miller’s 90th birthday, now be held on its new date, Sept. 26. This allows Entertainment Fort Smith to share a preview of beautiful tablescapes of the host homes.
Proceeds of this April Designer Showhouse Ball 2020 will support the Community Rescue Mission, the Fort Smith non-profit, residential family shelter co-founded by Miller.
Even though her husband is the honoree, Nadine Miller offered their home as an auctioned dinner location, as well. The winning bidder may invite guests of their choice to a fine meal catered by 21 West End. Nadine’s table features her lifetime collection of Lalique crystal and her love of art. Guests will be seated in view of some of her favorite paintings. A lighted breakfront in the room displays her collection of exquisite crystal figures and vessels. Iconic Lalique vases on the table are filled with red roses.
For the preview, Nadine set each place with a collection of pieces by the French ceramic artist Christine Vienette, creator of trompe l’oeil plates of fruits and vegetables. Each a work of art individually, these pieces “fool the eye” most convincingly.
With the show’s producer, interior designer Earl Douglas helping to arrange the tablescape, Nadine enjoyed choosing her daughter’s china, family silver and Belgian table linens. It is a sparkling atmosphere. A tablescape will be featured in our pages in each issue until the ball.
Read more about honoree Bob Miller and the Community Rescue Mission he co-founded in our March cover story.
