Set to Celebrate!

This past spring, interior designer Paula Daher found herself wandering through Paris, searching for treasures for her Maine boutique, Mélange Home Shop. Instead, her eye kept landing on, of all things, pampas grass. “It was everywhere,” she says. “And it made every space feel like a party.”

It also planted a seed of inspiration that grew into a full-fledged design scheme when it came time to set the stage for a party in a Boston home Daher recently completed. The designer, who has offices in Boston and Maine, wanted to inject the home’s formal dining room with a hefty dose of whimsy. She also sought to draw out the pinks and purples in the room’s upholstered chairs.

Armed with ceramic busts sourced from Italy, tableware from Morocco, and her own red Waterford glasses (a cherished wedding gift), Daher created a room that feels elegant but vivacious. The finishing touch? In lieu of a runner, she scattered the tabletop with rose petals.

Inspired to host a soiree? Here are Paula’s party tips:

1. Forgo a tablecloth for layers of placemats: “It de-escalates the formality.”

2. Opt for candlesticks that are different heights but still have a common theme. Here, it’s crystal.

3. To replicate the roses-instead-of-runner look, seek out day-old flowers.

4. Forget matching place settings. Instead, use the same placemats but mix up plate colors and napkin patterns.

Want to see more of this Boston brownstone? Take a tour here.