Central Oregon in the fall is beautiful.
That’s why Kim Dodrill chose to have a photo shoot of one of her many tablescapes at Brasada Ranch in Powell Butte last November.
“The whole inspiration was the outdoor fall setting in that part of the state,” says Dodrill, owner and creative director of Swoon Floral Design in Portland. “The color of the landscape in central Oregon is dusty, and there’s a lot of sagebrush. We were also inspired by the rustic nature of the ranch itself. We were trying to convey an elegance that was simple and not over the top but still very refined. We wanted it to come across as warm, even though it was within a cooler season. The idea just kind of came to me, and all the planning happened probably in less than a month.”
The signature features are two gorgeous flower bouquets, which hold in place a stunning white runner unfurled down the middle of a wooden table, surrounded by six wooden chairs. The flowers, which include amaryllis and snowberry, are seasonal to fall. Several persimmons adorn the bouquets.
Dodrill discerningly culled the settings from popular national brands, including Pier 1 Imports, Crate and Barrel, West Elm and Cost Plus World Market, bringing them all together for a one-of-a-kind look and feel. “The place settings are elegant but not what you’d find in a ballroom. They’re more casual,” says Dodrill, who has one fulltime employee and seasonal contractors. “We used copper flatware, stoneware plates and terra-cotta vases for the flowers. All of that, along with the glassware and napkins, gave the tablescape a lot of different textures.”
A graduate of Seattle Pacific University with a Bachelor of Arts degree in interior design, Dodrill, together with her staff, takes a client’s bare minimum idea, then coordinates and designs all the aesthetic details of an event while working alongside the event planner. “Usually,” Dodrill says, “the client contacts us, many times from referrals by vendors like caterers, photographers and wedding planners.”
According to Dodrill, this tablescape can be used not only for casual events like birthday parties and simple social occasions, but also more formal events, like a bridal shower.
“Really, it can be used for any reason to get together,” she says.
