SWATH Inspired Tablescape

Misti Schindele | May 30, 2012 | 0 Comments

Welcome to #SWATH (Snow White and The Huntsman) week. Each day will be bringing you exclusive coverage revolving around the new telling of the classic fairy tale starring Charlize Theron, Kristen Stewart, Chris Hemsworth, and Sam Calflin.

SWATH is inspiring everything from fashion to home decor, all inspired by the dark world Rupert Saunders has created.

Our friend Macala Write over at FMM has partnered with Universal Pictures and HGTV’s Laurie March and her design partner artist and interior designer Igael Gurin-Malous to create an amazing tablescape “Inside the Dark Forest”.

“The dark forest is an element in may fairy tales, not just Snow White, said Macala Wright. “The dark forest symbolizes the unknown, and, in the case of a coming of age story for young women, it represents the unknown of sexuality. (Lucky Kirsten Stewart–who better to lead Snow White through the “dark forest” than a hot huntsman like Chris Hemsworth?) The woods are full of dangers, known and unknown, but the journey helps the heroine to grow into a woman, to know herself better and become more able to care for herself and others. This table, therefore, creates a sense of mystery and is at the same time a call to adventure, to set out into the unknown and conquer what lies ahead.”

KENTON magazine: Why were you inspired to create the tablescape based on the dark forest in Snow White and the Huntsman? How does creating an interior environment based on an entertainment property deepen your experience of the film?

Laurie March: The forest has always intrigued me. I grew up on the edge of the woods and have never forgotten the time I spent as a child stomping around, hiding and discovering. The Snow White forest is far darker and more mysterious than what I grew up with, but I love any movie that reminds us that magic is all around us. Movies give us the opportunity to quiet our minds and be taken on the journey the filmmaker crafts for you. A great interior is much the same, but in a living, evolving environment.

Igael Gurin-Malous: The story of Snow White is such a visual and cultural icon that the idea of creating a tablescape inspired by it was almost too good to be true. The enchanted forest is such a strong visual cue that it represented a fantastic challenge. There were many ways to go with it. We set out to create something inspired by this idea of a lush dark forest that was menacing but also comforting as it offer Snow White an escape and it teaches her many lessons about herself. We wanted to see if if we could create something that was intelligent, inspired by some of the movie’s visuals without coping the set design. We took ideas from the story and the movie and interpreted them through our own aesthetics (which in my case is strong, masculine, clean and dark) creating a rich and tactile “walk in the woods” feel on the table but still keeping some elements modern and contemporary, elements that people could use at home.

How do you use color to create mood in this environment?

LM: We hung the grey grass-cloth wallpaper in this dining room because it is a gorgeous layer of texture in a elegant family home. The curtains blend almost seamlessly, to create a backdrop for the amazing parties my client throws. Dark and light are a fascinating theme in Snow White and the Huntsman. Our table would welcome Snow White for a rest on her journey–giving her a drink, a nibble, and a moment to herself. Don’t we all need that?

IGM: It’s important to choose a few colors and go with them, sometimes push the boundaries a bit. We knew we wanted candle light and a romantic atmosphere fairy tale look.We also wanted reflective surfaces, so we got the black Murano glass plates which look like a pool of black water. Greens and browns we important for the forest feel. Finally, we knew that we wanted mirrors and reflective surfaces to reference the mirror in the story, but we also wanted white, of course, so the challenge was not to make it too literal. The greens we chose were very vibrant, and then we used red as an accent color referencing the apple but also blood which is an important element in the story. Overall, I would say that texture was more important than color–the velvets, the plants, the candles and pedestal and the dinnerware. We wanted a very saturated look and feel.

You can see the “Inside the Dark Forest” Tablescape below.