Pinky Tobiano teams up with West Elm for a creative ‘escape’
Chemist and TV host Pinky Tobiano let us in on a quick escape to Italy without having to leaving our homes!
The picturesque Amalfi Coast located in Italy’s Sorrento Peninsula, is a place that Pinky imagined to be the perfect vacation spot for her favorite people. Known for its stunning coastline beautifully set along the cobalt blue Tyrrhenian Sea, Amalfi has a mild climate that is perfect for get-togethers.
Apart from its natural and cultural wonders, Amalfi is also known for its own variant of lemons. That was developed as a cross between the local lemon and bitter orange, which makes it sweeter, juicier and more aromatic than the regular lemon.
Pinky’s recent Tablescape is the centerpiece of her exclusive shopping party with Williams–Sonoma brands Philippines, where she gets her tablescaping essentials and furniture from WSI Brands such as Pottery Barn and West Elm.
Collaborating with West Elm is always a breeze for Pinky, now tagged as the queen of tablescaping for her widely-followed “TablelovebyPinky.” West Elm, has new collections every season, an artist’s dream for every a tablescape. Inspired by how the Amalfi lemon satisfies the senses, that was how Pinky got her big idea for an extra special table.
She used fresh lemons in her suspended tablescape, taking her art to another level. The citrusy aroma instantly filled the area and got her guests all refreshed and excited to move on to the table underneath.
Pinky used local lemons since Amalfi lemons are hard to find here in the Philippines. As Tablescape artists, it is necessary to be resourceful and adaptable.
As her base, Pinky picked West Elm’s beautiful and durable Keira expandable dining table for its cool walnut finish that will undoubtedly make the centerpiece and flowers pop. The table is made of solid, kiln-dried acacia wood, which Pinky paired with West Elm’s Outdoor Slope Woven Dining Chairs to give the set a bit of a fresh and al fresco feel.
The chairs are made of all-weather wicker which is weather-resistant and can be used both outdoors and indoors.
Moving to her centerpiece, Pinky used bouquets of baby blue hydrangeas that tower over bright yellow lemons as glass vase fillers. Using West Elm’s Pure Foundation Slim Vase, she added small branches filled with olives to evoke an Italian feel.
In true TableLovebyPinky fashion, Pinky used the most unlikely things as tablescape elements. She filled Aaron Probyn Jiggers with baby’s breath to give an element of surprise. She also made use of a wooden divided tray full of hearty grains to factor more earthiness into the setup.
To top it all off, she added lemons cut in half and squeezed one across the whole table for thatt extra olfactory treat.
West Elm is known for its unique, modern tabletop items that are always a delight to have a lot to play with. She picked the Silver Metallic Woven Placemat as a stark contrast with the warm wood finish of the dining table.
Above it, she used the Kaloh Stoneware Dinner Plates which have an organic, modern, earthy feel and paired these with Aaron Probyn Melamine Plates on top just for that burst of color.
To complete the dining unit, Pinky chose the Horizon Flute and Red Wine Glasses which have modern angles and are resistant to breakage and chipping. Below these glasses are Stone Coasters in Chartreuse Onyx that elevate the whole look and remind her of Amalfi’s rocky shores.
Pinky’s family and friends loved the themed tablescape she created for them. Her guests know that tablescaping is how she expresses her love and gratitude for all of them. In TableLovebyPinky, she always loves doing tablescape ideas that surprise.
Hence, when life gives you lemons, make a tablescape.
Pinky is grateful to the Williams Sonoma Brands team and SSI for letting TableLovebyPinky host their first physical shopping party in three years at West Elm Central Square Mall, BGC (Bonifacio Global City).
Guests who graced the Tablescaping event included beauty queen Bianca Manalo, TV host Phoemela Barranda, actress-entrepreneur Yanna Asistio, Cornerstone’s Erickson Raymundo, actress Moi Bien, chef Florabel Co-Yatco, make-up artist Bambbi Fuentes, lawyer Karen Jimeno, Gerry Sy, Petra Lim, Ruby Chua, Irene Montemayor, Mac Merla, Ann Murphy, Lara Villafuerte and Dong Ronquillo.
