Designer Wesley Moon created a spirited space for this year’s Dining by Design.
New York-based designer Wesley Moon’s penchant for bright colors and meticulous craftsmanship were on full display at this year’s DIFFA (Design Industries Foundation Fighting AIDS) Dining By Design event. Tapped by Luxe editor in chief Pamela Jaccarino with the directive to envision “a wondrous, dream-like escape hatch, or pod, that’s both comforting and pretty,” as she described it, Moon expertly brought the idea to life. Luxe caught up with the designer to discuss the details behind the space.
How did you execute the vision?
My goal was to create something unexpected–unassuming on the outside with a huge wow factor inside. As I began to put pen to paper, it started to look like an igloo shape with an arched door and a circular footprint. I imagined a continuous banquette surrounding a large round table with upholstered walls to make them soft and to absorb sound. Inside, the vibe was calm and intimate. It felt removed from the chaos outside, allowing diners to relax and focus on the people around them.
This design is extremely complex.
My upholsterer, Anthony Lawrence-Belfair, took my drawings, cut the structure out of wood, and built and upholstered it, including the banquette, in sections that were finished ahead of time and assembled on-site.
The look is sophisticated whimsy.
I love Manuel Canovas fabrics–the patterns are rich and timeless. The embroidered oral design we chose was a no- brainer, and Samuel & Sons trim finished the tailored look. Design is a balancing act. Every element needs to hum in the same key. That’s the secret to creating a comforting space. You can have as much color and pattern as you want, as long as everything in the room is operating on the same wavelength.
Christofle’s Mood flatware and Versace’s Butterfly Garden china from Rosenthal completed the polished look.
A custom floral chandelier fashioned by Carlos Franqui of Floratorium cascaded from the ceiling above a Roche Bobois table.
