Isn’t this fabulous! No surprise, when the designer’s last name is Devine…Michael Douglas Xavier Devine, to be exact.

When I walked onto the terrace at Rosecliff during the pre- Newport Flower Show planning stages in June, I was honestly transfixed. I can’t remember the last time I’d seen a table setting tableau where every detail — large and small — was captivating; the overall effect masterful (and, what good fortune, I was entering the show with an arrangement that was to be shown on just this table).

From the table cloth of finest linen with its bold over-sized version of a blue Chippendale fret to the French porcelain plates, hand painted in Limoges, France by the renowned artisan, Marie Daage, it’s clear that this isn’t your everyday place setting (I must confess to loving the  feel of the actual paint strokes when you run your finger over the plate’s surface).

Once you’ve met Michael, you can easily understand why. Inspired by his many years in Paris, in 2002 he created his luxurious bespoke silk screened fabric collection (that was then  chosen by French Elle Decoration as Best of International). In 2014, two of those fabrics, “Thomas” and “Charlotte,” became the basis for his exclusive collection of hand painted, made to order dinnerware. Refreshing, lyrical and frankly, compellingly pretty, an adjective he and I both use unabashedly.

Every detail has been considered to give an understatedly ravishing summer and spring impression, even to the Julia B. scrumptious linen napkins with their properly scaled, hand stitched monogram (don’t you agree that the ‘X’ does contribute a bit of verve to the overall image?).

And who couldn’t adore Michael’s refreshing take on the traditonal chair slipcover…here they are treated as handkerchiefs (with their own charming gimp), gracefully placed atop the chair seat itself and tucked around the back.

What more could anyone want…except to have Michael Devine and his partner Thomas Burak joining you at your “Devine” table! There were a lot of attendees at the Newport Flower Show wishing for just that experience.

Side note: I’ve seen Michael’s oversized fret used on Roman shades, which reminded me how fabulous the design would look upholstered on the walls of a deserving room.

Mark your calendars for Michael’s trunk shows and book signings (September 21st-22nd at KRB NYC and October at Ware Porter, New Orleans) where you can see the full set of luscious china, seven sophisticated colors in all.

Such fun having you both in Newport…and at Parterre.

Don’t forget to take a peek at Michael’s enticing book, too.

Featured Image Credit, MichaelDevineLTD.com