BEHIND THE BRAND: ANNA WEATHERLEY
Entertaining is our love language, from extravagant weddings and events to more intimate affairs at home. Our rentals are curated to reflect your personal style and aesthetic--but we must admit, we love a brand with an amazing origin story. Our newest offerings from Anna Weatherley fit the mold with a showstopping sentiment.
A STORIED CAREER
Our introduction to Anna Weatherely the porcelain designer was her first commissioned 75 seven-piece setting of the Magnolia Residence China Service by First Lady Laura Bush for the White House. Beyond the aesthetic beauty of her designs, we were immediately caught up in her fascinating story. A native Hungarian who moved to Australia to study art, become intrigued by Afghanistan and began a business importing furniture from Kabul to Sydney, somehow stumbled across 19th-century guns left behind by the British, imported these ivory and mother-of-pearl collector's pieces, started a successful couture business of handpainted and hand-embroidered silk in the 1970-1980s for customers including Elizabeth Taylor, Lady Bird Johnson, and Henri Bendel—hold on, let us catch our breath! Then, after the stock market crash in ‘87, Anna returned to her artistic community in Hungary. Finding little to celebrate in the formerly glorious capital of Budapest, Anna took matters quite literally into her own hands. By establishing a studio in Budapest, Anna Weatherley Designs began working with painters to create an iconic collection of hand-painted porcelain that reflected her love of nature and travels. You likely recognize her collections of highly detailed bug and fruit designs, which are having a renaissance of their own with collectors and designers alike.
WHY WE CHOSE IT
Anna Weatherley’s porcelain designs are still painted by highly trained master painters in Budapest, Hungary. The method (as she says, “a dying art form”) is the product of a time-consuming process of classical free-hand painting– fine shading, small brush strokes, and intricate details. Made to mix and match (our love language), her pieces can be coordinated with contemporary and traditional aesthetics. It’s the art of the tabletop, darling, and Anna Weatherley was made to set such a scene. By supporting her story and these designs, we are keeping alive an artistic culture that can and should be enjoyed for generations to come. It is our pleasure to introduce two chargers from Anna Weatherley, the Brushed Gold and Brushed Platinum Charger. While we love her botanical offerings, we picked these two specifically for their chic means of intermixing. To us, they are the equivalent of a designer handbag without the in-your-face label–IYKYK.
HOW TO SET IT
Both the Brushed Gold and Brushed Platinum Charger are 12” and finished with 24K gold. For a contemporary or traditional feel, let the chargers anchor your aesthetic by keeping it fresh and clean. In other words, these beauties work just fine on their own. You know us though, we aren’t afraid to layer it on–more is more! Nothing feels wrong atop platinum and gold, which is why these chargers take home the trophy every time. We can see them as stunning editions for traditionally set weddings or layered with your own heirloom collections for holidays at home whenever you need a change of scenery. As always, we cannot wait to see what you come up with this year.
Find them here:
Anna Weatherley Brushed Platinum
Special shoutout to Valdivia Ventures for sharing our first look. His beautifully set tablescape in the iconic Rosewood Mansion on Turtle Creek was a match made in bridal heaven. Images 4-6: Vendors included Valdivia Ventures, Jackson Durham Events, Fancy Cakes by Lauren, and Write This Way Calligraphy.
Image 2 of Anna Weatherley photographed by Len Spoden.
Image 4 of First Lady Laura Bush credit to White House Photo Office.
