Gatherings

At a lakeside home in Seattle, summer entertaining proves to be a breeze

Treat guests to a Seattle-meets-Dallas dinner.

for Beth Dotolo and Carolina V Gentry, owners and founders of the hip interiors firm Pulp Design Studios, life is all about surf and turf. With offices in Seattle and Dallas, one half of the duo works surrounded by water, pine trees, and the laid-back attitude of the picturesque Pacific Northwest while the other operates in a glamorous city ringed by the rugged cattle country of Texas.

The design duo brought both tastes to the table for a summer celebration with friends and colleagues at Lake Washington, inside a waterfront home they outfitted with contemporary indooroutdoor furnishings.

“We especially love our projects that are near water because water automatically imbues relaxation,” Beth says.

Fittingly, the region’s legendary salmon played a key role on the menu. It only made sense to pay homage to Dallas, too, by accompanying the fish with filet mignon. Fresh produce also stars in this chic night, which is topped off with a coffee-theme sundae that pleases Seattle-centric java aficionados.

In keeping with the summer season, casual ease is on the menu. That means no precious dinnerware or stuffy accoutrements. Beth and Carolina put a priority on creating a tablescape that’s stylish but doesn’t steal time better spent with guests.

WE ALWAYS WANT TO SHOW PERSONALITY IN THE INTERIORS WE DESIGN BY USING UNIQUE PIECES.” —designer Carolina V Gentry

The imperfect form of a live-edge dining table automatically extends permission for an unmatched scheme. Matte black dinner plates set a simple foundation for formal porcelain salad plates bearing a contemporary celestial design. Plum and smoky-glass stemware adds sophistication with moody color. Shapely ceramic vessels hold flower arrangements. A table runner designed by Beth and Carolina layers a graphic tribal pattern down the table’s center without disrupting the beautiful grain of the wood.

The organic, handcrafted vibe of the table sparked other artisanal touches. Leather placemats were embellished by an artist in Dallas who puts painterly flourishes on custom garments and home goods. Another Dallas-based maker fashioned the sage-color platters used to pass courses of food served family style. Dappled with a golden glaze, the serving pieces inject a bit of glitz into the comfortable setting.

“We always want to show personality in the interiors we design by using unique pieces,” Carolina says. “One-of-a-kind and smallbatch objects help achieve that. When you can mix uncommon pieces with everyday objects that are more recognizable, you create a custom experience.”

And creating memories and meaning is what it’s all about—in a home or at a relaxed summer dinner party.

Table The dinnerware suite includes hand-painted leather placemats from Spirit of Salt, Crate & Barrel “Marin” plates, and “Aboro” salad plates from Bernardaud. “Mille e una Notte” glassware is by NasonMoretti through TableArt. The runner is made of S. Harris “Hidalgo” fabric. The “Celestial” spiked bowl on stand (holding flowers) and “Tulum Ridges” shakers are from L’Objet. “Hannah” flatware is by Sambonet. “Mosaic” dining chairs are by Bernhardt. Cocktail Mint livens a grapefruit mojito. Salad Stone fruit and Stilton cheese accent butter lettuce. Appetizers The “Arborescence” salad plate from Revol holds prosciutto-wrapped potatoes and peanut pesto bruschetta. Preceding page Outdoor furniture is by Four Hands; outdoor rug is by Jaipur.

Designers Beth Dotolo (left) and Carolina V Gentry of Pulp Design Studios. Entrée The main course stars surf and turf, offering the option of citrus-marinated salmon or broiled filet mignon, both topped with a compound butter made with Italian parsley, basil, tarragon, and kosher salt. The dish is accompanied by a garden-fresh succotash of corn, peas, heirloom tomatoes, and shallots. Cutlery Zwilling “Pro Holm Oak” steak knives in a medium oak finish sit atop an olivewood board from Berard. Dessert Cut-crystal bases on “Octavie” double old-fashioned glasses from Villeroy & Boch sparkle under layers of ice cream and crumbled almond biscotti in the coffee custard sundaes. A gold-dotted octagonal platter by Paul Schneider Ceramics corrals the sweet treats.