Branding & Design Assistance.
When @crumbsofnyc envisioned a whimsical forest tablescape, I wanted to help extend that magic beyond the table and into the whole room. My first move was to think vertically: I hung forest-like tendrils from the chandelier, letting them cascade downward to create dimension and mimic the natural height of a garden canopy. It gave the sense that the space itself was alive and growing.
I wanted to create a piece of branding that didn’t just sit in the room but felt like part of it. So I built the SJ Eats x Crumbs letters from air-dry clay, moss, Mod Podge, and honestly just a dream. Around the letters, I shaped a miniature landscape so it looked as though the words were sprouting straight out of the earth. It wasn’t just signage; it was an invitation for guests to pause, capture, and share a moment of the evening. The branding grew out of the environment as naturally as the table grew into a forest, blurring the line between décor and story.
Americana Aperitivo. July 4th, 2025. @sjeaats collaboration.
Menu Design.
I wanted the menus to feel like postcards, the kind you tuck away and stumble on years later, instantly remembering the food, the laughs, and the warmth of the night. Postcards are little souvenirs of place, so I leaned into that idea: custom “stamps,” envelopes, and illustrated details that turned dinner into a keepsake. The goal was to make the Hamptons feel like a summer escape to the Italian countryside, where every bite and sip felt tied to travel, celebration, and memory.
Americana Aperitivo. July 4th, 2025. @sjeaats collaboration.
Tablescape.
For the tablescape, I wanted the setting to feel like a journey, abundant, colorful, and transportive, the way an aperitivo spread in Italy captures both flavor and atmosphere. I used citrus and fresh flowers down the center of the table, letting the oranges echo the drinks being poured and the warmth of summer light. The fruit wasn’t just decoration; it felt like a sensory anchor, tying sight, smell, and taste together into one shared experience.
Garden Dinner. August 30th, 2024. @sjeaats collaboration.
The first dinner party
This tablescape was all about the idea of harvest, gathering, abundance, and the magic that happens when the garden itself comes to the table. I literally picked the tomatoes from the garden that day and let them spill across the wood, making everything feel both achievable and surreal, picnic-like but with a touch of whimsy. The palette leaned red, ripe, and abundant, echoing that sense of gathering. To tie it together, I hand-painted playful menus that made the table feel alive, part harvest, part art piece, and part celebration of being together.