Turning the tables for a good cause

On a day when the economic news was as brutal as the cold outside, it was a relief to walk into the Black Falcon Terminal, where scads of local interior designers were readying a wonderland of flowers and furnishings to raise money for HIV/AIDS research. Last weekend's annual Dining by Design event included a traveling exhibition of whimsical and creative "dining rooms," underwritten by national sponsors, where well-heeled donors shared a swank repast for a good cause. Top local designers got to show off their talents, too, dreaming up gorgeous table arrangements of their own. South End designer Dennis Duffy constructed what he called "La Fantasy Japonaise," a vaguely Art Deco installation swathed in pinks and florals. Marc Hall and Kate Kennen created a lush, green indoor wall garden. A.J. Williams said she got the idea for her design - all white plexiglass and birch - from a George Michael concert. As they say, you never know when inspiration will strike.

Local designer Meichi Peng captured a bit of spring with her table, which was lined with elegant branch bouquets and festooned with deep purple butterflies. Silvery banquettes and throw pillows made for sleek but sumptuous seating, while a carpet of moss and a border of white river rocks added an organic counterpoint.

Every detail of Mike Witt's modern take on colonial design was carefully thought out - from the oversized toile that encircled the space to the cast concrete sculpture in the shape of a grandfather clock to the liquid leather fabric draped over the dining table. That juxtaposition of modern and traditional elements made for a witty and cozy design, which was just what Witt had in mind. "When people think of modern, they sometimes think it has to be hard and cold," he said, "but this had a warmth to it."

Interior designer Mark Christofi teamed up with architect Marcus Gleysteen and Woodmeister Corp. master builders to create a contemporary tea house. The space was dominated by a massive koi fish mural by photographer Eric Roth and a curving overhead trellis. A minimalist table design kept the feeling serene and contemporary. "I kept it quiet, simple, and in sync with the rest of the space," Christofi said. "I thought the architecture was so beautiful and so great, I didn't want anything to compete with it."

Andrew Anderson of Ilex Designs likened his brightly colored dining room set up to something "your world-traveling grandmother might have, if she was British and just a little bit crazy." Anderson carpeted an entire wall in paisleys made with pink, orange, and red carnations, and enclosed the dining space with gauzy, animal-striped curtains. A chandelier made of small glass spheres added an extra bit of fizziness to the tableau.