An Evening at the New York Botanical Garden Orchid Dinner
This spring, I had the honor of designing a table for the Orchid Dinner at the New York Botanical Garden, an evening that brings together leaders from the worlds of design, art, and philanthropy in support of one of the country’s most extraordinary botanical institutions.
Photograph credit Marlon Co / NYBG
When thinking about the design for the evening, I found myself returning to a deeply personal source of inspiration—my family’s connection to Louis Comfort Tiffany, my great-great-grandfather. His work has always resonated with me for its extraordinary color, craftsmanship, and reverence for nature. For the table, I looked specifically to the Tiffany Loggia in the American Wing Courtyard at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, a space that captures the luminous spirit of Tiffany Studios glass.
The palette began with textiles from my fabric collection with Kravet, whose vibrant hues echo the layered colors found in Tiffany glass. These tones felt particularly fitting alongside the iconic Tiffany & Co. blue, which appeared throughout the table and in the thoughtful details that completed the setting.
Because the evening celebrates orchids, I wanted the flowers themselves to feel sculptural and dynamic. Rather than relying on a single centerpiece, individual orchid arrangements in bold hues and varying heights were placed across the table, allowing the flowers to create rhythm and movement while still maintaining an intimate setting for conversation.
As Veranda later wrote when recognizing the design among the most beautiful tables of the evening:
“Interior designer Nadia Watts, of Denver, Colorado, looked to her familial heritage when pulling together her table scheme. Drawing from the Tiffany Loggia in the American Wing Courtyard at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, Watts used fabrics from her fabric collection with Kravet as a convivial color palette, which are a play on Tiffany Studios glass and complemented the iconic Tiffany & Co. blue. Singular arrangements of various types of orchids in bold hues and varying heights added intrigue.” - Written by Rachael Burrow Rummel
Guests departed with Blue Box Café macarons tucked inside Tiffany-blue bags, a small gesture that carried the theme through to the final moments of the evening.
Designing the table was a meaningful opportunity to celebrate both heritage and artistry in a setting devoted to the beauty of nature. Even within a single tablescape, I find myself drawn to the same principles that guide my work designing collected interiors—spaces layered with art, history, and personal meaning.
Nadia Watts Interior Design is a Denver-based firm known for art-driven, collected interiors that balance architecture, antiques, and modern living.
