Photos courtesy of Department of Decoration

Two long tables were set with the new tabletop pieces for an interactive three course dinner

To celebrate the launch of Payton Turner's The Department of Decoration a few weeks ago, I joined a group of highly creative people, including artists and jugglers who gathered for the Spring St. Social Society supper club Bowery Banquet for a highly memorable evening. Held in a gothic dining room at a white hot venue, the High Line Hotel, the collection, which kicked off with tableware and furniture, had its coming out party. Started by Payton and Brian Kaspr of the indie innovative Brooklyn-based wallpaper company Flat Vernacular, the collection features repurposed and revived antique flatware and tabletop pieces refinished in colorful powder-coated paints, porcelain plates, and indigo-hued napkins and mats made from printed linen. Their limited-edition inaugural assortment, Revelation, is available through their website. Sea-inspired, it makes for a colorful, soulful table, with atmospheric prints and pops of bright hues. Rounding out the coordinated table was the seating, done through a collaboration with vintage furniture rehabbers, Chairloom. Designed as a progressive home collection, the next category, Bedroom, will be coming in November. Being part of the launch event was something really sort of mythical-- it was an art/design/performance/cuisine happening that I did not even think existed, but is thriving. Put together by Spring St. Social Society, an eating club experience, started by a connector Patrick Janelle and his singer performer actress friend creative director Amy Virginia Buchanan, the two have formed a creative collaboration of high cuisine dinners in unexpected NY locales that cater to the creative set. Ahead, more on the evening and the creative products that I engaged with at the debut of The Department of Decoration.

I am officially obsessed with these Krink paint pens that were included at each person's place, meant for being used in the artistic intermission.

Amy performing with her Ukulele, singing a song she wrote about living in the belly of a whale. I was mesmerized by her voice, and felt like I was part of something really special that evening. The talent was just so creative and varied. When I say varied, I mean a guy was juggling knives. That kind of thing.

Guests were encouraged to create group art on a giant stretched white canvas. Bottles of blue and white Krink paint pens, favored by graffiti artists, were at everyones place setting, so you could jump up and take part in the creative process. I had no problem engaging in this artistic happening. Dragging the paints up and down the canvas was a highly gratifying, engaging moment that brought back my college studio art days...

Partnering with their chef friends, Sara Kramer and Sarah Hymanson, the food was beautifully prepared and innovative

The plates, flatware and textiles are sold individually or as a set, as seen above with the pattern called Feldspar

The antique flatware, where no two sets are the same, are coated with paint that was taped over to achieve strong angles on the surfaces. I dined with a hot pink set- I love how the pink played against the blue linens.