Animals serve as muse for decorations

Had your share of brightly colored floral designs for summer entertaining?

In today's Home section, David A. Keeps explains that animal motifs make plastic look fantastic:

Case in point: This laser-cut, doily-edged laminated wood tray, $175, by the French firm IBride is one of several Victorian-meets-surrealism designs featuring lifelike birds in Elizabethan finery. It is paired with a shatter-resistant espresso cup and saucer from Italy, $10.

There's also a Boston terrier four-piece set of plates by Pop Ink (not shown). The tray, dishes, cup and saucer are available at Show, 1722 N. Vermont Ave., L.A.; (323) 644-1960, www.showlifestyle.com. The clear acrylic, 5-inch-high, LED light chandelier, above, operates on AAA batteries and can be grouped to create mood lighting, $19 each, www.kikkerlandshop.com (enter "chandelier" in the search field).

-- Francisco Vara-Orta

Photo: Mel Melcon / Los Angeles Times

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