I remember coming to the Brooklyn Museum on school trips as a child. The massive Beaux-Arts court with its marble columns and vaulted glass ceiling always impressed me. So, when SY Partners approached me for their 25th anniversary, I jumped at the chance.

Their one goal was to make the massive space more intimate while staying true to the Beaux-Arts and Art Deco style of the room without spending a million dollars. They wanted something simple and chic. My first thought was sculpted palms. We sourced giant 12-foot branches and six other types of palms, including Egyptian papyrus, a nod to ancient Egypt, which was en vogue at the time. We added simple touches of white flowers for cocktail and bar arrangements. Our arrangements, soaring twenty feet in the air, helped fill the space and give an elegant feel. Pure white cymbidium orchids were chosen for their stark, beautiful simplicity.