EVERYONE LOVES A GREAT SURPRISE, and in this formal dining room, the unexpected is pulled off with flying colors. Interior designer Ann Platz wanted to maintain the plantation home's classic decor, but not with elements so stuffy that the room would be suitable only for formal occasions. Her challenge, then was to lighten the space, outfitted with Georgian-style furnishings, with a mix of fresh colors and casual accessories. A spectacular view from the windows  made the design approach quite obvious - a playful yet elegant garden theme.

     The execution is subtle but highly effective. An eye-catching tablescape mimics the outdoors with a miniature English treillage garden house surrounded by hedges and topiaries in terra-cotta urns (which could double as egg cups in a pinch). Blended with sparkling crystal and chine, the setting is a stylish surprise.

     The table, however, is just a preview of the real thing. To draw attention to the beautiful view, floor-length windows were dressed in green-and-white silk stripes pulled back with hand-smocked silk tiebacks. "When there is such a magnificent view, it's a shame to use a color on the window treatments that stops the eye," says Platz. "Greens and neutrals are great colors to use because they naturally blend with what's outside."