High tea at the Races

Interior designers Hecker Phelan & Guthrie teamed up with Corina Baldwin of bttb events at this year’s Melbourne Cup to create a quirky marquee featured in The Birdcage.

The garden-party-inspired marquee, aptly named ‘The Village Green’, got back to the roots of the Melbourne Cup, featuring vintage furniture, Devonshire tea and waitresses in 1950s style dresses.

“I’m over all the bling and superficiality,” Baldwin says. “I want to concentrate on the basics. Bringing back the racing tradition is something I would love to be associated with.”

Not to be taken too seriously, The Village Green was able to observe the race traditions with a little humour. Oversized pots and picket fences added some over-the-top nostalgia, while new season floral fabrics added a refreshing touch to a classic look.

“The idea was to give the impression of a meeting place for relaxation and socialisation,” Baldwin says.

The design team also included living fauna and synthetic grass in the marquee for a soothing atmosphere, creating a retreat away from the noisy track outside. Using environmentally sustainable materials, The Village Green brought old-style sensibilities to a modern Melbourne Cup marquee.

hpg.net.au

bttb.com.au

melbournecup.com

Photography by Shannon McGrath, 2008