Floating on the water with an air of unbothered elegance (even as its feet paddle furiously below the surface), the swan is the ultimate symbol of grace. With its long neck ending in a downward curve, it has an introspective beauty that has been memorialized in art and design over the ages. And currently, per Architectural Digest, the birds are making a particularly big splash as part of both tablescapes and larger decor arrangements.
AD reports that designer Susan Alexandra, as well as artists Tina Frey and Nicole Lawrence, have recently debuted swan-themed creations, while Moda Operandi has released a range of tabletop accessories, including silver-plated serving utensils, that feature the regal avian. Many of these designs play on the old-world appeal of the swan motif, which isn’t exactly a modern invention.
Here at 1stDibs, we have a penchant for its incarnation in vintage pieces. Swans’ sinuous lines suit them perfectly to art glass, like this 1960s Murano sculpture or this bowl from the ’70s. Despite the bird’s upper-crust associations, folk-art swans have a rustic charm, as demonstrated by this carved-wood decoy. For those wishing to venture beyond stereotypical stark-white depictions this circa 1980 brass sculpture could be just the thing. And bringing the swan a bit closer to its native habitat, this stone planter would add a little refinement to any garden.
