Table of contents for November/December 2023 in Flower

I’VE BEEN THINKING A LOT ABOUT TIME LATELY. And it’s not just because I’m older and have less of it left than I used to. It’s more about timelessness—things that endure. Things that evoke a sense of appreciation, that arrest us in the here and now and give us a glimpse of what was and will be again. No season brings me to this liminal place like the holidays. I think of Thanksgivings at my great grandmother’s house where we got to eat in the dining room. And I remember her scenic wallpaper—the first I had ever seen. To my 9-year-old eyes, that wallpaper seemed magical and far away. Even today, when I see the same exotic pattern, I’m transported back to childhood. Timeless. Thanksgiving season at Libby and Ben…

Who knew that the ancient Celts were such trendsetters? According to lore, they were the first to deck their halls with boughs of holly—a practice that sprouted from their belief that the evergreen served as a source of strength and protection during the bleak winter months and promoted good fortune in the new year. Over the centuries, Santa Claus and snowmen may have given the plant a run for its money, but its classic red-and-green complexion remains an icon in its own rite to this very day. There is one Alabama abode, however, where Christmas joie de vivre seems to overflow despite the absence of vibrant red hues and secular symbols. From November through January, the old-world interiors of Kathryn and Doug Eckert’s Mountain Brook manse are stocked with artful…

Aryn Guillory of Oyster Creek Studios in Texas saw a need for both consumers and designers to be able to customize furniture pieces that would fit the scale of their homes. As a result, she launched Oyster Creek Collection, a well-tailored, handcrafted furniture line, in 2020. Since that time, Aryn and her team have expanded the collection to include a custom upholstery line, as well as custom rugs, pillows, and accessories. “Many of our pieces come in velvet,” says Aryn. “I love the warmth that the fabric brings to a room.” She adds that incorporating multiple velvet items into your design is a great way to elevate your space. “Velvet adds a sense of depth to your interiors,” she says. shopoystercreekstudios.com…

While interior designer Danielle Balanis is not afraid to make daring choices in the homes she designs, when it comes to Christmas decorating, she’s more in the classic and bespoke camp. “I don’t like a lot of fuss,” she says. “My biggest inspiration is from the 1994 Little Women film. Their Concord home was embellished with natural elements, velvet bows, and above all, beloved citrus fruit. The carols, the candles, the twigs and berries—you can almost smell the cinnamon and cider as you watch.” Danielle worked with Mark Thompson of Shoppe to bring her holiday vision to life, beginning at the entry to the house. They chose a garland of magnolia and mixed greenery to frame the front door and drape over the transom window, and a bushy magnolia wreath…

1. TAKE A GARLAND TO THE NEXT LEVEL Use clippings of greenery from your yard, along with seedpods and branches with berries, and wire the items into a store-bought fir or boxwood garland. Floral wire can help to attach them firmly. 2. DECORATE WITH PINEAPPLES The classic symbol of Southern hospitality is always a welcome sight at the front door. 3. USE AMARYLLIS BULBS As the blooms you forced begin to splay out, cut them and adorn a wreath or garland with them. Water tubes can extend their freshness. Or cluster some blooms in a small container. 4. REVIVE A TIRED TOPIARY Heather gave new life to the ones at the front door that were from an earlier garden club tour of her house. She used sprigs of fresh privet,…

IN BLOOM PAGES 31-36: DECORATING: Interior Design: Mary M. Finch, Mary McCollister and Company, @marymccollisterfinch; Architecture: Jeremy Corkern, Jeremy Corkern Studio, jeremycorkernstudio.com; Holiday Greens/Styling: Mandi Smith T, Mandi Smith T Interiors, mandismithtinteriors.com; Floral design: Sybil Sylvester, Wildflower Designs, @wildflowersybil; LIBRARY: Antique Oushak: Paige Albright Orientals, paigealbrightorientals; Chairs: Travis and Company, travisandcompany.com; Fabric on chairs: Jane Shelton, janeshelton.com; Drapery fabric: de Le Cuona, usa.delecuona.com; FOYER: Sisal stair runner: Hiltz-Lauber, hiltzlauber.com; Antique Persian Malayer rug: Paige Albright Orientals, paigealbrightorientals.com; DINING ROOM: Dining chairs: Lee Industries, leeindustries.com; Dining room chair fabric: Lee Jofa, kravet.com; Wing chair fabric: Jasper, michaelsmithinc.com/jasper-showroom; Antique French painted tole chandelier: Mac Maison, macmaisonantiquesneworleans.com PAGES 38-41: GARDEN: Anne Spencer House and Garden Museum, annespencermuseum.org PAGE 44: DESIGN: Lee Jofa, kravet.com PAGES 50-56: SHOPPING: Replacements, Ltd., replacements.com COMING HOME PAGES 60–71:…

“I wanted this window arrangement to look like it was scooped up in the forest and planted right in the box.”—SYBIL SYLVESTER OF WILDFLOWER DESIGNS Holiday Windows Holiday fan favorites seem to be windows dressed in Christmas greenery, wreaths, floral arrangements, and even miniature woodland scenes. We’ve gathered the most “liked”, “shared”, and “pinned” holiday window decor for your decorating inspiration. See them all at flowermag.com/holidaywindows. The Easiest Bow. Ever. Floral designer and East Hamptons Gardens shop owner Michael Giannelli knows how to make the perfect bow for your holiday wreath. Writer Margaret Zainey Roux was so impressed by the ease of Michael’s red satin bow that she asked him to share a video of it. The simple bow uses double-sided satin ribbon. And since it is made with a…

When I was getting married, I wasn’t keen on having a traditional wedding registry filled with china, silver, or crystal. It seemed archaic to me. Years of handwashing my mother’s collections following holiday dinners were enough, and I swore I would never want to do it for myself. But from the moment I became engaged, I started to receive a good bit of what you could call “gentle” persuasions. The nudges came not only from my mother but also from other women in the family, including my husband’s grandmother, the matriarch. She stems from a strong lineage of Southern women hailing from Greenwood, Mississippi. Crowned the Maid of Cotton, her beauty precedes her—and with a chemistry degree from Duke University, she has the brains to match it. With her long,…

HOLIDAY DECOR I love all things classic—white lights, Christopher Radko ornaments that my mom gives me every year, tinsel tossed with abandon on the tree, and gifts wrapped with greenery stuffed into the bow. I also love needle-point stockings. Everyone—even visitors who may never spend Christmas morning with us again—receives a stocking with their name embroidered on it, along with a Bergdorf Goodman stocking hook. GIVING BACK Our sweet local church has a Christmas Eve morning ministry where we fill bags with food for the homeless. As a family, we don’t eat, we don’t gift, we don’t do anything until we give on Christmas Eve morning. Giving back during this season is so important. I want my boys to recognize that. CHRISTMAS MORNING The boys receive classic plaid pajamas from…

Early in Cassie LaMere and Andrew Knieberg’s courtship, the pair traveled to Paris to spend the New Year’s holiday. After an afternoon wandering the galleries of the Musée d’Orsay, the couple paused for a photo in front of the museum’s iconic clock, a remnant from the historic building’s origins as a railway station. “I’d realized by then Andrew was ‘the one,’ and I knew the image would eventually become the ‘Save the Date’ for our wedding—even if he may not have known it just yet,” Cassie remembers with a laugh. As they headed outside, they stopped to listen to a street musician play “La Vie en Rose” on the museum steps. “It was one of those magical days you envision roaming around Paris to be,” she says. Cassie has become…

All of the above provided through partnership with Vietri, 919.732.5933, vietri.com…

In 1823, a British ropemaker moved to New York and opened a company that eventually became the prestigious fabric and furnishings brand known as Lee Jofa, now a part of the Kravet group. While Lee Jofa has evolved over the last 200 years, its ethos remains rooted in the past. Stephen Elrod, executive vice president and creative director of Lee Jofa and sister brand Brunschwig & Fils, explains, “While we stay connected to our traditional English roots, we are willing to adapt with the times, especially in terms of color. Archival textiles will always be at the core of our design process, but we look to fine art, fashion, and global shifts in trend and culture to keep our collections fresh and tuned into the market.” When creating the 200th…