Gold and Light

I have a real thing for gold leaves right now. It started with the lantern, but as I was thinking ahead to the holidays I liked the idea of using gilded fall leaves with candles for this year's late Thanksgiving, which is also the second day of Hanukkah (Challah stuffing), and continuing the look through Christmas and into New Years, when I'll be hosting a fancy dress party for Adam's 40th birthday. I love the understated look of naked wood, white ceramics and gilded bits of trees. They are neutrals that play with light, and when you add a secondary color, like crimson red for Christmas or a royal blue for New Years it completely changes the mood of the design. I felt pretty validated about my obsession when I got the new Dwell Studio catalog in the mail yesterday and this was on the cover:

Oh Dwell, you and I are kindred spirits.  To create a look like this for the holidays, all you have to do is go outside and gather. Gather leaves, branches, pine cones, acorns...whatever appeals to you, everything looks amazing with a little gold metallic spray. Make sure your bits of nature are completely dry before applying paint, thin applications at a time to ensure even coverage. 

I have a million little white ceramic vessels, most of which I found at IKEA in the garden department, or at thrift stores.  I use them as bud vases and votive holders all over the house. I also hoard white dishes, different patterns for different courses, scraped together from Anthropologie, estate sales, some inherited, some from Target (their Threshold collection rocks).  Mixing and matching whites adds texture and interest, but keeps things simple and they work with anything.  

Have a very Happy Thanksgiving!  xoxo, Heather