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Contents
flowermag.com
features
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COMFORT & JOY
Interior designer Jane Schwab decks the halls of her classic Charlotte, North Carolina, home to create celebration-worthy spaces that are as inviting as they are elegant
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TIME TO SHINE
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MY HOMETOWN: RICHMOND
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TOO PRETTY TO OPEN
Floral designer Sybil Sylvester helps a friend create a welcoming and joyful atmosphere inside and outside her house in preparation for a celebrated holiday home tour in Birmingham, Alabama
Designer Amanda Nisbet escorts us around her adopted city when it is at its festive best and shares her picks for living well all year long
Make each gift a custom surprise this season with lively papers that inspire finishing touches such as ornaments, silver bells, miniature wreaths, and more
76 PHOTO BY LAUREY W. GLENN
A MERRY VINTAGE CHRISTMAS
“Just living isn’t enough,” said the butterfly. “One must also have sunshine, freedom, and a little flower.”
Washington, D.C., event planners Rick Davis and Christopher Vazquez thrive on creating extraordinary experiences. But when their work is done, they retreat to the simple pleasures of life at their Maryland farmhouse— especially during the holidays.
–HANS CHRISTIAN ANDERSEN
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Fresh Style ARRANGE
I
ENTERTAIN
I
DESIGN
Canaan Marshall
The Atlanta-based floral talent whips up some Christmas cheer for the front door and beyond, including a lush “you can do it” arrangement for the dining room table
Produced by ALICE WELSH DOYLE Photography by LAUREY W. GLENN
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MATERIALS
G rapevine reindeer W ired ribbon G lass vases in various shapes and sizes
R ed roses V iburnum D endrobium orchids M anzanita branches
P ennycress O rnamental millet S eeded eucalyptus A ssorted foliage
Canaan’s inspiration I looked to a classic Christmas palette for all the designs. I’m rather an old soul at heart, and tradition always speaks to me, especially during the holidays. For the how-to arrangement, I wanted to create something with a wow factor but low enough to use on a dining room table so as not to compete with the lively conversations that take place during holiday gatherings. It’s also easy to create—trust me! Turn the page for materials and step-by-step instructions. > NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 201 9
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FRESH STYLE
I entertain
CLOCKWISE FROM ABOVE: Alice presents her guests
with Christmas gifts. • A sketch artist was part of the after-dinner entertainment. • The outdoor lounge area included a tent and fire pit. • A mariachi band played during cocktail hour.
with Olde Avesbury china, gold flatware, and luxuriant arrangements of cymbidium orchids, garden roses, hydrangeas, and greenery. “The furniture was moved out, which allowed us to seat guests in nooks and crannies, like the rotunda, that were out of the ordinary,” says Burton. For the menu, the planners looked to The Argyle, a historic private club in San Antonio acclaimed for its cuisine. The evening included lobster bisque ladled tableside from an Olde Avesbury tureen, limoncello sorbet, beef Bourguignonne, and the Welders’ particular favorite, quail stuffed with three-cheese grits. The finale, a flaming Neapolitan baked Alaska, was rolled in on a cart and cut tableside. As the meal wrapped up, Santa Claus arrived delivering beautifully wrapped gifts of Radko ornaments for each guest. Afterward, the party moved back outside, where a fire pit glowed and plush sofas beckoned for continued conversation. “After our dinner parties, we love for the magic to continue later into the evening with more merriment and always an element of surprise,” says Alice. For this event, a cigar roller and sketch artist kept the partygoers engaged and lingering. Finally, with embracing goodbyes, guests left with great cheer, gifts in hand, and more memories to savor. 38 |
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For more information, see Sources, page 86
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FRESH STYLE
I design
The Finer Things
Mississippi-born textile designer Lisa Fine discusses her new book, designs she loves, and why travel is key to her success By KIRK REED FORRESTER Photography by MIGUEL FLORES-VIANNA Flower: Congratulations on the book, Near and Far (Vendome, 2019), a beautiful collection of your own homes in New York, Paris, and Dallas as well as homes around the world from which you’ve drawn inspiration. Tell us about your approach. Lisa Fine: When I decided to write a book, I didn’t quite know the direction it would take, but I knew it couldn’t just be about my fabrics and me. I thought, I’ve seen so many different houses from all over the world. I’m drawn to those houses that bring in traditional, old-fashioned decorating with the exotic and they work together. I tried to think of interiors that grabbed me and that I couldn’t get out of my mind. Every time I went into these houses, I said, “This is the best house I’ve ever seen in my life.” Each one has a really interesting way of putting unexpected things together, yet everything feels perfect. You’re known for your textiles, which have an exotic, old-world sensibility. Tell us where that comes from. When I was living in New York, I made a lot of English friends. ABOVE: In a country estate in Wales, the library’s vibrant color and pattern open up to parklike grounds. RIGHT: The designer at
home with her beloved dogs 40 |
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In the living room, Sylvester dressed the mantel and chandelier with mixed garland enhanced with lichen, olive, and acacia branches; smilax vine; and others. OPPOSITE: Abundant greenery and vivid ilex berries make a statement outside the home.
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“I always try to have fresh greenery, such as boxwood, fern, and garden roses, from the yard. It’s ‘daytime candlelight,’ adding life and natural color to any room.” —INTERIOR DESIGNER JANE SCHWAB
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“Scale is important in floral design. Sometimes it only takes one impactful arrangement to set the tone for a particular space.” —FLORAL DESIGNER JAY LUGIBIHL
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Interior designer Jane Schwab in her garden room
JANE’S JOYS
OPPOSITE, CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT: The simple,
CHRISTIAN TORTU FORÊTS CANDLE
elegant front entry • A concrete deer keeps watch in the garden. • Seeded eucalyptus wreaths wrapped in salmon ribbon encircle a pair of gilded Italian sconces in the foyer. • Doors from the terrace to the garden room • Festooned garden gates • A hand-carved and painted wooden lamb with a halo • The entrance to the guest house. • The Schwabs’ Charlotte home
The pine-and-cedar scent is festive but clean, so it’s not overly Christmasy. I place them around the house on silver bread-and-butter dishes and keep a stash on hand for hostess gifts. CHAMPAGNE WITH RASPBERRIES
The berries add an extra kick of flavor and a pop of color that complements the coral and peach hues in my interior palette. COWTAN & TOUT BIRCHES WALLPAPER IN SNOW
An elegant alternative to drugstore gift wrap. The neutral faux bois motif works well with traditional and modern holiday decor. WILLIAM YEOWARD FLAVIA GOBLETS
Their square base and substantial weight feel nice in the hand. SMILAX It grows
wild in the woods near my hometown in South Carolina, so it’s nostalgic for me. My sister always brings me bags of clippings when she visits. VINTAGE ENGLISH ANTLER MUGS
I love the visual and tactile contrast of their smooth silver plate bodies and their rugged antler handles. I use them for everything from containing flowers to corralling flatware on a buffet. 66 |
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RIBBONS AND ORNAMENTS NOT SOURCED ARE STYLIST'S OWN OR FROM MICHAELS, JOANN, OR HOBBY LOBBY
CLOCKWISE FROM TOP: Nutcrackers paper ($6.50/2 sheets) from Snow & Graham, snowandgraham.com. Nutcracker in Red Coat glass ornament ($18) from Bronner’s, bronners.com. • Lotka Gold Crossed Lines on Red handmade paper ($5/sheet) from Paper Source, papersource.com. • Suzanne Kasler accent ornaments ($25/box of 24) from Ballard Designs, ballarddesigns.com. • Suzanne Kasler Plaid paper ($9/roll) from Ballard Designs. BOTH PHOTOS: Background fabrics: Mikado velvet by Osborne and Little, osborneandlittle.com. All boxes through Nashville Wraps, nashvillewraps.com.
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Est. 1950
The Maya Torque Collection www.halcyondaysusa.com IFC, IBC,Magazine BC, & PG1_V1_esp.indd Flower Print Ad 3.indd 41
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