November December 2023

FLOWER

HOUSE l GARDEN l LIFESTYLE

Holiday HOMECOMING

FEATURES

60

Coming Home

Nashville event planner and gourmet Southern cook Libby Page and her husband, landscape architect legend Ben Page, return to family roots at Brookside, their retreat deep in the middle-Tennessee countryside.

72

Comfort and Joy

In her Birmingham, Alabama, home, designer Danielle Balanis weaves some favorite Christmas traditions together with her bold decor for a timeless, festive holiday.

80

A Historic Holiday

As designer in residence at Colonial Williamsburg, Heather Chadduck layers her distinguished quarters with natural, fresh finery for the season.

86

What Are You Doing New Year’s Eve?

Cassie LaMere and Andrew Knieberg answered the perennial question with the most festive of plans, inviting an intimate circle of loved ones to join them for their wedding celebration in Dallas.

ON THE COVER: An arrangement of peonies, amaryllis and pine sits before a backdrop of a Regency Views mural inside the Williamsburg home designed by Heather Chadduck. Photographed by David Hillegas

“Just living isn’t enough,” said the butterfly. “One must also have sunshine, freedom, and a little flower.”

CHRISTIAN

SCENE 27

We’ve got our eyes on ... The latest in tabletop designs, a return to traditional style, beautiful hand-knotted rugs, and more.

IN

BLOOM 31

Decorating Lush greens paired with organic and found elements keep a Mountain Brook, Alabama, home feeling fresh and festive all season long.

38

Women in the Garden

For Harlem Renaissance poet Anne Spencer, her outdoor designs and her inspirational writing evolved hand in hand.

44 Celebrations

Lee Jofa, the acclaimed fabric and furnishings company, debuts a collection that commemorates its storied history with curated and reimagined archival textiles, carpets, furniture, and accessories.

46

Market: Pretty and Plush Luxurious to the touch, velvet takes your holiday style to the next level.

50

Shopping: Silver Linings

A visit to the North Carolina showroom of Replacements reveals more than just the beauty of the table settings and collections showcased—it connects us to the past, the present, and each other.

108

IN EVERY ISSUE

Watering Can 16 What’s Online? 24 Sources 106

At the Table 108

50

PHOTOS (CLOCKWISE FROM TOP) BY DAVID HILLEGAS; BY KATHRYN MCCRARY; COURTESY OF REPLACEMENTS

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 greatgrandmother’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 Page’s Giles County farm, Brookside, feels just as magical, replete with gorgeous Mark O’Bryan flowers. On our visit, Ben regaled us with stories of Little Dry Creek’s ebbs and flows throughout the centuries, and we made new memories while sampling Libby’s “Julia Reed Cheese Dreams” and riding in the Gator to see the cows. Timeless.

At Christmas, I have visions of sweets (not sugar plums) from stockings—including the traditional orange in the toe— dancing in my head. The orange was a holdover from the Depression in this country when families couldn’t a ord for-real presents, as well as from England in the 18th and 19th centuries when oranges came all the way from China, India, and Burma, making them rare and precious—plus they possessed the added benefit of fending o scurvy. As a child, I always just thought Santa put the orange in there because he didn’t want us to have too much candy. One year, when I groused about how much room the orange took up in the stocking and what was so special about a stupid old orange

CORRECTION: On page 81 of our September/October issue, the

anyway, my mother schooled me on the origins of the tradition. I have loved the memory of my stocking oranges ever since and continued the tradition with my own children. Timeless.

Birmingham interior designer Danielle Balanis reaches into her bag of traditional tricks every holiday season to replicate a memory from long ago. She decks her dining room chandelier with an exuberant bow in the style she recalls from childhood visits to a flamboyant neighbor’s Christmas celebration. Timeless.

For me, New Year’s Eve hoopla has always felt a bit like forced gaiety—and the countdown

‘til the midnight kiss seems like a setup for many people to feel alone, not unlike Valentine’s Day. However, I may have my opinion changed by event designer/magician Cassie LaMere’s own New Year’s Eve wedding in Dallas. Overflowing with personal touches, glamorous classic flourishes, and a true reverence for friends, family, and well, just love, the gaiety was anything but forced. It certainly debunked the old adage, “The cobbler’s children have no shoes.” After making magnificent merriment for clients through the years, Cassie had the joy of plying her trade for her own special event. And yes, it was timeless.

I hope you are all transported as you linger in these pages and have your own memorable, timeless occasions this holiday season.

and

Margot Shaw EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

fabric on the walls is Hollyhock by Lee Jofa.

VOLUME 17, ISSUE 6

Margot Shaw FOUNDER/EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

Julie Gillis MANAGING EDITOR

Nicole Gerrity Haas ART DIRECTOR

DIGITAL

Jason Burnett DIGITAL GENERAL MANAGER

Carrie Clay ASSISTANT EDITOR

EDITOR-AT-LARGE

Karen Carroll

CONTRIBUTING EDITORS

Ashley Hotham Cox

Missie Neville Crawford

Alice Welsh Doyle

James Farmer

Kirk Reed Forrester

Amanda Smith Fowler

Marion Laffey Fox

Elaine Griffin

Tara Guérard

Frances MacDougall

Robert Martin

Tovah Martin

Cathy Still McGowin

Charlotte Moss

Ellen S. Padgett

Matthew Robbins

Margaret Zainey Roux

Frances Schultz

Lydia Somerville

Sybil Sylvester

For editorial inquiries: editorial@flowermag.com

Julie Durkee PUBLISHER

Jennel O’Brien ASSOCIATE PUBLISHER, SALES & MARKETING

Marlee Ledbetter MARKETING COORDINATOR

ADVERTISING SALES

Suzanne Cooper NATIONAL DIRECTOR, HOME FURNISHINGS

Wendy Ellis REGIONAL ACCOUNT MANAGER

Sara D. Taylor REGIONAL ACCOUNT DIRECTOR

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Mercy Lloyd CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER

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ADVISORY BOARD

Paula Crockard

Winn Crockard

Gavin Duke

Gay Estes

Katie Baker Lasker

Mary Evelyn McKee

Michael Mundy

Ben Page

Angèle Parlange

Renny Reynolds

Scott Shepherd

Mish Tworkowski

Remco van Vliet

Evie Vare

Louise Wrinkle

What’s Online?

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 zip tie, you don’t even have to tie a knot! Watch the step-by-step video at flowermag.com/easybow.

OH! CHRISTMAS TREES!

And if you need something else to spark your Christmas spirit, browse through more than 20 gorgeous, decorated trees ranging from petite tabletop Tannenbaums to majestic courtyard extravaganzas of light. flowermag.com/christmas-trees

PHOTOS (CLOCKWISE FROM TOP) BY LAUREY GLENN; BY HECTOR SANCHEZ; BY TRIA GIOVAN

“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

Seasonal Complements

ACCOMPANY YOUR HOLIDAY CELEBRATIONS WITH THE LATEST IN TABLETOP DESIGN AND INTERIOR STYLE

By Julie Gillis

Tina Yaraghi of the Enchanted Home has introduced a second collection of dinnerware in collaboration with design and style guru Carolyne Roehm. The duo based the “Tulip” collection on a mutual love of the flower, as well as a shared fondness for a blue-and-white palette. The beautiful porcelain pieces are available in a scalloped dinner plate, a salad plate with pierced border, and an octagonal appetizer/bread plate. “I can see these being used year-round,” says Tina. She explains that the blue-and-white combination serves as a neutral base that goes with almost any color. “I think I even see my Thanksgiving table being set with these!” she says. enchantedhome.com

Past to Present

Lillian August has returned to her passion—designing textiles. The launch of her New Traditional Collection pays tribute to her granddaughter, Eliza Weiss, while also recognizing a return to traditional design by Grandmillennials. In addition, Lillian was inspired by the celebration of 30 years and three generations for the company. The collection, in collaboration with Tempo fabrics and the Romer family, includes floral designs in shades of blue and green for both indoor and outdoor decorating. lillianaugust.com

Beauty Beneath

Christie Ward and Staver Gray, principals of the NYC-based design firm Ward + Gray, have launched a debut rug collection. The line consists of seven rug styles, all hand-knotted in India or Pakistan. To create three of the styles—Winter, Autumn, and Dune—Christie and Staver conceived a technique that incorporates sisal and wool to mimic the look of embroidered silk. The four other styles—Blue Moon, Terracotta by the Sea, Bergamot, and Forsythia—feature a vintage, distressed finish that is created by hand. These rugs also have an irregularity to make them feel time-worn and authentic. According to Christie and Staver, “It’s a process that we spent years perfecting.” wardandgray.com

PHOTOS (FAR LEFT) COURTESY OF LILLIAN AUGUST; (RIGHT) COURTESY OF WARD + GRAY

Artistic Inspirations

New Ravenna, America’s premier designer and manufacturer of mosaics, has released a collection in collaboration with Gracie, the well-known hand-painted wallpaper company. Five Gracie designs were chosen to be made into glass mosaics, each representing international historic themes. Inspirations came from Roman and Chinese antiquity and the late Japanese Edo period, as well as French art deco. “We admired the work of New Ravenna

long before we connected about a collaboration,” says Jennifer Gracie, co-owner of Gracie. “To see their mosaic interpretations of our designs is thrilling.” Adds New Ravenna creative director Cean Irminger, “Our brands have many similarities: We work and innovate in ancient artistic traditions, employ artists with decades of experience, and elevate home furnishings and coverings to an art form. This is a match made in artistic heaven.” newravenna.com

in Bloom

Natural Beauty

LUSH GREENS PAIRED WITH ORGANIC AND FOUND ELEMENTS KEEP A MOUNTAIN BROOK, ALABAMA, HOME FEELING FRESH AND FESTIVE ALL SEASON LONG.

By Margaret Zainey Roux

Photography by Laurey Glenn

PREVIOUS PAGE: “We wait a little longer to put our tree up so that it stays fresh and fragrant through the Feast of Epiphany,” homeowner Kathryn Eckert says. THIS PAGE, ABOVE: “This was no small undertaking!” says decorator Mandi Smith T. She explains that it took four people, eight wreaths, and 150 feet of garland to decorate the home’s stately façade. LEFT: “A lush, English garden-inspired arrangement by Sybil Sylvester spills from an antique brass cachepot on top of a 19th-century French faux marble-top console in the foyer. “The flowers highlight the 17th-century Italian painting to create a tableau that fades from dark to light,” she says. The living masterpiece is comprised of traditional holiday greens with assorted amaryllis, nerines, garden roses, and ranunculus.

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

A garland of magnolia, juniper, Lamb’s-ear, and greens decks the banister in the entry. Extra-wide velvet ribbon in cool shades of fern and chartreuse adds highlights to the rich teal and chocolate tones of the accompanying ribbons. Natural pinecones play o the texture of the sisal stair runner. The antique Persian Malayer rug is from Paige Albright Orientals.

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 arrangements of vegetables, fruit, berries, and nuts peppered with fresh florals, shed antlers, and foraged pinecones and feathers—nuances that celebrate an entire season of blessings and abundance as opposed to just one day. “I take a holistic and somewhat historic approach to decorating this time of year,” Kathryn says. “Instead of displaying lots of holiday-specific knickknacks and colors, I layer our everyday interiors with found and natural elements that evoke the spirit of the fall and winter seasons. I imagine that’s how it was done ages ago and, to me, that simplicity feels authentic.”

Such simplicity also feels relevant from Thanksgiving Day through the Feast of the Epiphany on January 6th. For the past several years, Kathryn has called on decorator Mandi Smith T to compose enduring decor built atop hardy bases of grapevine, smilax vine, and silk greens finished with fresh cedar, pine, blue spruce, boxwood, and noble fir. These lush garlands and swags add enchantment to the Europeaninspired rooms anchored by fine French period antiques, some sourced by interior designer Mary Finch and others scored abroad by

“Instead of displaying lots of holiday-centric knickknacks and colors, I layer our everyday interiors with found and natural elements that evoke the spirit of the fall and winter seasons. ”

—DESIGNER KATHRYN ECKERT

in Bloom

Natural Beauty

LUSH GREENS PAIRED WITH ORGANIC AND FOUND ELEMENTS KEEP A MOUNTAIN BROOK, ALABAMA, HOME FEELING FRESH AND FESTIVE ALL SEASON LONG.

By Margaret Zainey Roux

Photography by Laurey Glenn

PREVIOUS PAGE: “We wait a little longer to put our tree up so that it stays fresh and fragrant through the Feast of Epiphany,” homeowner Kathryn Eckert says. THIS PAGE, ABOVE: “This was no small undertaking!” says decorator Mandi Smith T. She explains that it took four people, eight wreaths, and 150 feet of garland to decorate the home’s stately façade. LEFT: “A lush, English garden-inspired arrangement by Sybil Sylvester spills from an antique brass cachepot on top of a 19th-century French faux marble-top console in the foyer. “The flowers highlight the 17th-century Italian painting to create a tableau that fades from dark to light,” she says. The living masterpiece is comprised of traditional holiday greens with assorted amaryllis, nerines, garden roses, and ranunculus.

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

A garland of magnolia, juniper, Lamb’s-ear, and greens decks the banister in the entry. Extra-wide velvet ribbon in cool shades of fern and chartreuse adds highlights to the rich teal and chocolate tones of the accompanying ribbons. Natural pinecones play off the texture of the sisal stair runner. The antique Persian Malayer rug is from Paige Albright Orientals.

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 arrangements of vegetables, fruit, berries, and nuts peppered with fresh florals, shed antlers, and foraged pinecones and feathers—nuances that celebrate an entire season of blessings and abundance as opposed to just one day. “I take a holistic and somewhat historic approach to decorating this time of year,” Kathryn says. “Instead of displaying lots of holiday-specific knickknacks and colors, I layer our everyday interiors with found and natural elements that evoke the spirit of the fall and winter seasons. I imagine that’s how it was done ages ago and, to me, that simplicity feels authentic.”

Such simplicity also feels relevant from Thanksgiving Day through the Feast of the Epiphany on January 6th. For the past several years, Kathryn has called on decorator Mandi Smith T to compose enduring decor built atop hardy bases of grapevine, smilax vine, and silk greens finished with fresh cedar, pine, blue spruce, boxwood, and noble fir. These lush garlands and swags add enchantment to the Europeaninspired rooms anchored by fine French period antiques, some sourced by interior designer Mary Finch and others scored abroad by

“Instead of displaying lots of holiday-centric knickknacks and colors, I layer our everyday interiors with found and natural elements that evoke the spirit of the fall and winter seasons. ”

—DESIGNER KATHRYN ECKERT

the homeowners during time spent in Brittany, Provence, and the Loire Valley. “Our goal was to complement the beauty that’s there—not compete with it,” Mandi says. “To achieve that, we gave careful consideration to every detail—the ribbon, linens, and tabletop accessories. Even the green shades in the greenery!”

Lamb’s-ear is woven into the mix for its silvery, leathery leaves and floppy posture; magnolia for its velvety, burnt orange

underbelly; and juniper and seeded eucalyptus for their whimsical, almost-aqua-colored berries. “Given the interior’s cool palette, I welcome the chance to warm things up when the temperature drops,” says Kathryn. “Flowers in yellow, blush, coral, and rust mixed with metallic accents in copper, pewter, and gold are festive yet holiday-neutral, allowing me to edit and experiment with different looks as the seasons change.”

A garland of mixed greens and smilax vine coils around an antique French confit jar and cascades down the sides of a 19th-century English oak Welsh dresser displaying a Ridgway dessert service from the 1850s. Wool throws in blues and browns are layered over the table for a warm and informal feel. A nubby, cross-hatched Lee Jofa fabric covers slipper chairs from Lee Industries.

With a lifelong love of gardening, designer Charlotte Moss has long been intrigued with what draws people— especially women—into the world of horticulture. Some have made it their professions, while others have become enthusiasts, patrons, philanthropists, or simply weekend hobbyists. And then there are those who write about all things gardening. In her new column for FLOWER, Charlotte explores some of these women and the journeys that led to their passions for plants and flowers. She also has a forthcoming book with Rizzoli on the subject of gardening women set to release spring 2025.

Anne Spencer: Garden as Muse

FOR THE HARLEM RENAISSANCE POET, HER OUTDOOR DESIGNS AND HER INSPIRATIONAL WRITING EVOLVED HAND IN HAND.

By Charlotte Moss

As I began writing this article about the garden of poet Anne Spencer, it occurred to me that I had settled down to write in my own garden. Subconsciously, I was drawn there because my garden a ords me the time and place to gather my wits. Gardens are like that—beacons of calm, meditation, and contemplation. They nurture our creativity, and they are for retreats and

revelry alike. An invisible magnetic field draws us in to find what we are searching for, even if we didn’t know we were searching. Like most writers, Anne Spencer was always searching for the right word, the perfect phrase, the melodic rhyme.

A Virginian by birth, Anne lived with her husband and former tutor, Edward Alexander Spencer, in Lynchburg, Virginia, her entire adult life. On the grounds of a

PHOTOS (CENTER) BY DAVID LEPAGE; (BOTTOM) VIA WIKIMEDIA COMMONS

Reclaimed carved columns painted aqua create the pergola and help define garden “rooms.” The garden is what inspired Anne’s writing, hence the central location of her studio (to the right).

BELOW: A young Anne Spencer poses for a photo. She would later become the first Virginian and the first African American to have her poetry published in the Norton Anthology of American Poetry.

former Confederate army recruitment station called Camp Davis, Edward designed and built their Queen Anne-style house. Later in the mid 1920s, he built a cottage for Anne to enjoy in the center of her garden. They named it Edankraal, a blending of their names and the word kraal, a South African word loosely translated as place.

Anne’s expanding garden, along with the cottage, was viewed by some as a metaphor for her blossoming career as a writer. While the basic structure of the garden, which included a grape arbor, planting beds, and a pergola, was completed in the 1930s, it was not until the years following WWII and her retirement that Anne could devote herself to her new vocation. The garden that is open to visitors today is a restoration meticulously researched and thoughtfully planted.

I think the beauty and charm of Anne’s garden is that she was completely self-taught. Inexperience has a wonderful way of granting a beginner permission to unwittingly experiment with ideas unfettered by rules and guidebooks. Some of the best lessons in gardening—and in life—come from

ABOVE: The last garden in a succession of spaces includes a pool that features a cast-iron sculpture of an African prince. TOP RIGHT: The colorful facade of Anne and Edward Spencer’s home at 1313 Pierce Street prepares you for the saturation of color and patterns that awaits inside. OPPOSITE PAGE: Anne in her garden, where many plants she found on country excursions were cultivated alongside roses and lilies.

SPENCER

our mistakes. It is how we learn, how we improve, how we find our way.

Anne’s selections leaned toward lush textures in the foliage; bold colors of maroons, blues, and greens; and plants that attracted birds for their songs. Her garden was like a collage reflecting some of the characteristics of rural African American gardens at the time. Anne and Edward incorporated the fragments of railings, trellises, and carved moldings that Edward enjoyed salvaging, collecting, and refurbishing. And together they went on Sunday plant-hunting excursions in the countryside in search of wildflowers and other foliage to bring home to 1313 Pierce Street.

As an avid reader, Anne enjoyed the ideas she culled from various home and garden magazines— they were the catalysts to her experimentation in the four “rooms” that made up her well-contained garden. Each room gradually revealed itself as Anne separated them with colorful gates and a pergola while uniting all with gravel paths and a central axis.

Defined by privet hedges and a floor of lawn, and

“Let me learn now where Beauty is; My day is spent too far toward night. To wander aimlessly and miss her place; To grope, eyes shut, and fingers touching space.”

–FROM “QUESTING” BY ANNE

PHOTOS (TOP) BY CHARLOTTE MOSS; (BOTTOM) VIA WIKIMEDIA COMMONS (LOSLAZOS, CC BY-SA 4.0)

also dotted with dogwoods and evergreens, a small round pool serves as the focal point of the garden and is flanked by a semicircular bench that invites conversation. Along the edge of the pool is a cast-iron head of an African prince. The sculpture was a gift from W.E.B. Du Bois, the prominent writer, activist, and political leader.

Anne designed her garden with the intent of simply creating a place of beauty composed primarily of flowers with a few fruit trees and some herbs, and she loved sharing it with friends. After retiring from Paul Laurence Dunbar High School where she was the librarian for 22 years, Anne often invited small groups of school children to her garden where she led discussions on various subjects. With her insatiable appetite for knowledge, she cultivated her community just as she did her garden.

As a couple, Anne and Edward were activists and community leaders, and their home became a popular salon. In addition, the Spencers provided lodging for African American lecturers, artists, and political leaders that were denied housing owing to segregation in the South. Zora Neale Hurston, Langston Hughes, Thurgood Marshall, Marian Anderson, and Paul Robeson were just a few guests of the generous and hospitable couple.

On the day of my appointment to visit the house and garden with Anne’s granddaughter, Shaun Spencer-Hester, I wandered the garden alone before our meeting. For me, the spirit of a place is best consumed in solitude, allowing the eye and the ears to listen. The voice of a place is, in the words of Lawrence Durrell, “the invisible constant … with which an ordinary tourist can get in touch ... ” All one must do is listen.

Lee Jofa: 200 Years Strong

THE ACCLAIMED FABRIC AND FURNISHINGS COMPANY DEBUTS A COLLECTION THAT CELEBRATES ITS STORIED HISTORY WITH CURATED AND REIMAGINED ARCHIVAL TEXTILES, CARPETS, FURNITURE, AND ACCESSORIES.

By Alice Welsh Doyle • Photography Courtesy of Lee Jofa

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 anniversary collection, the team at Lee Jofa embraced the concept of a museum retrospective, curating archival designs that showcase the best of the brand’s long history. The collection includes recolored classics with abundant floral and botanical motifs, along with 16 signature patterns rich with story but still relevant to today’s design professionals. “We didn't want to just re-create the archives,” says Stephen. “We wanted to revitalize and refresh these patterns so they will live on for many more years.”

The fabric o erings include Lee Jofa’s artisanal hand-printed patterns, as well as new interpretations of centuries-old tapestries, while the furniture collection features an English antique-inspired lyre chair and a fully upholstered English arm sofa, among other pieces. The sophisticated floorcoverings showcase the brand’s iconic wovens, velvets, and textures, providing a foundation for the anniversary fabrics, furniture, and accessories. “The 200 collection is full of memorable designs that hold a room,” Stephen says. “They become the inspiration for everything around them.”

Lee Jofa’s Althea Linen pattern in Delft (foreground) and Stone.

Pretty and Plush

LUXURIOUS TO THE TOUCH, VELVET TAKES YOUR HOLIDAY STYLE TO THE NEXT LEVEL.

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

Produced and styled by Missie Neville Crawford and Sutton Ward

Photography by Kathryn McCrary

1 Emma Chair ($2,700) in “Burnish Luxe Velvet” with “Natural” piping; shopoystercreekstudios.com

2 Rachel Headboard (King) ($2,200) in “Hibiscus Luxe Velvet” with “White” piping; shopoystercreekstudios.com

3 Rivka Rose Knot Platform Sandal ($450) by Loe er Randall; loe errandall.com 4 Velvet ball ornaments ($20 for set of two) in “Rose” by Cody Foster and Co. through Lulu & Georgia; luluandgeorgia.com 5 Valentina velvet 4x6 frame ($450) in “Dusk Blue” by Aerin; aerin.com 6 Winnie Trundle Daybed (Twin) ($3,900) in “Lilac Luxe Velvet” with “Pink” piping; shopoystercreekstudios.com

7 Mini Cloud Velvet Clutch ($545) in “Flamingo” by Mansur Gavriel; saksfi fthavenue.com 8 Mary Jane ($489) in “Pink Velvet” by Le Monde Béryl; lemondeberyl.com

9 Scalloped Floret Jewelry Box ($425) by Ariel Gordon; arielgordonjewelry.com 10 Vintage ribbons from France and Italy, sourced from East Coast Trimming in NYC; inquire for pricing 11 Crystal Embellished Alice Headband ($195) in “Honey” by Lele Sadoughi; lelesadoughi. com 12 Tiana Pillow Covers ($173) in (left to right) Glycine + Blanc, Turquoise + Nattier, and Rose + Orange by Manuel Canovas from Little Design Co.; shoplittledesignco.com 13 Goshwara Flower Earrings (inquire for pricing) in (left to right) emerald/diamonds and rubelite/ marquis; goshwara.com 14 Nudo Maxi Ring ($3,675) in London Blue Topaz/Diamond by Pomellatto; pomellato.com 15 Valentina Velvet Rectangular Tray ($395) in “Dusk Blue” by Aerin; aerin.com

Silver Linings

A VISIT TO THE NORTH CAROLINA SHOWROOM OF REPLACEMENTS REVEALS MORE THAN JUST THE BEAUTY OF THE TABLE SETTINGS AND COLLECTIONS SHOWCASED—IT CONNECTS US TO THE PAST, THE PRESENT, AND EACH OTHER.

By Ashley Hotham Cox

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, Southern drawl, she would ask, “Now, Ashley, have you heard of John Dabbs?” As you may have gathered, I eventually conceded—and, to be honest, I’m thankful I did. Fast-forward 10 years, and I have the opportunity to visit the world’s largest purveyor of dinnerware, Replacements Ltd., located in McLeansville, North Carolina, just outside of Greensboro. Keith Winkler, marketing manager for the company, greets me just

The world’s largest purveyor of dinnerware, Replacements Ltd., knows no bounds, including discontinued patterns such as the highly ornamental Repousse water pitcher by Jenkins & Jenkins.

inside the doors. Next to him is a warehouse trolley with a crate tethered to it, which of course piques my curiosity. I kneel to take a look. “This is Phoebe,” Keith says as he introduces me to his one-year-old rescue pup who seems to be a regular in the showroom.

At the beginning of our tour, we enter a hallway where awards and accolades hang on one side. On the other is a long display case filled with the company’s top 500 patterns. As I peruse the aptly named “Great Wall of China,” I come to the end where the top 150 silver patterns are displayed. And there it is—my grandmother’s silver flatware pattern, “Damask Rose” by Oneida Silver. Immediately my mind is filled with memories of spending time in her kitchen and breakfast room. There was the spoon I would use to eat my bowl of vanilla Häagen-Dazs ice cream after playing a game of “Go Fish” with her. And the fork I would use to pull her perfectly fried chicken from the bone at dinner. It’s

interesting how certain things will elicit a thought or memory that, up until then, seemed to lie in hibernation.

As we navigate through the expansive warehouse, the mere size of the 500,000square-foot facility becomes staggering. More than 11 million pieces of china, silver, crystal, and collectibles are housed on 46,000 shelves that take up a space the size of eight football fields. Despite its massive scale and warehouse appearance, the showroom feels like a treasure trove

of items ready to help make memories. What began as a side gig to earn money for a trip with friends eventually turned into a 31-year tenure with Replacements for Keith. Although he wasn’t in tune with dinnerware and patterns when he first joined the company, his appreciation for the beautiful pieces and the artistry that goes into each one of them quickly developed. “I truly love silver,” he says as we stand within the museum area of the showroom. “When I look at a

ABOVE: Housing more than 11 million pieces of china, silver, crystal, and other collectibles, the sprawling warehouse is the size of eight football fields. LEFT: Marketing Manager Keith Winkler has been with the company for 31 years.

TOP RIGHT PHOTO BY ASHLEY HOTHAM COX

tureen, I am always taken with its beauty. The craftsmanship and the amount of time that was spent on every piece is astounding. And I know the story behind each one.”

Toward the back of the warehouse stands a beautiful wooden showcase. Behind its glass lie dozens of unique items that have been pulled from the

showroom museum area. From “Azalea” by Noritake that was once used as a giveaway for buying soap powder to “Ivy” by Franciscan seen on the “I Love Lucy” show, each piece has an interesting story to tell. Then there’s the more peculiar flatware on display, including the lettuce fork, butter pick, and telescopic toasting fork. “Possibly the greatest invention

since before sliced bread, the toasting fork was considered indispensable during the Georgian and Victorian eras,” Keith says. “Over the years, toasting forks were produced in a wide variety of designs, although most were of the simple three-pronged and two-pronged variety and were used in conjunction with an open flame to toast everything from

Replacements houses its top 500 china patterns along a display case aptly named the “Great Wall of China.” Along with the china patterns, the top 150 silver and crystal patterns are also on show.

and more, the process of repairing silver pieces provides an opportunity to reconnect the past with the present—and perhaps the future. OPPOSITE,

LEFT: Within the museum are notable collections, including this 13-piece sterling ice cream set by Gorham Silver. TOP: When pieces become tarnished, damaged, or lost, the highly skilled silversmiths at Replacements are able to craft them back to perfect beauty again. Here, an apprentice replates a silverplated baby cup. ABOVE: Replacements tapped a seasoned silversmith with more than 40 years of experience to establish and run its restoration department. From soldering to replating to blade replacements

TOP: For luxe libations, stock the bar with the finest from Replacements, including Tiffany & Co.’s 16-inch Silver Dresser Tray.

“I truly love silver. The craftmanship and the amount of time that was spent on every piece is astounding. And I know the story behind each one.”

—KEITH WINKLER, REPLACEMENTS LTD.

crumpets to buttered bread to melted cheese sandwiches.”

Like its physical presence with its sprawling facilities that keep on going and going, Replacements is seemingly the tale of the never-ending story—picking up where the last person left off, continuing those traditions, and passing stories on to the next generation. When pieces become damaged, tarnished, or lost, the silversmiths at Replacements bring them back to life. “One of the little antlers on that animal head was broken off,” Keith explains, “and a silversmith was able to craft that piece back to perfect beauty again. It’s amazing what they can do.”

In a way, this art of restoration is the revival of one’s history. These pieces connect our present with our past, keeping our cultural canon. They make a table setting so much more than just a table setting as they bear witness to our gatherings and table conversations. And while the collections may expand and evolve, what remains the same are the original stories surrounding each piece, creating memories along the way.

Coming Home

Nashville event planner and gourmet Southern cook Libby Page and her husband, landscape architect legend Ben Page, return to family roots at Brookside, their retreat deep in the middle-Tennessee countryside.

By MARGOT SHAW

Photography by MARY CRAVEN DAWKINS Flowers by MARK O’BRYAN

Just off Tennessee Interstate 65 lies a certain meandering country road that eventually leads to an antebellum mansion on a hillock. If you turn left and motor for another 5 or 10 minutes, you’ll spot a grove of stately oaks on the right signaling that you’ve arrived at Brookside, so named for a long-ago family home. The somewhat-south-ofNashville bolt-hole belonging to event planner and Southern chef Libby Page and her husband, renowned landscape artchitect Ben Page, is nestled modestly into the lush trees. This cream-colored clapboard Greek Revival house with jaunty green shutters and ancient boxwoods, a stacked-stone wall at the perimeter, and an earnest red barn off to the left has a rich and colorful history.

Several years ago, the Pages were traveling along country roads in a “roots tour” bus organized by Libby’s mother—the keeper of family lore—when they were smitten with a yen to settle, at least

on the weekends, in the valley that had been home to several of Libby’s ancestors. An original 5,000acre land grant had been bestowed on her forebears after the Revolutionary War, and the Wade and Craig families (Libby’s people) had inhabited the area through the centuries. Ben, inspired by the beauty and family history, mentioned to an area realtor, “If you ever come across a farm with a Greek Revival house, give us a call.” From his lips to God’s ears. No sooner had the couple given assent to this dream than they received a call about a property in Giles County, Tennessee, that checked all their boxes.

The house was in serious disrepair, shrouded in scraggly shrubs, and the grounds were jungle-like. But the Pages saw past all that and fell in love with it. The owner, however, would not let them inside, and they later learned this was due to her being busy cooking meth. Undaunted, the couple persevered in their quest and were eventually allowed in—and ultimately the owner agreed to sell.

In terms of a design directive, “We didn’t use

OPPOSITE, BOTTOM LEFT: Libby and Ben Page on the front stoop of their country home, Brookside OPPOSITE,

TOP RIGHT: Mark O’Bryan of Nashville’s Tulip Tree created this welcoming fall arrangement on the pier table in the foyer and filled the base with magnolia leaves from the property. THIS PAGE, LEFT: A Duncan Phyfe-style sofa paired with a portrait of one of Libby’s ancestors anchors the front hall. The Pages mixed in custom hooked rugs like this one with smaller antique ones found at auctions in Maine.

OPPOSITE: Fine artist Cass Holly, a friend of the Pages, painted the porch floor. The ladder-back chairs, known as Berea chairs, were handmade by Brian Boggs in Kentucky. THIS PAGE, CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT: Farm animals and magnolia surround the poplar mantel. A wood carver replicated the original fireplace using a design book by 19th-century architect Asher Benjamin. The chicken watercolors were a housewarming gift to celebrate all three Pages’ birthdays: Libby, Ben, and daughter Florence. • “Cheese Dreams” from Julia Reed’s South cookbook prepare to be baked. “Butter, cheese, and eggs,” shares Libby. “What could be better?!” • Libby’s happy place is in the kitchen cooking for family and friends. • Folk art carvings of chickens and the “in-charge” farmer’s wife were found when Libby was dismantling her mother’s house.

a decorator,” Ben divulges. “The house seemed to say to us, ‘Just be sympathetic to my roots.’” He explains that there were lots of layers to consider—family and cultural history, as well as the most recent inhabitants. “It created an archaeological aspect to our process,” Ben says. “We winnowed out the elements that were integral to the house and its story while, at the same time, disposing of recent design disasters like a plywood wall that obscured the original fireplace in the kitchen. Once we removed that, we could see a clear outline of the mantel, and interestingly, we found a design book by the 19th-century architect Asher Benjamin that featured the exact mantel design. We then located a local craftsman to copy it in heart poplar.” He adds that the original kitchen would have been in an outbuilding due to the risk of fire. “So, the present-day kitchen and seating area were most likely the original dining room,” explains Ben.

This new kitchen, an amalgam of friend and family motifs, is bathed in warm, earthy tones. It features beckoning armchairs circling an ottoman

OPPOSITE: The parlor, painted green at the insistence of the late Julia Reed, is home to an assortment of fine regional antiques, a pair of Jack Spencer fine art photographs, and fresh dahlias. THIS PAGE, CLOCKWISE FROM LEFT: The butterscotch-colored dining room with faux-finish wainscoting, a custom-made table with inlaid carvings of local flora, and antique Chippendale-style chairs make for a perfect Thanksgiving canvas. Fruit and flowers convey the sense of autumn abundance. • Libby’s favorite butternut squash soup with dollops of crème fraiche opens the feast. • Floral designer Mark O’Bryan filled family silver urns with a lush assortment of fall flowers that picked up the palette of Libby’s fare.

covered in stacks of magazines. A couple of rustic yet fine antique case pieces dot the space, along with folk art and memorabilia collected over the years. A tall, custom wood table doubles as an island and butcher block. Libby’s love of hunting and gathering the perfect ingredients to prepare delectable meals, together with her gregarious personality, called for a room where she could cook with company. “We wanted it to look less like a kitchen and more like a sitting room, so we didn’t include any upper-level cabinets,” says Libby. The only designer touch in the space is on the windows.

OPPOSITE:

“We bought those shades because Albert Hadley told us to.”

The gathering areas and bedrooms are soulful aesthetic extensions of the kitchen. Old and new custom-hooked rugs dress the original wide-planked floors while portraits of ancestors, French and American landscape paintings, and a few modern works cover the walls. The Pages, originally opting for a soft vanilla color throughout the house, eventually painted the dining room a warm shade of butterscotch. They commissioned faux finishes for the wainscoting and even capitulated to the late Julia Reed, a dear friend, who demanded they paint their parlor green.

With a gardening provenance just as rich as Libby’s local

ancestry, Ben was keen to wrestle the landscape into some kind of order that would reflect his background as well as the regional agrarian history. As a boy visiting his grandmother in Glasgow, Kentucky, he would be paid a penny a weed to help in her sizable garden. “They gardened on a grand scale with canning, fresh food, and flowers.” he says. One of Libby’s ancestral homes in the area, Clifton, had possessed an impressive legacy garden, and Ben, after studying the still-extant bones, sought to create a smaller replica at Brookside. His garden features quadrants, each framed by hedges and filled with wild grasses, along with blooms and vegetables that rotate seasonally. A contemporary sculpture of a hawk set on a tall

A hawk sculpture by Carroll Cloar oversees quadrants of wild grasses and boxwoods.

Baskets, books, and boots find their proper place in the mudroom.

TOP LEFT: A few years ago, Ben and Libby decided to raise Black Angus cattle on a purchased piece of property just down the road from Brookside. LEFT: The smokehouse, original to the property, was refurbished by the Pages in 2016. The farm bell from the first family home, Brookside, was hung and then rung for the first time in its new location by Libby’s mother to celebrate daughter Florence’s engagement to her fiancé, Cooper. ABOVE: A sylvan vista of a pasture and a portion of the barn built by the Pages.

pedestal serves as a central axis focal point. In the distance beyond the garden is a lush rolling hillside bordered by hardwoods leading down to the stacked-stone wall. “Our daughter, Florence, and her friends helped us some with constructing the stone wall,” recounts Libby. “I’m sure it was not their favorite pastime, and I guarantee you they’d never had a pick in their hands before. But they did have the satisfaction of building something. It’s one of the reasons we wanted this house to be finished before Florence was out of high

school. It allowed us to spend weekends here with those girls and introduce them to nature and a little farmwork.”

Between rescuing an endangered historical and architectural gem, planning and planting a garden that nods to a heritage, raising cattle, and entertaining friends and family, the Pages no doubt also have the satisfaction of having constructed something, perhaps on a much grander scale than that stacked-stone wall. Over time, they have built a treasured home filled with now and future memories.

COMFORT and JOY

In her Birmingham, Alabama, home, designer Danielle Balanis weaves some favorite Christmas traditions together with her bold decor for a timeless, festive holiday.

By ALICE WELSH DOYLE Photography by LAUREY GLENN Holiday decor by MARK THOMPSON OF SHOPPE

The dining room exemplifies Danielle’s deft hand when it comes to fresh color combinations and prints. Deep turquoise window dressings, tobaccocolored velvet walls, and a green floral print on the dining room chairs join hands for a beautiful yet unexpected result.

TOP LEFT: The interior designer greets guests under a lush swag of magnolia.

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 as the finishing touch. In the large foyer, a heavy magnolia swag with green-and-gold ribbon adorns the stairway, while in the dining room, gold ribbons cascade from the chandelier to the floor. The table is set for Christmas Eve with a mix of dishes and glassware on pheasant feather place mats. A blue-and-white tulipiere bursting with tulips, dianthus, hypericum, lisianthus, roses, cedar berries, ranunculus, and mini carnations serves as the centerpiece.

Such traditional holiday adornments create a pleasing balance with Danielle’s bolder interior design ethos. On any given day, a stroll through her home feels like visiting both a contemporary gallery and an antiques shop full of curiosities. The designer has a knack for merging disparate styles and pairing unexpected colors that come together to tell a compelling story in

OPPOSITE: The entrance hall’s burlap-hued walls provide a pleasing backdrop to show off a diverse collection of artwork. Rugs are from Paige Albright Orientals.

RIGHT: Danielle took Pierre Frey wallpaper and mounted and framed select panels to create a triptych. Mark Thompson filled Danielle’s brass swan with peonies, tulips, protea, ranunculus, lisianthus, dianthus, and Alstroemeria lilies for a lush look.

A large-scale, red velvet bow over an antique mirror on the mantel adds a festive note in the living room. The space shows o an interesting mix of textures and styles, including a high-back, neutral loveseat layered with an antique tapestry and an exotic group of pillows.

“My biggest inspiration is from the 1994 Little Women lm. You can almost smell the cinnamon and cider as you watch.”

–DANIELLE BALANIS

her creative mind’s eye. There is a lot to take in, so chances are that on each visit, guests will see something that makes an impression but was perhaps unnoticed before.

The dining room is one such example of this “feast” for the eyes with a buffet that displays an engaging tableau of shell-encrusted boxes, a large Victorian marble bust wearing a red coral necklace, a green Wedgewood lidded urn, and a coral marble lamp with a mother-of-pearl lampshade. Danielle wrapped the room in a shimmery Fabricut velvet that softens and warms the traditional space. “It’s an interesting fabric that changes color throughout the day and evening,” she says. “Sometimes it’s burnt gold or more mustard, and at other times, it gives off a little chartreuse.” The velvet creates an ideal backdrop for the floor-to-ceiling, peacock-hued, linen chintz window panels topped with a custom curvaceous cornice board that hugs the crown molding. For a welcome contrast, Danielle paired the formal dining table with edgier metal

A BALANIS CHRISTMAS

Designer Danielle Balanis shares what makes the holidays extra special for her family.

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 needlepoint 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 their Balanis grandparents every year the weekend before Christmas, and they always wear them on Christmas. On Christmas morning, we rush down for gifts, and I make beignets while listening to jazz and drinking coffee with a drop of Baileys. And I always put out a cookie tray of homemade treats and everything sweet from our pantry piled onto one plate!

ENTERTAINING

I love a good spiked cider. Barbara Adkins of Black Sheep Antiques makes the best in her classically stylish silver samovar. I also love dressing up for a holiday party—any excuse to wear a full skirt or sequins.

chairs upholstered in a cheerful green floral print.

To link the first-floor living spaces together, the designer employed varying shades of green throughout, starting in the family room with green paneled walls that pop against the white vertical wainscoting below. In the cozy and decidedly elegant living room, a green-printed velvet covers two slipper chairs trimmed in bullion fringe while lime-toned lampshades offer a bit of a surprise atop white alabaster-like large scale lamps. In less skillful hands, the bright green might feel like a disconnect, but within the rich mélange, it’s a perfect supporting player.

For her holiday decor, Danielle also draws inspiration from a home in her childhood owned by family friend Mrs. Doris Cowart. “Growing up in Tifton, Georgia, I would relish the invitation to her house during the holidays,” says the designer. “Beyond having an immaculate and perfectly designed home,

LEFT: Danielle’s basement office is painted in a Farrow & Ball green shade that speaks to the upstairs living spaces. The designer hung art and a mirror directly on the front of the bookcases while an antique library ladder trimmed in greenery and ribbons holds a vintage birdhouse. OPPOSITE: (From left to right) James, Wyatt, and Benson Balanis indulge in hot cocoa and Christmas treats in their classic plaid pajamas. Danielle covered the kitchen in white subway tile, giving it the feel of a classic British scullery.

she had the most magnificent bow that hung from her dining chandelier. As a child, I mentally earmarked it and knew I would re-create this brilliant Christmas adornment myself one day.”

Danielle, husband Nic, and their three young sons always look forward to their family traditions this time of year, including a special one on Christmas Eve. “We prepare Pastitsio, which is Greek lasagna, using a recipe from Nic’s grandmother, Ya-ya,” she says. “It’s a very special dish that we only make on this one night of the year. I accompany it with a warm spinach salad, and for dessert, we have strawberries in red wine sauce with Mascarpone cream.” It’s a much-anticipated meal with Danielle’s own decorating touches folded in to set the stage for a memorable family gathering on this most special night.

A Historic Holiday

By LYDIA SOMERVILLE

HILLEGAS

Photography by DAVID

W

When Heather Chadduck was chosen as a designer in residence at Colonial Williamsburg, it might have seemed a surprising choice to fans of her work. During her years as an editor at Cottage Living and Coastal Living magazines, Heather perfected a style of light, beachy sophistication, which does not immediately come to mind when thinking of Colonial Williamsburg. But before all that, the designer was raised in Virginia. Her father worked at Colonial Williamsburg prior to pursuing a career in medicine. “I grew up in a Williamsburg-style house, and it was steeped in 18th-century decorative arts,” Heather says. “When I left home, I tried to steer away from the aesthetic I grew up with. I went to the Sorbonne, shopped in the flea market, and loaded up on French antiques.”

Despite her design preferences, Heather couldn’t pass up the invitation to spend two years decorating and living in the oldest residence in Williamsburg, the 1695 Nelson-Galt House. She and her husband, photographer David Hillegas, jumped at the chance to immerse themselves in the colonial milieu. For Heather, it was a sort

As designer in residence at Colonial Williamsburg, Heather Chadduck layers her distinguished quarters with natural, fresh nery for the season.

Floral designer Jimmie Henslee and designer in residence Heather Chadduck

LEFT: In the parlor, Heather hung an amaryllis and evergreen wreath, sprinkled with berzelia, over the Chinese console table. A collection of prints of the mazes at Versailles (circa 1682), borrowed from Malcolm Magruder Antiques, hangs behind the festive display. Muralist Paul Montgomery created the Kensington Whitework wallpaper in a custom colorway for the room. The woodwork is painted “Finnie Gray” from Benjamin Moore’s Williamsburg Collection.

of homecoming. “I was immediately comfortable in that world,” she says.

To design the interiors of the home, Heather worked with the licensees of The Colonial Williamsburg Foundation, including Schumacher fabrics, Mottahedah tableware, and Benjamin Moore paint. Flexing her style muscle memory, she also pulled from the Foundation’s collections of priceless art and ceramics. In addition, local antiquarians loaned her period

furnishings that help ground the house in the early 18th century.

In the parlor, a subtle paper by Paul Montgomery, a Virginia muralist who holds a license for wallpapers in the town, pays homage to the surrounding forests, and adds a touch of the modern. A Schumacher stripe skirts the chairs in the dining room, while Mottahedeh’s “Imperial Blue” china sets the table. “I tried not to be too precious with the table settings,” Heather says. “Instead of using white linens, I mixed in some other

A Whole-House Celebration

Heather shares her tips and tricks for making every room feel merry and bright.

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, lady apples wired into the form, and a pair of pineapples perched on top (see Tip 2).

5.

DON’T FORGET THE BEDROOM

Heather hung a wreath over her bed. Then she added an arrangement of roses, fir, and amaryllis to the bedside table to bring some of the home’s floral themes into the private space.

ABOVE: Formerly the kitchen building, the dining room has an operable walk-in fireplace and connects to the main house by a hallway. Jimmie fashioned a loose garland of pine, magnolia, smilax, and winged elm, as well as a centerpiece full of fruit and foraged greenery.

LEFT: Mottahedeh’s “Imperial Blue” china contributes its ageless appeal. Pomegranates, cabbages, juniper, eucalyptus pods, pine cones, and amaryllis form a richly imagined arrangement. Place mats by Loulou La Dune add a note of modern elegance.

shades of blue to enrich the impact.” In the guest room, a new block print from Schumacher’s Colonial Williamsburg collection, “Lafayette Botanical,” swathes the space in pattern, blurring the distinction between walls and ceiling. Heather designed the tufted headboards covered in the same print to fit precisely under the eaves.

At Christmas, all of Colonial Williamsburg goes holiday mad as house tours and the annual wreath competition consume the community. For her part, Heather enlisted the help of an old pal, Jimmie Henslee of Dallas, to work his floral magic on her historic digs. “I’ve never been so honored,” says Jimmie. “I grew up visiting my aunt and uncle in Virginia every summer, and as a child, I was enraptured by the gardens and houses of Colonial Williamsburg.”

To give the holiday decorations local flavor, Heather and Jimmie went on a foraging expedition along the Colonial Parkway, a National Historical Park. “We collected loblolly pine, bay, holly, privet, and seedpods,” says Jimmie. “Lots of seedpods.”

In the parlor, the floral designer concocted a frothy arrangement of white amaryllis, magnolia branches, and holly mixed with greenery that caught his fancy during the pair’s foraging trip. “I wanted to take inspiration from Colonial Williamsburg’s past,” he says. “But I also wanted to give it a respectful update with a bit of organic wildness.”

For the dining table, Jimmie combined pomegranates,

OPPOSITE: In the study, painted Benjamin Moore’s “Apollo Blue,” Heather and Jimmie collaborated on a garland bedecked with oranges and satsumas. THIS PAGE, LEFT: In the main bedroom, a medallion print adorns the scalloped canopy. Walls in “York Gray” by Benjamin Moore add a soothing backdrop to the rice bed by Baker. ABOVE: “Lafayette Botanical” fabric from Schumacher’s Colonial Williamsburg Collection creates a whimsical “garden” in the guest room.

ornamental cabbages, juniper, eucalyptus pods, and bicolor amaryllis as a centerpiece that plays on tradition with an ebullient mix of textures. Throughout the house, fruit also has a starring role, from the satsumas Heather grew herself to the pomegranates placed on platters. The most eye-catching of these decorations may be the bay leaf garland studded with satsumas that meanders across the mantel in the study and then sweeps up to encircle an antique portrait on loan from the Foundation’s collection.

As Heather and Jimmie completed the seasonal displays and stood back to look at the finished product, one thing was for sure—Heather’s beautiful décor combined with the timeless Christmas decorations is proof positive that she is, indeed, home for the holidays.

What Are You Doing New Year’s Eve?

Cassie LaMere and Andrew Knieberg answered the perennial question with the most festive of plans, inviting an intimate circle of loved ones to join them for their wedding celebration in Dallas.

By KAREN CARROLL Photography by SHANNON SKLOSS

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 attuned to taking note of those kinds of details, tucking them away in her memory bank to retrieve again for exactly the right moment. It’s more than simply a way of life; it’s also her business. As a luxury event designer based in Austin, she’s renowned for creating custom experiences that highlight the client’s personality and sense of style, while also bringing her own discerning eye for design, gracious hospitality, and thoughtful service to the table.

Now, wind the clock forward several years to another New Year’s Eve. While the destination this time is Dallas rather than the City of Light, that Parisian spirit of joie de vivre fills the Texas air as family and friends gather for the couple’s wedding. “I’ve always dreamed of getting married on my favorite holiday, and I love that it’s one that has played an integral part in our story,” says Cassie. “Andrew and I wanted to host a fabulous party to celebrate becoming husband and wife—and to bring in the new year with those we love most.”

While Cassie considers every event she takes on to be equally important, this one would be, of course, particularly personal: a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to create what she calls her “magnum opus” by weaving in the many cultural and design references that inspire her while also bringing the couple’s shared history to life through visual elements. But as one who is usually running around behind the scenes to orchestrate every aspect of an event, Cassie knew that for her own

PREVIOUS SPREAD: Cassie LaMere commissioned Southern Fried Paper to create an illustration of her favorite flowers as a motif used throughout the wedding celebration, including the ceremony backdrop, as well as on cones filled with rose petals tossed as she and Andrew Knieberg shared a post-vows kiss. THIS PAGE, ABOVE: “As an event designer, I know there is no shortage of beautiful invitation suites, and we wanted to send guests one like they’d never seen before,” Cassie says. A black-and-white film of the couple in the gardens of the Commodore Perry estate in Austin, set to the song “What Are You Doing New Year’s Eve?,” was placed in a velvet video book etched with their wedding crest and mailed in a floral-patterned box, along with additional details for the weekend. OPPOSITE: “Andrew and I are never ones to leave a party early, so we opted to make separate grand entrances rather than a grand exit,” Cassie says. Although the destination was The Mason, a historic lodge, instead of a chapel, the banner on the vintage Rolls-Royce’s grille paid homage to her parents’ wedding day, when the song serendipitously came on the radio as her mother headed to the church.

celebration she needed a collaborator who could execute her vision. She enlisted Julian Leaver, a Dallas wedding planner, “who gave me the gift of allowing me to be the bride, in addition to a planner, and kept me grounded in the significance of the occasion,” she says.

The underlying thread throughout Cassie’s vision was to evoke the feeling that she and Andrew were entertaining at home; thus, they intentionally kept the guest list small and selected a venue that conveyed an intimate ambience as well. “Home” became The Mason, a

historic lodge built in 1920 that had recently undergone a thoughtful restoration and retained the kind of character and timeless elegance Cassie instinctively gravitates toward. From the moment guests stepped through the front door, greeted with glasses of champagne served in vintage coupes, they crossed over the couple’s threshold, even if only theirs for the evening.

Although she describes her aesthetic as rooted in classic references—Chanel, old black-andwhite movies, and antiques among the things that speak her love language—Cassie doesn’t subscribe to any predictable formulas for how events should look or be. “We made some nontraditional choices and reinvented ideas for our wedding in ways that were personal to us,” she says. “For instance, I love flowers, but due to allergies, I can’t live with many of them in the same space, so I wanted to present them in a different way.”

Cassie commissioned a wallpaper of hand-drawn renderings of her favorites such as ranunculus, hydrangeas, and anemones to use as a backdrop for the ceremony and had floral designer Antonio Bond create several statement-making arrangements of singular varieties in white for focal points such as the escort-card table, bar, and dining room mantel.

An essential tool in Cassie’s oeuvre is creating “wow moments” that unfold over the course of the evening, using entertainment as a key building block. As guests took their places for the ceremony, a gospel choir appeared and performed “What are You Doing New Year’s Eve?” before sending Andrew down the aisle to a rendition of Justin Bieber’s “Holy.” For the recessional, they treated guests to “(Your Love Keeps Lifting Me) Higher and Higher.” Then the choir and a brass section led guests upstairs in a “second-line” parade to the cocktail reception in the salon, while the couple slipped away for a few photos and to prepare for the dinner portion of the evening.

Another surprise awaited when the event team pulled back the curtain to reveal the dining space, where Cassie and Andrew were standing beside a long table aglow in candlelight and laden with antique crystal—much from the couple’s own collection—and a mix of china patterns in platinum and gold. “We hadn’t been at the cocktail hour, so it was our first time seeing everyone after the ceremony,” says Cassie. “To convey a sense of hospitality, we felt it was important to greet guests as they walked in rather than make an entrance after everyone was seated. It was a really fun and special moment.” She adds that as she and Andrew looked down the table with everyone engaged in conversation and laughter during a four-course French menu presented with choreographed service, they realized their vision of entertaining at home had come to fruition in the most elegant way. “Andrew and I believe the best memories are made

ABOVE: Brass horns and a gospel choir led the party in second-line tradition from the ceremony to the cocktail reception upstairs. BELOW: Floral designer Antonio Bond of Transplants Floral & Design created a towering arrangement of button flowers and olive branches for the “Monsieur and Madame” escort-card table. OPPOSITE: The couple got a first peek at the glamorous table before welcoming guests in for dinner.

“Andrew and I believe the best memories are made around a table over amazing food and wine.”

—CASSIE LAMERE

CLOCKWISE FROM TOP: In lieu of a groom’s cake, Cassie devised a whisky cart in Andrew’s honor. • Rather than a traditional guestbook, friends used paint pens to sign a bottle of Perrier-Jouët champagne. • Even ice cubes got a personal touch with the couple’s monogram. • A menu book with black-velvet ribbons embroidered with guests’ names whetted appetites for the four-course French dinner and wine pairings to come; catering was by Savor By Samir. • Petite arrangements of white flowers, including anemones, were tucked among the crystal and candlelight. • Synchronized service elevated the level of hospitality. OPPOSITE: “This was our favorite vantage point of the evening,” Cassie says.

TOP: Cassie made a wardrobe change later in the evening to fit the party atmosphere. She wore a sparkly dress encrusted with sequins that was designed by Tarik Ediz.

ABOVE: Late-night snacks, such as pommes frites served in floral-themed paper cones, refueled guests and kept the festivities going into morning.

As a nod to counting down to a new year— and a new life as husband and wife—Cassie shares some of her inspiration and wedding details:

10 Study in Black and White: My design influences included cultural references such as the New Year’s Eve party scene in An American in Paris and Truman Capote’s Black and White Ball. Both became points of inspiration for our palette starting with my Marchesa wedding gown and carried through to our black-tie-and-black-gowns dress code.

9 Love in Bloom: I commissioned a custom wallpaper with hand-drawn renderings of my favorite flowers to be used as the backdrop for our ceremony and also as accents on programs, serving pieces, and cocktail linens. Guests actually got their first peek before the wedding when they received patterned boxes containing the invitations. The floral design for the ceremony and reception brought the blooms to life.

8 We’ll Always Have Paris: Andrew and I spent our first New Year’s Eve together in Paris. And given that I’m a Francophile, I incorporated visual tributes throughout, from the Musée d’Orsay clock motif on our Monsieur and Madame escort cards to the lyrics to “La vie En Rose”— the song for our first dance— scripted on our petal-toss cones.

5 Dinner by Candlelight: I wanted the dining room to glow, with candlelight dancing and crystal shimmering down a long table. We used some of our own collection, as well as assorted vintage champagne coupes, cut-crystal vases, and stemware I sourced from antiques shops and flea markets. More than 600 pieces graced the table, not including the china!

4 Made to Order: Andrew and I keep menus from memorable dining experiences we’ve shared. For our reception, I chose a booklet design, as it evoked one from a special dinner we enjoyed on our first NYE together. Engravings from my antique silver inspired the crest on the cover, and guests’ names embroidered on black velvet ribbons became place cards.

3 Le Menu: As part of the four-course French menu, we served one of our favorite dishes, French onion soup, which can be daunting to eat when you’re dressed to the nines. Our caterer found individually sized Le Creuset cocottes for a deconstructed version I dreamed up—gruyère ravioli in consommé with a petite croissant on the side. The moment servers removed the lids in synchronized fashion made this hostess giddy with joy.

7

Pearls of Wisdom: We have a little ritual where I tell Andrew, “The world is your oyster,” and he replies, “and you’re my pearl.” In tribute, I incorporated pearls throughout, from the parade on the train of my gown to the lapel pin Andrew wore in lieu of a boutonnière to even the cocktail picks.

6 Cheers to the Groom: Andrew doesn’t have much of a sweet tooth, so we decided to forgo a groom’s cake. He is, however, quite a whisky aficionado. I devised a bar cart in his honor styled with vintage decanters, monogrammed ice cubes, and his favorite scotches and bourbons.

2 The Second Look: Late in the evening, I changed into my party attire, a dress encrusted with sequins and designed by Tarik Ediz. It reminded me of the way the Eiffel Tower sparkles at night—another festive wink to the City of Light.

1 Baubles, Bubbles, and Burgers: Shortly before midnight, servers passed antique silver trays with horns, beads, hats, and mini Möet bottles with gold sippers. Late-night snacks of smash burgers in “Resolutions Start Tomorrow” boxes and pommes frites in floral-paper cones kept the energy going on the dance floor.

“I’ve always loved New Year’s Eve—it’s romantic, celebratory, and symbolizes fresh beginnings,” Cassie says. The wedding party celebrated the midnight hour with confetti, cold sparks, and mini-bottles of Moët & Chandon champagne.

around a table over amazing food and wine,” says Cassie.

After dinner, the celebration transformed into full-on New Year’s Eve revelry as guests took to the dance floor to the music of Jordan Kahn’s orchestra with lead singer Corry Pertile. When the midnight hour approached, bow-tied servers passed beads, party hats, and

horns on antique silver trays, as well as mini-bottles of Möet & Chandon champagne. A boisterous countdown to the new year culminated in a festive shower of cold sparks and confetti.

“Sharing our first kiss of 2023 as husband and wife and ringing in the year surrounded by people who mean so much to us was just pure joy,” says Cassie.

And also a fitting crescendo, as time is a notion Cassie found herself contemplating often throughout the weddingplanning process, well beyond that snapshot taken in front of the Musée d’Orsay clock. “Andrew and I met at the right time; we’ve chosen to spend the rest of our lives together, and we both believe the best of times is yet to come.”

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: Floral design: Mark O’Bryan, The Tulip Tree, thetuliptreeinc.net; Landscape design: Ben Page, Page Landscape, pagelandscape.com

COMFORT AND JOY

PAGES 72–79: Interior design: Danielle Balanis, Danielle Balanis Home, daniellebalanis. com; Holiday decor: Mark Thompson, Shoppe; shoppebham.com; DINING ROOM: Velvet wall covering: Fabricut, fabricut.com; Drapery fabric: Schumacher, schumacher. com; Dining chair fabric: Décors Barbares, decorsbarbares.com; Chandelier: Visual Comfort, visualcomfort.com; Rug: One Kings Lane, onekingslane.com; Framed wallpaper: Pierre Frey, pierrefrey.com; FOYER: Wallpaper: Fabricut, fabricut.com; Rugs: Paige Albright Orientals, paigealbrightorientals.com; LIVING ROOM: Wallpaper: Cole & Son, cole-andson.com; Green chair fabric: Schumacher,

schumacher.com; Loveseat: Lee Industries, leeindustries.com; Tapestry on loveseat and cowhide rugs: Paige Albright Orientals, paigealbrightorientals.com; Coffee table: Chairish, chairish.com; Red bow on mirror: Leaf & Petal, leafnpetal.com; Large ottoman: Kelly Wearstler, kellywearstler.com; HOME OFFICE: Library step ladder: Roman Brantley Antiques, 205.460.1224; Wall color: Farrow & Ball, farrowball.com; Wallpaper on ceiling: Schumacher, schumacher.com; KITCHEN: Cabinets: Cotton Woodworks, cottonwoodworks.com; Marble: Surface One, surface1.com; Lights: Visual Comfort, visualcomfort.com; Stools: Pottery Barn, potterybarn.com

A HISTORIC HOLIDAY

PAGES 80-85: Interior design: Heather Chadduck, heatherchadduck.com; Floral design: Jimmie Henslee: @hensleejimmie; Fabrics: Schumacher, schumacher.com; Paint: Benjamin Moore Historical Collection, benjaminmoore.com; Muralist: Paul Montgomery, paulmontgomery.com;

Glassware: Colonial Williamsburg, shop. colonialwilliamsburg.com; China: Mottahedeh: mottahedeh.com; Place mats on dining room table: Loulou La Dune; loulouladune.com

WHAT ARE YOU DOING NEW YEAR’S EVE?

PAGES 88–95: Event design: Cassie LaMere, Cassie LaMere Events, cassielamereevents.com; Event planner: Julian Leaver, Julian Leaver Events, julianleaver.com; Wedding venue: The Mason, themasondallas.com; Floral design: Antonio Bond, Transplants Floral & Design, transplantsdesign.com; Invitations, floral wallpaper, and additional paper goods: Southern Fried Paper, southernfriedpaper.com; Catering: Savor By Samir, savorbysamir.com; Tabletop: from couple’s own collection, as well as P.O.S.H Couture Rentals, poshcouturerentals. com; Top Tier Event Rentals, top-tier.co; BBJ La Tavola, bbjlatavola.com; Wedding gown: Marchesa, marchesa.com through Bergdorf Goodman, bergdorfgoodman.com; Secondlook dress: Tarik Ediz, tarikediz.com;

Entertainment: Jordan Kahn Music Company, jordankahnmusiccompany.com; Vintage

Rolls-Royce: DFW Vintage Cars, dfwvintagecars.com

Celebrating Santa

TO COMMEMORATE 15 YEARS OF VIETRI’S OLD ST. NICK PATTERN, WE LAYERED THE TABLE WITH WARMTH AND SPARKLE, CREATING SOMETHING FESTIVE AND FUN FOR THIS CHRISTMAS SEASON.

1 Old St. Nick assorted round salad plates ($236 for set of 4)

2 Rufolo Glass dinner plate ($38) 3 Baroque Glass service plate ($40) in red 4 Baroque Glass dinner plate ($34) in gold 5 Regalia Deco champagne glass ($69) in green 6 Settimocielo five-piece place setting ($260) in gold 7 Baroque Glass dinner plate ($34) in red 8 Rufolo Glass Honeycomb service plate ($49) 9 Barocco Ruby Coupe champagne glass ($36) 10 Moon Glass medium vase ($78)

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

11 Fabric: Edinburgh in Olive Fern by Clarence House (to the trade) clarencehouse.com

12 Napkin: Stylist’s own

Produced and styled by Amanda Smith Fowler • Photography by David Hillegas