Ole Decor Magazine Fall 2021 by Ole Decor Magazine

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On the Cover

Shabby Chic She Shed

This abandoned green house and potting shed was transformed by adding a tempered glass ceiling. Peach trees and Concord grapevines shade the 10by 12-foot greenhouse. Hanging from the rafters are a pair of chrystal chandeliers which are complemented by flower print throws. A repurposed A-frame ladder helps make this old structure into the ultimate Shabby Chic She Shed. Photo by:

Janice Nicolay

Fall 2021 olé decor

contents Fall 2021

Features

Distinctive Real Estate If there is strength in numbers the new partnerships of Troy Giles, Will Greenwood, & Louie Tijerina will be a power house. Introducing TGR Partners LLC!

Featured Artist Meet this issue’s complexly talented Mexican artist Dalice. Acrylics to oils and from impressionism to realism her love for art is palpable in all her pieces.

Featured Products We thought now would be the perfect time to share some of the most beautiful and artistic renewable energy displays in the world. Here are some of our favorites.

Indoor / Outdoor Living We’ve all heard of the man cave. Enter the she shed! An outdoor shed converted for use as a spot for entertainment, rest, and relaxation, a she shed can be any structure a woman reserves for her own use.

Decorating With Elevate your Christmas decoration by referencing nature’s wild gifts, introduce a palette that is pale & interesting and set the scene for cosy gatherings.

Fall 2021 olé decor

Distinctive Real Estate

Serving South Padre Island & the Laguna Madre Area since 1973

TGR Partners ~ Louie, Troy & Will

Fall 2021 olé decor

pring Break was done a little differently in the 1970s. College kids from around the country would spill out of charter buses in bikinis and cowboy boots ready for fun in the sun on South Padre Island. The rest of the year, the Island was a sleepy scene with untouched sand dunes as far as the eye could see. It probably looked a lot like what Father Nicolas Balli, a Catholic priest, who owned the Island in the early 1900s saw- except for a few palm trees Troy Giles was busy planting on each available lot for sale. This fun-loving realtor loved the Island and Saturday mornings were especially exciting to him. Troy sprang out of bed and headed to the office to review the corkboard filled with 3x5 index cards. Red, green, and blue pushpins indicated which properties were still available to be sold. “Movers and shakers” of the Rio Grande Valley were on the beach for the weekend and ready to throw some money around. Other than enjoying a juicy steak at The Santa Fe Steakhouse, there wasn’t much to do in the RGV in those days so SPI became their playground. At dinner, a McAllen businessman with a little spending cash would ask, “What’s there to buy today?” He was ready to make a purchase. Just like that, Troy with an index card in hand would sell another beachfront property with a freshly planted palm tree on it for $1,500. The next weekend he’d do it again. As a young man, Troy attended college and was called to serve his country as a helicopter pilot in the Vietnam War. When the war was over, he headed to the Island ready to make his mark on the South Padre Island real estate world. This began his 50-year real estate legacy. Over the years, Troy and his experienced REALTORS® developed and sold developments up and down the Island including; The Villas of South Padre, Las Marinas, Las Villas, Las Velas, and countless other projects. He even had a hand in co-developing the Boardwalk Condominium Yacht Club with close friend, Paul Veale, Jr. Working hand in hand with builders, developers, and investors on South Padre Island, Troy Giles Realty became the leader in real estate development throughout the Island’s lifetime. His firm can now handle any real estate transaction whether it’s the sale of a two- bedroom/ two-bathroom condo or the sale of a massive tract of beachfront property primed for big development. This wealth of knowledge helps Troy Giles Realty assist clients in making the best real estate decisions possible. Even though South Padre Island has grown since the ’70s, some things remain the same. Spring Breakers still party in the Spring, Rio Grande Valley families still vacation on hot summer days, and real estate is still big business. Although today, the land goes for quite a bit more than $1,500.

Recently, Elon Musk made a huge investment in the area by creating SpaceX. Now beachgoers can get a tan while watching rockets shoot into space just a few miles away. The Island is abuzz with big dreams and big plans for the future and investors from all over the world are taking serious notice of the Island. South Padre Island’s real estate inventory used to last for over a year. Today, inventory only stays on the market for a little over a month! Ten years ago, the market was significantly slower paced yet Will Greenwood knew the Island’s potential. Will grew up on the Island as a child and came back to SPI for a summer internship to work with Troy. Will’s first job was working at the front desk at The Palms Resort and Cafe on the Beach. After getting his feet wet in hotel lodging he had the opportunity to work at Coastal Lifestyles learning about vacation rental management. He spent the remainder of his internship working directly with Troy and getting a good grasp on HOA Management and the SPI real estate market. After graduating from Florida State Will decided to move to South Padre Island full-time to start his career in real estate. During that time Troy mentored Will and shared an invaluable amount of knowledge on the history of Island real estate. A couple of years later Will started SPI Rentals, a vacation rental agency and now manages over 170 vacation rental properties on the Island. He works closely with real estate investors looking for income-producing properties on SPI. Will served on the Convention and Visitors Board as well as the Parks and Recreation Committee. He loves South Padre Island and stands ready to support SPI in any way he can. Looking toward to the future, Will and Troy became TGR Partners in January 2021 along with Louie Tijerina-- the new principal broker of the long-established real estate agency. Louie Tijerina, a 4th generation Brownsville native graduated from Texas Christian University and began working with a real estate developer in Dallas, Texas. There he learned to develop and lease strip malls and find just the right tenant mix for shopping centers. He did his job a little too well—he sold all of the developer’s properties and sold himself out of a job. He then joined the renowned real estate brokerage, CBRE. It is the largest commercial real estate service company in the world. The national company manages properties for the likes of the FDIC, Goldman Sachs, and The Walt Disney Company. 2020 led him back home to his family in Brownsville. In July, he connected with Troy Giles, and together they worked together on multiple projects. With CBRE, Louie is the ‘eyes and ears’ for out- of-town investors looking for the right piece of land on which to build. As a “see-er,” he vets properties and makes suggestions for those looking to move to South Padre Island and the Rio Grande Valley. He’s ready to run the commercial real estate side of Troy Giles Realty and is the principal broker for the firm.

Distinctive Real Estate

Each partner brings something different to the TGR table but together they have it all-- an amazing team of experienced realtors and brokers, over 50 years of experience in SPI real estate sales, property management, rental management, real estate development, and a smart, experienced professional staff.

Troy Giles Realty is a truly local office and buyers and sellers can be sure when they call Troy Giles Realty, they will be dealing with an experienced realtor who knows the market. These top producing agents have earned the confidence of their clients and loyally represent buyers and sellers on residential and commercial transactions for the South Padre Island, Port Isabel, and Laguna Vista areas. Troy Giles Realty is expertly organized behind the scenes by Melissa Clark who has been the office manager for Troy Giles Realty for 18 years. Melissa has a tremendous amount of knowledge about South Padre Island and the Laguna Madre Area. She began working with the real estate office in 2003. Since then, she has seen the Island grow and has played a crucial part in the marketing and closing of transactions in countless projects and real estate ventures. She has a well-established background in graphic design and has a main role in all advertising efforts. She also has an active real estate license and is always available to assist buyers and sellers. Melissa is a key person to the success of Troy Giles Realty.

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Real estate agent, Glenda George, moved to South Padre Island from Yorkville, Illinois in 2013. As a native of the Rio Grande Valley, Glenda was ready to leave the cold and snow of the Midwest and return to where her childhood memories brought her the most happiness-- the sun and the sand on South Padre Island. With an Associates in Accounting and over 25 years of experience in accounting, customer service and sales Glenda started off as one of our HOA Property Managers when first joining our team. She soon realized her true calling, which was beach home sales and earned her Texas Real Estate Sales License shortly after and has been selling non-stop since. Selling beach homes isn’t the only thing Glenda has found to be enriching. She also serves her community by sitting on the board of Economics Development Corporation of South Padre Island, a member of the South Padre Island MLS Committee, newly elected director of South Padre Island Board of Realtors 2022-2025 and the only permanent resident of South Padre Island who is a member of the Rio Grande Valley Organization of Women Executives. ” Rudy Gonzalez Jr. is a name you probably feel like you’ve heard before and you probably have! Rudy was a renowned high school football coach across the Rio Grande Valley for 31 years ranging from Brownsville to La Joya before retiring. Rudy has been involved with real estate since 1994, owning rental properties and selling real estate part-time at Mason and Co. Realtors in Harlingen. Now focusing from South Padre Island to Harlingen, he’s the perfect coach to have on your team to help you find your Island dream home. Karen Moore has held her real estate license since 1994 and began working with Troy Giles Realty in 1997. In 1985, Karen came to the Island from Dallas where she was self employed as a private investigator for many years. The Island pace brought out her more creative side and she began working to bring world famous artist Wyland to paint one of his marine murals. Efforts were successful with the assistance of the South Padre Island Community Foundation (SPICF) and over 100 volunteers. The South Padre Island Convention Centre is a popular attraction where Mural #53 can be viewed. Described as a “career volunteer,” Karen has served with the SPICF since 1991 and is currently Vice-President. The history of the Island is an interest to Karen and she is also an advisory board member of the Historic Museum of South Padre Island. In the past, Karen has served on various boards to include the Property Listing Service (PLS), the Valley Proud Environmental Council, the Rio Grande Valley Music Festival, and the South Padre Island Beautification Committee (10 years), and was an advisory board member of TIFT, the largest fishing tournament in Texas. She wrote a regular newspaper column, “For Padre’s Sake,” supporting area beautification efforts. Karen’s belief is: “It is much easier to welcome a new buyer or sell an existing property when your community is clean, beautiful, and has quality activities for families to enjoy. It just goes hand-in-hand!” Arnie Crenin, originally from Chicago, Illinois, has prepared meals for US Presidents, governors, senators, as well as Kings, Queens, Princesses, and Sheiks. He’s spent 25 years in the hospitality business working as a Chef, Executive Chef, and Corporate Chef, Director of Food and Beverage, and General Manager with Hilton, Hyatt, and the Kahler Corporation. Arnie also opened several well-known restaurants in hotels throughout the country. Currently, Arnie is President/CEO of Coastal Lifestyles, Inc., one of South Padre Island’s Premier Luxury Rental Companies.

Mundo Laguera became an Island resident in 1981 after vacationing on the Island since the 70’s when his grandfather built a home on South Padre. After studying Marine Biology he became one of the first SCUBA Dive Masters and instructors on South Padre Island, worked in beach rentals, and began selling timeshares at Saida Royale’s Beach and Tennis Club before he made the jump to real estate. Since then, he has helped many clients find their dream vacation homes, condos, and other properties on South Padre Island. He’s represented investors from the US, Mexico, and overseas and participated in many of the beachfront lot sales from the ’90s to the present day. Mundo has been selling real estate for 26 years and his experience and love for the Island are evident in the Island property he sells. Zachary Magaro was born and raised in Houston Texas and attended the University of Houston. Zach considers South Padre Island his second home. With his Dad he sold his first property at the age of 13 and in 2011 Zachary decided to pursue entrepreneurship and went on to work for his family business doing sales and project management in the luxury custom home market while building and remodeling projects of his own. With his experience in the building field he has built a broad range of clientele and experience over the last 10 years. Zachary learned to provide the service and needs of his customers in all types of markets in both the commercial and residential industries. Ready to pursue his lifetime passion for real estate, Zachary moved to the RGV full-time and began his journey with Troy Giles Realty. Looking to the future, Troy Giles Realty is expertly equipped to be a big part of the growth on South Padre Island, which will naturally include the development of the north portion of the Island. There are miles of beautiful beachfront property available for developers, investors, and families to make their mark, and TGR will be the go-to office to guide them in the right direction!

Karen Moore (956) 639-9494 Zach Magaro REALTOR® (956) 648-4731 Melissa Clark Office Manager REALTOR® (956) 455-0077 Edmundo Laguera REALTOR® (956) 299-0507 Will Greenwood Broker Assoc. Partner (956) 408-0700 Troy Giles Broker Assoc. Partner (956) 551-2040 Louie Tijerina Principal Broker & Partner (956) 455-7807 Glenda George REALTOR® (281) 779-0572 J. Rudy Gonzalez Broker Assoc. Partner (956) 536-5306 Arnie Creinin REALTOR® (956) 433-9180 Jason Schrank, Office Receptionist

Distinctive Real Estate

NEW TOWNHOME

Live in Paradise!

105A E. Verna Jean. SPI, TX OFFERED AT $562,500

Troy Giles

Cell: 956.551.2040

MLS: 94204

956.761.2040

Karen Moore

REALTOR

Cell: 956.639.9494

For more photos and information visit realestate.oledecor.com 12

New Construction! Modern design with casual elegance, this 3.2 townhome is remarkable! You are greeted with a “welcome home” atmosphere created by the open concept living, dining, and kitchen area. Beautiful tile flooring and unique lighting are displayed. The hallway leads to bedrooms, baths, laundry, utility room w/sink, and a large storage closet. Relax in your private, fenced backyard w/patio. Quality construction includes high ceilings (14’ in living room, 12’ in kitchen, 10’ in bedrooms), custom-made all wood cabinets, granite finish in kitchen, and appliances selected as follows: Whirlpool refrigerator, Amana range, Samsung washer/dryer, Moen showers, American Standard faucets and sinks, Glazier Bay commodes, and Rheem water heater. Fall 2021 olé decor

NEW CONDOMINIUMS

LAS VELAS VILLAGE SPI

Buildings SIX, SEVEN & EIGHT CALL NOW TO INQUIRE Whether it’s sailing, fishing, windsurfing, diving, or dolphin watching, here you will find your favorite water activity. Live the excitement of the open sea or enjoy the shallow waters of Laguna Madre, the perfect setting for kiteboarding and windsurfing. For those of you who are nature lovers, you will find this an excellent spot to observe wildlife, and for the bird watcher, with over 300 recorded species of birds to date, this is a paradise. With its incomparable location on the Laguna Madre of South Padre Island, Las Velas has everything you could be looking for; the convenience of a luxurious, infinity edge swimming pool, private Marina, and enchanting, peaceful surroundings, all just steps away from top entertainment and commercial centers with Phase 6 and 7 soon to follow. olé decor Fall 2021

956.761.2040 For more photos and information visit realestate.oledecor.com 13

Distinctive Real Estate

Gorgeous View of Paradise

1000 Padre Blvd. #530 SPI, TX Reduced: $769,000 $675,000

MLS: 94289

INQUIRIES

Lenny Cavazos: 956.874.5890 Lenny@quepadrerealty.com

A breathtaking view of the Gulf! Words cannot describe the view from the balcony of this fully furnished 3 bedroom, 2.5 bath condo! Every single bedroom has access to the balconies where you can feel the ocean breeze just a few steps from your bed! This Condo also has an amazing open kitchen and living room set up which brings any group of friends and family together. The master suites is equipped with a jetted tub and sauna room for ultimate relaxation while also having a pool and excercise room. This is a must see for anyone wanting to live close to paradise!

223 E. Maxan St #99. Port Isabel, TX

For more photos and information visit realestate.oledecor.com 14

Fall 2021 olé decor

Featured Artist

Magnífica

Paleta de Pintura D

alice is proud to be from Mexico where her interest in painting began for her when she was very young. She now paints in the mediums of acrylic and oil. Her painting style ranges from impressionism to realism. The Rio Grande Valley is where she makes her home now, but she continues to travel for training and exhibitions. When she is painting, she is almost in another world, spending hours and hours at the canvas without feeling that any time is passing at all. Painting is where Dalice feels free -- translating her feelings to the canvas. 16

Fall 2021 olé decor

Over the years she has participated in both solo exhibitions as well as joint shows with other artists. Also she has had the opportunity to enrich her techniques and knowledge by learning from renowned Mexican and International Masters. In 2017 she participated in ArtPrize in Grand Rapids, Michigan, where she exhibited her largest work to date, Las Mariposas which is painted in acrylic and measures 8ft x 12ft. Dalice is inspired by the migration of the Monarch butterflies which begins in Canada in early October and ends in Michoacan, Mexico in early November. Like Dalice, the butterflies have their hearts in Mexico and other parts of the North American continent.

olé decor Fall 2021

Featured Artist

Dalice

Facebook: @ArtbyDalice Instagram: @artbydalice Cell: (956) 410-0810 Email: artbydalice@gmail.com

She also enjoys creating art specifically for clients’ homes and offices by integrating a room’s color scheme into her paintings, and sometimes designing the rooms themselves as well. A great example of this is Vida de los Zebras, in three canvas panels, which combines abstract art in the side panels with the realism and power of the zebra in the center panel. These especially created works are available at $75 per square foot for abstract paintings, and additional costs for realism, framing and installation.

olé decor Fall 2021

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Featured Products

Helgeland, Northern Norway

6. Norway’s Øvre Forsland power station Visitors to this region of Norway come for its beautiful nature. Instead of sticking out like a drab piece of concrete in an otherwise untouched forest, this hydropower plant blends in with its beautiful surroundings. The architecture firm that designed the structure said they intended for the outside of the plant to mimic the spruce trees in the area; they also incorporated local wood into the design.

7. Panda-shaped solar farms

The panda is the new face of solar farms in Asia. Using light and dark solar panels like mosaic pieces, companies are building solar energy farms in the shape of cartoon pandas. China has already built one in its northern region, the first of 100 the country aims to build, and construction is underway on a second. The two renewable energy farms can together prevent 1.06 million tons of coal from being burned and 2.75 million tons of greenhouse gas from being emitted in the next 25 years. Fiji also announced that it will build a panda-like solar farm. Read More: This Panda Bear Is Actually a Solar Farm and It’s Saving China.

Datong, Shanxi province, China

Fall 2021 olé decor

8. Disney’s Mickey Mouse solar field

Orlando, Florida

Although simpler in design than China’s panda-shaped solar farm, this solar field in Orlando features another muchbeloved animal. Powered by Duke Energy, the 22-acre solar field is shaped as the head of Mickey Mouse. The solar-powered system is part of Duke Energy’s effort to increase solar energy sources in Florida, and generates as much power as nearly 1,000 rooftop solar systems.

9. Smart Palms in Dubai These large, modern palm trees are so much more than a stylish solar panel. Bent like a palm tree and complete with a bench, the structures were designed for pedestrians to take a rest in the shade and charge their phones while they’re at it. Dubai installed its first Smart Palm in Zabeel Park 2015 and is currently working to install 100 more. The design of the Smart Palms is symbolically important to the people of Dubai. Historically harvested for food and material, the tree is now a symbol of sustainability in the city.

Dubai, United Arab Emirates

Indoor / Outdoor Living

Who Said

She Shed By Hazel Cills

n 1929, Virginia Woolf famously posited that in order for a woman to write fiction, she must “have money and a room of her own.” In 2020 Pinterest moms have one-upped Woolf by investing in small houses of one’s own, wine bar optional. The she shed is the wife’s response to the “man cave,” a separate, feminized space where she can relax away from her family, pour a bottle of wine with some girlfriends, or simply be alone (oh, to be alone!). As the name suggests, most are made from shabby pre-built lawn sheds; the hardware store Lowe’s even has a page on its website advertising guides on how to best construct one. But busted, dirty sheds these are not. By the time most she shed designers get done with their projects, they look like fully inhabitable mini-homes, often carpeted, furnished, and wired with electricity. On Pinterest and Instagram, she sheds of all different flavors abound: modern and shiplap’d as if touched by the Gaineses themselves, rustic cottages ripped from a fairy tale, brightly colored to fit to reflect the crafting activities that happen inside of it. Reanne Rudd, 34, a real estate agent in Amarillo, Texas, discovered she sheds on Pinterest last year and was inspired to create her own as a place to hang out with her friends. With the help of her husband, Rudd bought a pre-built shed and fitted it with electrical wiring, shiplap, vinyl flooring, and a bar space. A video of the finished result, which includes furniture and a small electric fireplace, has over a million views on TikTok.

“[My friends] and I, all of us have kids, so we never really have a spot to ourselves like the guys do,” Rudd says. “They all have their shops and their man caves. Us girls don’t really have a space for ourselves.” Rudd says her she shed is a no kids allowed zone, though the kids do try to sneak in. “I have a little keypad on the door, so I keep it locked.” For Kirsten Hamstra, 39, the creation of her she shed was directly influenced by the pandemic. A social media director for a global company that requires her to take international calls at different hours, she and her husband quickly realized that there wasn’t enough space in their Raleigh, North Carolina home to both work in the same office, not to mention alongside their kids going to remote school full-time.

“I was talking with my parents about how we were trying to pivot and figure out what we are going to do about this office situation,” Hamstra says. “She was like, well, have you ever considered a she shed? I started laughing at her, like what are you talking about?” With a sizeable enough backyard, Hamstra ordered an Amish built-shed from a local company which allowed her to customize her she shed. The completed project is fit with electricity and internet, a desk, a TV, a mini-fridge, air conditioning, and a mini fireplace. olé decor Fall 2021

Indoor / Outdoor Living

“I don’t have a space, a girly space of my own, something where everything inside is mine and everything inside kind of uniquely reflects me and my passions and what makes me happy,” Hamstra says, adding that she plans to hang photos on the walls of her trips to Italy, “her favorite place in the world.” “It’s not to say that I can’t have it in my own home, but to really have my own personal space where I can get away and take a breather...I wanted to be able to have a space where I could do that uninterrupted.”

The creation of a gendered space in the house for women has roots in the dressing room, which emerged in the Renaissance as a counterpart to a man’s “closet,” essentially a study. Whereas a man’s closet might house his papers and exist as a space for intellect, a woman’s dressing room would house “clothing, cosmetics, children, and servants,” the rooms helping to delineate a woman and man’s clear household roles Tita Chico wrote in Monstrous Dreams of Reason: Body, Self, and Other in the Enlightenment. In the 18th century, gendered living spaces in modern homes became more pronounced, as dressing rooms, toilettes, and boudoirs served as more private spaces of self-discovery for wealthy women, the latter of which was seen as a sphere of sexual expression in the age of the Enlightenment.

The home became even more aggressively gendered in the Victorian era, as women were expected to devote themselves to homemaking and express their identity through domestic pursuits. But while the home itself may have been a private space, for women to find autonomy and solitude within it away from domestic labor and organizing of her household was harder. “The space was not private in the sense of withdrawal,” Judith Flanders wrote in Inside the Victorian Home: A Portrait of Domestic Life in Victorian England of feminine “morning rooms” in spacious houses. “Because this is where the running of the household was done, it was part of the public persona of the house, part of the presentation a man of worth would display to the world.” It’s the same impulse to escape domestic chores and duties, nearly inescapable in the home, that fuels the she shed phenomenon. A 2007 Los Angeles Times story titled “The shed goes chic” interviewed women and men who were rehabbing outdoor sheds into personal spaces like offices or art studios, while a 2008 Seattle Times article profiled a couple with a small business turning sheds into living spaces. “If you just add on an addition to the house, it’s still your house. It’s too tempting to be like ‘oh, crying baby, oh, the dishes,’” one woman interviewed said, stressing the importance of a space separate from the house. A 2010 New York Times story featured a woman’s “Gingerbread cottage” getaway in opposition to her husband’s man-cave, a mid-aughts trend that catered to suburban men seeking to create a masculine, almost bachelorpad space in their nuclear family homes. But it wasn’t until a 2015 Today show segment that featured women and their she sheds that the term became mainstream, so mainstream that the term was featured in a viral 2018 State Farm commercial. olé decor Fall 2021

Indoor / Outdoor Living

She sheds reflect a cottage industry of products, whether found mass-produced in the aisles of Target or on Etsy, that attempt to commodify a central mom experience. There are t-shirts and signs that stress that mommy is “in time out,” merchandise that proudly proclaims the #boymom tribe, and “mommy juice” wine glasses, all of which reflect and reinforce the image of the exhausted mother seeking refuge from her screaming children. Nothing says “leave me alone” more than a wine glass helpfully emblazoned with “go ask your dad.” The she shed—along with its spicier counterpart, the “bitch barn”— takes the trend one step further: why put up subtle walls to block off space for mom when she needs it through a variety of products when you can just literally build a space? 38

The she shed owners I spoke to for this piece confirm that their spaces were largely born out of a need for personal space, separate from their houses. But in the pandemic, she shed spaces have become even more urgent, as they become women’s offices and local drinking holes in lieu of actual nightlife. Jennifer Underwood, 35, initially intended for her she shed to be a space for her crafting projects which she sells online. She started building the she shed with her husband from scratch last September, but in the pandemic, with her two sons doing distanced learning in Riverside, South California, the she shed has essentially become a school. Fall 2021 olé decor

“

“I am in there every day since covid started,” Underwood says. “I’m in there from 8:30 until 8:00.” Her kids are with her, she estimates, six hours a day with her inside the she shed. But once their schooling is done and her husband comes back from work, Underwood is back in the she shed for some alone time. And while she does work on her crafting while her kids do their work, what was supposed to be a space for herself alone is now a replacement for her kid’s daily school life.

“In the beginning I [was] like, this sucks, I’m turning it into a classroom and I have this little tiny space for a craft room,” she says. “[But now] I’m enjoying having them in there.” And even with its changed purpose, Underwood’s she shed still satisfies her crafty impulses.

The funny thing is as a kid I always wanted a dollhouse and I never got one,” she says laughing. “Finally, I get this 35 years later, and it’s extravagant.

”

-Hazel Cills

Decorating With

A Very

Hygge Christmas Written By: Mandy Allen Photographs: Warren Heath

hristmas remains a time-honoured celebration of family and friends, hearth and home. This year, put an original handspun twist on your decorations by stepping out of your front door to forage for flora and craft your bounty into fragrant wreaths, pretty posies and conversation-starting artworks. Redefine the notion of Christmas bling with dustings of metallic sparkle rather than full-throttle shine, and focus your styling efforts on creating a hygge-inspired sanctuary for the senses with cosy throws, lightly-scented candles and organic textures – all connected by a desaturated palette that is as inviting as it is serene.

POCKET FULL OF POSIES This loosely structured fynbos/foraged flora posy is made more evocative with its distinctive earthy fragrance, scrubby sprigs and layers of raw greens. Suspending the floral arrangement upside down from a picture nail lends a rustic aesthetic to the space, referencing farmhouse chic style. • Arranged simply with raffia string, consideration has been given to form as well as the shapes of the leaves. • As well as using fynbos/foraged heath and scrubby evergreens in your DIY posy, weave in woody herbs such as sage as well as rosemary and thyme. When in flower, they will add a pretty splash of blues and violet as well as fragrance.

SIMPLE GIFTS Continuing the muted aesthetic, folksy knitted prints on traditional Christmas stockings have been replaced by linen in refined neutrals which have been sewn into oversized hosiery for sweets, trinkets and seasonal favours. On the mantelpiece, the standard formal arrangement of flowers in a vase and other decorative pieces have been replaced by a posy of fynbos/ foraged heath, placed off centre as an eye-catching accent. • Only basic sewing skills are required to make your own linen stocking, either by hand or machine. • Depending on how many stockings are needed, vary the colour-way by a shade or two – from white to cream to dove grey. • Instead of embellishing with thread or beadwork, pin sprigs of flora onto each stocking. • Introduce a dash of shine in the form of gold Christmas baubles. It is Christmas, after all. • Tons of vanilla-scented pillar candles are always a good idea to heighten the cosy atmosphere. Vary the sizes for a the sake of interest. olé decor Fall 2021

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PICTURE PERFECT A display of framed pictures, vases and other decorative accessories is a tried-and-tested way to personalise a space: even more so when the artworks are made by you and seem plucked straight from a cabinet of curiosities. While a predominantly white palette can feel austere, here it is tempered by organic shapes, picture frames in mid-tone wood and a mix of collectible ceramic vessels and hand blown glassware in tones that mimic the earthy green of the fynbos/ foraged greenery.

• The Victorian craze for flower pressing – the preservation and showing off of the many beautiful, intriguing forms found in nature – gets a modern update with this easy DIY idea. Collect an assortment of leaves, fronds and other flora that appeals to your eye. Spray paint them white, allow to dry, then tape onto artist’s quality paper and display in simple, contemporary frames (either under glass or with the glass removed). • A little bit of sparkle is good for the soul. Think beyond tinsel and spray paint bluegum (eucalyptus), acorn and other interesting tree pods in gold. • Sprinkle white ceramic vessels as well as fynbos/foraged flora with a temporary dusting of metallic paint powder. • A clear glass vase makes a ready-and-able container for a delicate string of fairy lights – obligatory at Christmas time, naturellement. • Purists will appreciate the visual harmony of Christmas presents that connect with the greater colour scheme – here wrapped in handmade gift paper embedded with flowers as well as metallic Kraft paper. Simple adornments such as raffia, butcher’s string, gold stationery dots, star stickers, old-school office depot tags and sprigs of wild flora and fragrant, woody herbs lend a touch of personalised character to each one.

NATURE STUDY Create a sense of drama and occasion with a centrepiece that conjures up romantic notions of overgrown gardens and forest thickets dusted in snow. • Lay a natural foundation with a soft washed-linen tablecloth or length of linen-like fabric, the edges left unstitched for a rustic, raw look. • Arrange swathes of fynbos/foraged heath, scrubby evergreens and fragrant, woody herbs down the centre of the table, and loosely secure with raffia and/or jewellery wire to keep the arrangement fairly contained while retaining an artfully nonchalant effect. • Carefully slip sheets of newspaper underneath the arrangement and enhance with a light spray of white spray paint. Sprinkle with a dusting of gold powder paint. Remove the newspaper when the paint is dry to the touch. • Place metallic and pearlescent Christmas baubles and gold-painted seed pods amongst the leaves and twigs. Fairy lights can also be woven into the centrepiece. • Even if you’re not the world’s best cook, a beautiful set of crockery is half the battle won. This imperfectly perfect set of handmade tableware and drinking vessels has an irresistible tactility and wonky organic charm. Paired with the grandeur of vintage King’s Pattern cutlery with its dulled silver sheen, it’s a high-low pairing made in style heaven. • Place presents wrapped in a paper with a corresponding palette to your décor on the table. • If the design of your chairs allows for it, tie individual posies onto their backs as take-home gifts for guests olé decor Fall 2021

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SWEET ON YOU • If baking is not your forté, buy store-bought shortbread biscuits and decorate with a simple icing sugar glaze, and decorate with edible glitter and gold stars.

LET IT SNOW If you live in a balmy climate but have dreams of relishing in a white Christmas, try this easy craft that suggests frosty, snow-clad windows and icy flurries. • Customise a mason/pickling jar by wetting it and rolling it in a tray of white crystallised sugar. Allow it to dry and carefully tie raffia around the top and place a cutting of fynbos/heath/ greenery. • Place gold tea light candles inside the jars and place a few down the length of the table or anywhere in the home that requires a measure of Christmas whimsy.

BEHIND THE SCENES • Tie individual fynbos/heath posies as well as wreaths onto the backs of chairs and give them to guests as take-home gifts.

HEAVEN SCENT • Leave a gift of linen bags for overnighting guests (easy to sew by hand or machine) that have been filled with fragrant fynbos/foraged heath or special artisanal soaps infused with botanical ingredients. Leave the little scented bags in drawers and cupboards to fragrance your clothing and mix in dried lavender, sage and rosemary to keep moths at bay. 46

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SILENT NIGHTS Even the most simple bedroom setting is elevated into something extraordinary with considered attention to detail: inviting textures, a colour palette that is both engaging and calming, and something to suggest a connection with nature.

• Craft a wreath from bendy twigs such as willow or weeping/ silver birch using secateurs to cut lengths, scissors for trimming and natural twine for binding into shape. Once you have your garland, spray paint it white and allow to dry. Weave through jewellery wire (optional) for a hint of shine and a mini string of battery-operated fairy lights. Then arrange cuttings of fynbos/ foraged flora before hanging in place with thick ribbons or roughly cut lengths of linen.