for all my luv of things beautiful, unique & decorative, my holiday aesthetic rings more sparse than most. i love classically retro, shiny & reflective pieces that have meaning, things that are worth wrapping carefully & saving from one year to the next. no disposable plethora of things n stuff at the mod lodge. quality over quantity rings true 365 days a year.
much of the ambience at any mod lodge is found in airy openness, where an over abundance of holiday decor would be in conflict with the lofty flow of the living spaces. the grand scale of the house demands larger scale pieces, & so the visuality of a centerpiece that did just fine at our cozy ranch is enhanced with the addition of simple layering: texture + color = a playful, just-right balance. placed upon a carved, vintage silver platter & then upon a hand-printed, german folk art tablecloth, flanked by prunkvolle candelabras & a silver bowl in which mozartkugel have been carefully arranged, it’s an item purchased years ago, re-energized & befitting of its new home at the mod lodge.
this mossy bowl centerpiece plus the two other arrangements shown are late ’90s purchases – perfect examples of how careful packing & storing can extend the life of fabulously crafted florals. (cool cats who learn quickly not to use the arrangements’ components as chew toys and well behaved children who learn what not to touch but to enjoy sans destruction, helps.)
what still amazes me, is how each year when i set out the centerpieces, the room is instantly transformed with so little effort on my part – leaving time & peace of mind to better enjoy a holiday season that for too many is a mixed bag of toil, trouble & cost. keeping it simple & keeping it real (KIR) are my mantras – for me the real is not about fresh-cut vs artificial, it is all about not over-extending so as to make misery from what should have been good cheer. the time-honored carol rings true for me as well : “god rest ye merry gentlemen…” & women!
modlodgeluv 