Oh, how we love a boxwood. Is there any more classic element to traditional landscape design? For gardening enthusiasts and fans of elegant landscapes, boxwoods are must-have. Evergreen, with dense foliage and a neat, compact appearance, boxwoods have been an integral part of formal gardens and landscapes for centuries, thought to have originated in north Africa in 4000 BC.
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Like many plants originally designed for the outdoors, boxwoods can do double-duty as houseplants also. Of course, as with any live plant, boxwoods require maintenance: watering, pruning, sunlight. So, for many, boxwoods stay outdoors or may deck the halls only as the occasional holiday wreath. But, a nifty alternative has emerged for those wanting an option with less maintenance – preserved boxwoods.
Preserved boxwoods are boxwood plants that have undergone a careful preservation process, allowing them to retain their natural beauty and vibrant green color indefinitely. Through a specialized treatment, the living foliage is dipped in an eco-friendly solution and then dried to maintain the shape and texture of the leaves. This process results in real boxwood plants that require no maintenance, making them perfect for indoor use.
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At Collected, we have partnered with topiary artisans to offer a large selection of these preserved boxwoods. They are the perfect touch in any space that would benefit from a little greenery, and are especially handy in the nooks and crannies that don’t get enough light for live plants.
Our friends in California and the southern East Coast are already deep into summer weather and the decorating that goes along with it, but here in the Midwest we are still wildly spinning — sometimes daily — between 40° and raining and 85° and sweltering.
While we patiently wait for the weather to catch up with our summer mindset, we’ve stocked Collected with all the rattan, linen and white we can find. Here are a few of our favorites.
Even though most of us are still fully entrenched in Christmas and Hanukkah, we mustn’t forget that New Years Eve is also only a few short days away. And one of our best tips for a successful NYE party? A well-stocked, thoughtfully-placed bar cart.
Some of you may already have dedicated bar space in your homes, whether it’s a full-fledged knockout, like this one…
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…or tucked into the architecture of your home, like this one.
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But the thing about a party is that the bar can get a little crowded, so having multiple spots where guests can refill a drink, or gather for conversation, can help spread your friends and family around your home. Plus, don’t we all have a room we wish people would mingle in, while they instead stubbornly refuse to leave the kitchen? We promise if you stock a bar cart in that room — and add some tasty apps and cookies — the guests will come a-running.
Here are a few of our bar-cart-ready (or bar-tray-ready) rooms for inspiration…
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Ready to set up that bar cart or tray? Our tips for bookshelf and table styling apply here, too, because there is no reason your bar cart can’t also be a feast for the eyes: think in layers, incorporate multiple points of interest, and don’t be afraid to mix styles. A bar cart is a smaller space to work with than a dining table or set of bookshelves, but these are still good rules of thumb. We set up this bar cart as part of a recent client’s home refresh: you see we have the basics — glassware, a few favorite liquors and mixers — and then we’ve added details like a lamp, plant and ginger jar (could do double-duty as an ice bucket!) to make it homey. Set it below a favorite piece of art and voilà…sit back and relax while your guests flock to it.
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Here are a few of our favorite bar cart accessories from Collected…
It’s snowing in Glen Ellyn, and Christmas is just a few days away, which leaves us feeling warm and happy. It’s been a busy year, and there is something about snow at Christmastime that is so magical, even if it forces a little bit of a slow down.
As we wrap up another year, we are feeling so grateful to all of you for supporting us and Park & Oak. We made a big leap this year into home retail (retail + the holiday season is no joke!), and you cheered us on from near and far, making this experience so special.
We are looking forward to a white Christmas with our families, and we hope you and your loved ones have the merriest of holidays.
Still needing some last minute gifts for a client or colleague? The thing we love about this category is that it can span so many different interests and hobbies. And we’ve got a little something for everyone…
It’s always our goal to help clients, friends and followers create a warm and inviting home atmosphere, where the details tell a story. And one of the benefits of working in our industry is exposure to unique, handcrafted products — products with a story — that are not readily available elsewhere. With Collected, we are so excited to finally have a forum to bring some of our favorites to you. Here are a few that also happen to be perfect for gifting this holiday season.
Vietri
Lee Gravely had dreamed of a trip to the Amalfi Coast ever since she clipped a photo from a feature in National Geographic magazine in the early 1970s. In 1983, with her two daughters, Frances and Susan, Lee finally got her opportunity. One of their first stops was the San Pietro Hotel in Positano, where they dined on the hotel’s colorful, handcrafted dinnerware. Completely taken by the natural patterns and evident craftsmanship, they spent the next day meeting the artisans and touring the factory in the town of Vietri sul Mare. Vietri dinnerware was born soon after, and has been a mainstay in handcrafted, artisan dinnerware ever since.
Vietri takes the same care today in their product line as those Italian artisans of 40 years ago. Their clays and glazes are still made from the soil of the Italian countryside. And the message behind them is simple: Slow down. Linger. Enjoy each other’s company over a meal.
Stephanie Summerson Hall spent summers in South Carolina antiquing, cooking and learning about life with her grandmother, Estelle. Estelle was passionate about fine antiques, and was especially proud of her colored glass collection, which she added to every year. These experiences with her grandmother were transformative, and were the backbone of Hall’s inspiration to launch Estelle Colored Glass in 2019. The collection is comprised of original commissioned pieces, whose colors are custom-formulated by Hall and then hand-blown by glass artisans in Poland. They are reminiscent of heirloom, vintage pieces, but with the refinement of modern glassware.
When David Reiss visited Florence in the early 1990’s while in the employ of a department store carrying pewter goods, he met the artisans of a family-owned pewter workshop that had been working with the material for generations. The pewter from this workshop was far more popular with the clientele of the store than any of the other pewter pieces offered. Though Reiss eventually left the store, the memory of those artisans remained with him, and he ultimately decided to pursue a business solely based on the pewter wares of Italian craftsman. Match Pewter was born in 1995.
All Match designs are rooted in classic European forms from the 14th through 19th centuries, and many are cast from molds made of original antiques. They remain handcrafted by Italian artisans, and are highly sought-after. Look for their distinctive markings: M95 — M, for Match, 95 for the year the company was founded and the percentage of pewter content of each Match piece.
There is something a little zen-like about setting a holiday table. The soft, familiar music, flickering candles (a must!), breaking out the fancy plates and glassware. It all just feels so comforting.
Here are some shots of holiday tables we’ve put together to help inspire you, and some of our favorite tablewares from Collected to help you put the finishing touches on your own holiday table.
If you decorate for the holidays, you probably start with the big three: tree, mantle, staircase. There is likely a lot of greenery involved. But once the tree is up and the garland is hung, how do you create a good, cozy holiday mood?
Start by turning down those overhead lights, and adding lots of ambient light, via candles, lamps and, you guessed it, string lights. We start with lots of candles *and* candlesticks. As soon as you dim the lights and light candles, you’re sending a message that it’s time to relax. In particular, there is something about brass candlesticks that instantly brings all the curl-up-by-candlelight vibes.
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Get assertive with accessories. Look for holiday accessories made of mercury glass or natural fibers. The patina on mercury glass lends so much character, and, as an added bonus, bounces all that candlelight around beautifully. Rattan trees add warmth. Brass and other metals bring holiday glow.
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Last, but not least, add blankets, stockings and pillows for the ultimate cozy holiday setup.
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We tried to think outside the box for our holiday gift collection for the man in your life. Because they’re not all fans of cocktails and golf, right? (But, some are. We’ve got you.)
Your brother, cousin, uncle, husband probably likes things that smell nice. But maybe they don’t know where to start. Help them out.
