Interior Design with Julia Luttrell
Decorating for the holidays
Well Martha, here come the holidays with all its hype, glitz and glory. We may each express our traditions differently in today�s diverse world, but we all seem to share one thing in common in this seasonal celebration�the desire to decorate!
One of the best Christmas�s I�ve ever spent, was in the home of a Jewish friend of mine. She was having a gathering in her home that included people from Asia, Africa, the Middle East and many other parts of the globe. In honour of the season, she created a spectacular piece of d�cor that I will always remember as a charming integration of traditions and a perfect statement of the true meaning of the season.
She had a four-foot-high Norfolk pine which normally lived happily in her foyer, that she brought out to became the focal point of her living room, as a Christmas tree to honour her guests who had gathered from so many parts of the world.
Over the previous year, she�d created dozens of unique �Stars of David�. Each one was an intricate and exquisite piece of art in itself and each was made of various glittering materials, such as glass, mirror, and metal. These she suspended from the ceiling with invisible fishing line so that they would hang over the tree at various heights. She then tastefully �lit� the tree, by having a single halogen bulb spotlight it.
The fantastic array of sparkling Stars of David seemed to hang in space by some magical force and surround the tree in a magnificent halo of light, without actually touching the living plant.
It was a wonderful metaphor for the true spirit of the season!
Yes, nothing warms the heart more than the creative effort that goes into a hand-made customized gift, whose personalized aspect sends a thoughtful message of genuine caring. Over the years, this has on occasion inspired me to create special gifts for my friends that have made their pleasure, my treasure.
So since �tis the season to be giving; allow me to share one of my favourite ideas for a great gift that can be given to almost anyone, regardless of age or gender and has many applications in any home or office�the ever-functional, always handsome, �document box.�
What we are going to create is a fabulous 12 x 10 x 4-inch high box with a flip-top lid, an interior lined in felt and an exterior that has the appearance of aged leather.
On a front hall console, this document box contains the family keys and mail. Put it on a bathroom vanity to contain medicine cabinet incidentals, on a coffee table to house the many remote controls we all seem to own, or on an office desk to hold various paper and pens. You will always be remembered for this beautiful custom-made gift of functional art that fits into any environment!
The materials you will require are:
- One seven-inch length of pine, two inches wide by .5 inches thick; to form the box frame
- Two pieces of �-inch thick plywood, each cut to 12 by 10-inch size for the top and bottom
- Three small hinges to fit into the .5 inch thickness of pine
- A large sheet of peel-and-stick felt to line the interior of the box
- A six-inch length of .5-inch velvet ribbon to prevent the lid from �flopping� open
- A tube of clear silicone to glue the parts together
- Two 24 by 36-inch sheets of copper-coloured, very thin tissue paper, to cover the box
- A small can of water-based varnish to apply the tissue paper
- A disposable wedge-shaped foam paint brush to apply the varnish
Once you have cut all your wood to size, assemble the box by gluing the pieces together.
To create the leather-look exterior surface, simply tear the tissue into random pieces and apply with the water-based varnish, using the wedge-shaped foam paintbrush.
Let it overlap or create a small fold wherever it wants to. There is no �right� way to do it and you can�t make a mistake. The varnish soaked paper will easily adhere and mold to the form of the box and you�ll find the process very user-friendly. Now line the interior with the peel-and-stick felt and add the ribbon.
Congratulations! You�ve created a wonderful memory, a gorgeous gift that will inspire pride and gratitude for years to come and the next time you receive such a custom-made gift, you can take particular pleasure in knowing the loving attention to detail that went into it.
