Under the flower bower

A touch of gold

Floral motifs and leopard spots (above right) in soft pinks, brown and black were combined to create an elegant yet playfully festive feel in Louise and Conrad’s attic. The inspiration for the palette was the dried flowers themselves, which is why a mustard-coloured tablecloth was chosen with hints of terracotta, emeraldgreen, sage-green and pink. All of these colours are currently popular in stores, so they are readily available.

A sprig of dried flowers and a tile with words such as “love” and “live” provide detail on the drinks table. Champagne glasses were mixed-’n-matched for an informal feel, while different plates add texture. Paper Christmas decorations complement the earthy colours.

For this theatrical feast, Johnny and Marius followed a bread-milk-and-honey theme with a French twist from their Slippery Spoon Kitchen. Waterblommetjie and lime purée with Franschhoek trout was followed by flame-grilled asparagus, Stanford Parmesan from Klein River Cheese, bread and honey wine. A Russian honey cake rounded off the feast. Get the recipes online at news24.com/home.

Tips

If you’d like to try drying flowers from your own garden, make sure you cut them off at the right time, says Louise. “Wait until the blooms have opened, but cut them before they start setting seed or they will wilt. Some flowers also have beautiful seed capsules that can be dried. Choose a cool, dark place to dry them so that their colour doesn’t fade.”

Mustard-coloured tablecloths and napkins from H&M Home; floral table runner, glasses, leopard spot Victoria Verbaan Collab napkins and mangowood and stone coasters from Mr Price Home; plates from Ronel Bakker Ceramics

A greeting handwritten on quality paper adds a personal touch to each setting.

Guests are welcomed with a drink consisting of honey, Wild at Heart Cordial’s Rose Geranium and white rum. Eucalyptus honeycomb and a touch of gold leaf add festive flair to each glass. Large tile from Sobeit Studio; small tiles from Signs @ Fynbos