Home + Design

Transforming Estates into Seasonal Masterpieces

The Art and Inspiration Behind Charlotte’s Most Enchanting Holiday Doors Article by Elliott Harrell | Photography by Hadley Henry Large grapevine balls are suspended above the doorway of an Eastover home, adorned with draped holly berries and greenery. The effect feels more like a striking art installation than a front door, but that’s the magic of Jay Lugibihl’s so-called “holiday doors.” Each season, the owner of In Bloom LTD frames roughly 55 doors with a custom blend of greenery, flowers...

Travel

A Very European Christmas

Festive Markets in London and Munich Shine in Winter Splendor Article by Written by Jordy Lievers-Eaton There’s a certain alchemy that transforms Europe in the winter. City streets glow under strings of fairy lights, and the scent of cinnamon fills the air as shoppers bustle from doorway to doorway. Few places do the holidays better than London and Munich, two capital cities that approach the season with their own distinct flair.  London sparkles with theatrical displays and festive teas...

Life + Culture

Season of Splendor

Find Ways to be Merry and Bright All Over Charlotte This Season Article by Elliott Harrell THE BALLANTYNE HOLIDAY TEA & GINGERBREAD LANE Don your best attire and spend an afternoon inside the Ballantyne’s elegant lobby for a specially themed holiday tea Thursdays through Sundays during December. Or take a trip down Gingerbread Lane starting in mid-December to see intricate gingerbread masterpieces. Stop inside the Cocoa House, a life-size gingerbread house, for a cup of hot cocoa. December...

Shopping

The Accidental Jeweler

From Virginia to Florence to Bangkok, the Journey That Shaped Elizabeth Locke’s Timeless Elegance Article by Carroll Walton | Photography by Carissa Rogers Elizabeth Locke calls herself an “accidental jeweler” at speaking engagements like the one she did recently for Windsor Jewelers clients at Wing Haven. She highlights her circuitous route from rural Virginia to Florence, Italy, to the bustle of Bangkok, Thailand, where she still works with artisans who handmake her designs.  Her jewelry is...