Welcome Mat: Meadow Brook Hall’s Holiday Walk
Meadow Brook Hall transforms for holidays
Want to step back in time this holiday season? Check out Meadow Brook Hall, the 88,000-square-foot home finished in 1929 for auto heiress Matilda Dodge Wilson and her second husband, Alfred Wilson, for its 45th annual Holiday Walk. Starting Nov. 25 through Dec. 22, the Tudor-revival estate will be all decked out for the holidays, featuring special exhibits that celebrate “The Treasures of Childhood.” There will be home movies of the Dodge-Wilson family along with stories of Christmas morning traditions at the estate. At the adorable Knole cottage, families can see a storybook vignette of Goldilocks and the Three Bears and then visit Santa’s Workshop at Danny’s Cabin. Throughout the Holiday Walk, fairytale characters will be hidden in the rooms and if kids spot them all, they’ll be given a prize. The holiday walk runs 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday through Sunday. There will be special evening hours Dec. 18-21 until 9 p.m. Tickets are $20 for adults, $5 for children 17 and under (accompanied by an adult); children age 2 and under are free. Meadow Brook Hall is at 480 South Adams Road in Rochester. Call (248) 364-6200.
Detroit sculptors team up
on new design center showroom
Detroit sculptors Israel and Erik Nordin are known for their beautiful, big metal sculptures that make a statement. Now they’ve teamed up with Isabelle Weiss, owner of Next:Space, a Detroit-based firm representing local furniture designers, on a new showroom at the Michigan Design Center in Troy. The DDC by the Nordin Brothers opened earlier this month and features one-of-a-kind work from local artisans, including Alan Kaniarz of AK Services, Kyle Huntoon of Hunt & Noyer Woodworks and Alex Drew and No One. And of course there are miniature models of the Nordin brothers’ work (they still have their studio in Detroit too). Weiss says they wanted to showcase “forward-thinking” designs that are representative of the time.” “It’s about getting them exposure out there,” Weiss says. The showroom, number 39, is open by appointment only. Call (586) 601-6595.
Trees, trains mix at Cranbrook house and gardens fundraiser
Vintage and modern train sets will be part of the holiday fun at Cranbrook House & Gardens annual fundraiser, “Holiday Splendor: Trains & Trees,” which runs Dec. 1-4. Local exhibitors will show off their trains along with trees decorated in a range of styles, from classic to contemporary. Contributing organizations include the Bloomfield Township Public Library, Cranbrook Center for Collections and Research, the Detroit Zoo, fleurdetroit and Gerych’s. It’s open from 10 a.m.-7 p.m. Dec. 1-2 and 12-5 p.m. Dec. 3-4. There also will be a Santa sighting from 9 a.m.-12 p.m. Dec. 3. Tickets are $15 in advance for adults (presale tickets end Nov. 30) and $20 at the door. Proceeds go toward the restoration and preservation of Cranbrook House and Garden. For information, call (248) 645-3149 or visit housegardens.cranbrook.edu.
Benjamin Moore names purple hue its 2017 color
Calling it “allusive and enigmatic,” Benjamin Moore has named Shadow, a rich amethyst, its Color of the Year for 2017. “Shadow is a master of ambiance. It is a color that calls to mind a ‘past,’ yet it can also make a contemporary, color-confident statement,” said Ellen O’Neill, the retailer’s creative director, in a press release. “Shadow is sophisticated, provocative and poetic, it can bring energy to a space or harmony and a moment of respite.” Benjamin Moore’s Color Studio researches color trends by attending industry shows while also tracking architecture, fashion and textile trends to make its color forecast. Shadow is in sharp contrast to Poised Taupe, a very sedate hue, which is Sherwin-Williams’ Color of the Year. Pantone will name its Color of the Year likely in early December.
Leaves place mat adds nature, texture to Thanksgiving table
As you start thinking about your tablescape for Thanksgiving next week, consider adding a touch of nature to your decor. Pier 1 Imports has a Natural Leaves place mat that isn’t real, but will add texture to any dining room table. Add some pumpkins, gourds and candles to the mix and you have a lovely table setting. The place mat is made of polyester, rayon, cotton and nylon and is regularly $5.95. Go to pier1.com or visit a local Pier 1 near you.
Tickets on sale Nov. 18
for Boston-Edison tour
It’s one of the hottest holiday tickets in town: the Historic Boston-Edison Holiday Home Tour. Tickets go on sale at 10 a.m. Friday for the Dec. 11 tour and will sell out quickly, says Michelle May, one of the organizers. This year’s tour, Boston-Edison’s 42nd, will feature five homes (keep reading Homestyle for a profile of one home on this year’s tour). And new this year, it begins at 9:40 a.m. Tickets are $40 each and available online only; go to historicbostonedison.org. There also will be a limited number of tickets available for a VIP Twilight Tour that begins at 4 p.m. on Dec. 11; those tickets are $75.