Christmas Traditions in Kingwood Hall - Decorating Reading Room

Kingwood Center allowed the Buckeye Garden Club to decorate the Reading Room. In Mr. King’s day, the Reading Room was a small, less formal drawing room.  The oldest piece of furniture in the house, a breakfront, is located there. 16^th century English and contains a portion of Kingwood’s collection of rare books, which were originally kept in the library.  Below, Bill Collins is preparing the top of the breakfront for decorations. 

My first experience decorating in Kingwood Hall was just magical.  Theme for the Reading Room is Home Spun in keeping with the Kingwood Hall theme of Christmas Traditions.  Using natural items, (sometimes with a gold or silver sparkle added) the room was transformed into a festive cozy retreat. 

When I first walked into the room, there were piles of evergreen, berry branches, pine cones, wreaths along with other materials.  Popcorn and cranberries were strung and hanging from hangers.  There were so many club members and so much stuff that I hesitated somewhat overwhelmed and tentative.

My good friend Barbara H. allowed me to keep her lovely Birch bark when she moved off to Texas.  I brought it along hoping it could be incorporated with the theme.  Upon seeing it, Elin D. immediately placed it on the marble mantel of the fire place.  It looks amazing with additional adornment and reflecting in the mirror.  Elin D. is quite talented and crafted the grapevine wreath that hangs over the fireplace this Christmas.  It is adorned with onion stalks, love in a mist pods and bright bittersweet berries. 

I started in, putting greenery atop a bookshelf.  As I am new to the club, I took noticed how everyone worked together creatively and so became more comfortable and adventures with my suggestions.  It was amazing to see the room transforming as layer upon layer of material was utilized.  There were collaborations of is less more or is more more and in the end, I think the room had a perfect mixture of both. 

I am very proud to have been a small part of the Buckeye Garden clubs creative effort.  They did an amazing room that many people will not only enjoy but take ideas from during the Holiday Season.