Glitz with Gold: Top Gold Flatware Picks

As I've been planning my holiday tablescape for this year, I've become obsessed with gold flatware. 

There's just something about the gold, it adds a little glitz and glamour to the table. 

 

Courtesy of theLENNOXX

Earlier this week I shared the Gray Malin Photography Collections and mentioned that I'd LOVE to have a print from La Dolce Vita collection (specifically 'Positano'). 

Today, I share with you my favorite gold plated flatware collections.  And yes, these are also on my list for Santa. 

1. Dwell Studio 5 Piece Oro Cutler $100 set 

 

2. Gorham Argento Gold Luster 5 Piece Set  Zappos: Originally $200 Set/ Now on sale $99.95 

 

3.  Soiree Flatware Place Setting Williams-Sonoma $90 Set  

 

4.  Doma Flatware  Anthropologie $98 Set

 

5. Cutipol Rondo Gold Cutlery 5 Pcs Shophorne.com $85 Set

6. Rose Gold Flatware West Elm $112 for 4 place settings- Great Deal! 

 

Glitz with Gold by hgrahling of Vivid Hue Home

 

 

The Rose Gold Flatware by West Elm is a steal with four place settings for $112.  If budget weren't a factor, I'd choose the Gorham Argento Gold Luster set on Zappos.  I love that the knife is also gold plated and the quality appears top notch.  Of course, some would say, if you're only using the gold flatware a few times a year to glitz and glam up a holiday table, then there's no need to invest in a tremendously expensive set of gold.  You can achieve the same goal with a less expensive setting. 

 

If you're one that plans to stay gold year after year, then invest in better quality as it does take a bit more work to maintain the gold flatware from tarnishing. 

 

Courtesy theLENNOXX

 

Ballard Designs' Southern Living Fairhope comes brand new with a vintage patina appearance.  They could easily pass as a family heirloom.  It's possible to have each piece monogrammed.  They don't offer as bright of a gold as some of the other choices but it may save you the trouble of having to maintain the items from tarnish. 

 

 

Either way, I don't think you can go wrong with gold at the table!  It ups the glamour factor to the nth degree...now...if only Santa is reading this!  (hint hint). 

 

Courtesy theLENNOXX

 

 

Do you already own gold flatware?  How do you find the maintenance?  Which do you like out of the choices above?

 

Santa, if you're reading, I'd like selection #2!

 

Cheers,

 

Heather |  Vivid Hue Home

Gray Malin: Bring 'Gray Skies" My Way!

I am completely obsessed with Gray Malin. 

Gray is an extremely talented photographer with a background in marketing that has used his talent in both areas to catapult his career to severe heights.  He's a native of Dallas, Texas who was working at Paramount Pictures in Los Angeles after attending Emerson College.  In 2009, he decided to quit his job at Paramount and focus on selling his photography at the flea market every Sunday. 

But this wasn't just any ole flea market, this was the internationally famous Melrose Fairfax Flea Market in Los Angeles.  Gray diligently marketed his work to market goers and caught the interest of interior designers, celebrities, gallery owners and art lovers.  Once you see his work, I think you'll fall in love too. 

I originally fell in love with his series called "The Dolce Vita" where Gray and his team traveled through the Italian Riviera in an attempt to recapture the glamour of the 1950's and 60's era.  The resulting photos remind me so much of Massimo Vitali's work, and ya'll know how much I adore him!  

A La Plage Series Photo By Christina Lilly

Since then, I've discovered additional collections from Gray Malin, including 'A La Plage, A La Piscine.'   Gray's team traveled to beaches around the world in North America, Central and South America, Australia, Asia and Africa and photographed from the sky in doorless helicopters down onto the beach scenes below.   The result is a beautiful collection. 



Biondi Beach from Gray Malin

Gray's work has been featured on many prominent galleries and can also be found on One King's Lane occasionally.  It's also possible to purchase prints directly from the Maison Gray | The House of Gray website here.   Multiple sizes are available.  The prints are editioned, signed and in limited quantities.  Prices are reasonable.  (For example, if purchased directly from the Gray Maison website they start at $300 for a 19' x 17' up to $3,500 for 66' x 44').  Prints are unframed. 

I've seen excellent prices on One King's Lane for framed prints ($300-$500) for a smaller sized print.  Keep your eyes peeled. 

This is definitely going on my holiday wish list!

And as if it couldn't get any better, Gray also makes wallcovering.  And let me assure you, it's to die for.  I'll feature that in another post soon.  The dude isn't even thirty and already going places.

All photos courtesy of the Gray Malin website unless otherwise noted. 

  Cheers!  Heather | Vivid Hue Home

T-Day, V-Day, X-day.....

 Talk about a seasonal weekend.  At one point, I had Thanksgiving, Valentine's Day and Christmas decorations all up in the house.  What is it about this year that has me practically skipping right over turkey day?  I've always been one of those people that feels strongly about not celebrating one holiday until the current one has passed. 

Not. This. Year. 

Here's how my weekend went down. 

Harvest themed flowers were on my breakfast table.  A nice little surprise from my husband. 

 

A fun little (surprise) project in early December had me experimenting with Valentine's Day tablescapes.  I'm torn between introducing mixed china and soft colors or keeping it completely neutral (all white).  Ya'll know I'm a color girl at heart so it's so difficult for me not to pull out the color! 

 

I received the libations bar cart as an early Christmas present and I'm dying to jump into styling the cart.  I picked up this faux-snake skin lamp base on clearance at Targay this weekend. 

I also got these little flower arrangements because I thought I could use them on my V-Day tablescape. 

Here's a sample shot of me playing around with the all white theme.  Do you know how difficult it is to find Valentine's day type items during Christmas season?   

 

 

I went to a Holiday Tablescape event this weekend with some girlfriends and spotted this cleaver DIY sphere on a table that had been decorated all for under $100.   This close up makes it easy to see that it's a Styrofoam ball with straws spray painted but from afar, this was eye-catching and unique!  Such a fun idea. 

 

And I wasn't going to admit this to ya'll...but yes, we hauled out a few of the trees this weekend.  We weren't going to fully decorate them but then one thing lead to another.  It's just less for me to have to do after Thanksgiving so I don't mind so much! 

How did you spend your weekend?  And are you even *thinking* about putting up your seasonal decorations early? 

Ferrari's and Fancy Fun

Meaning of procrastination:

Discovering a photo folder on laptop from July 2013 and creating a blog post about the event in November. 

The family and I decided to escape to Lime Rock, Connecticut one weekend in July for a Ferrari show.  Basically, this lil shin dig brought out more types, colors and sizes of Ferrari's than  I have ever seen in one place.  It was a great day for the kids to see how the race track drivers refuel their cars after a few spins around the track (did you know the tires are usually bald after a professional racer gets off the track?) 

It was also a chance for non-pro drivers to parade their models and take a fast paced spin around a professional race track.   It was a great day for the 'adult kid' in my family (my husband) as well as the little kids. 

 

The VIP tent had a bocce court

 

And beautiful tulips on rustic barn style tables inside a tent

Yes, Vivi and I were just about the only goons that wore pink...not red.  Doh. 

Vivsters, EG, and Jack watch the cars race around the track

Touring the cars

 

VIP Seating and outside lounge area

 

 

Nice little activities inside the tent, including massages, lunch, wine, face-painting...

 

 

 

Jack stays with the Ferrari theme.  

Taking a break from the heat with a buddy.

 

 Of course! A Vintage Ferrari Barbie. 

Taking a break

 

Scene from the hill

 

 

 

 

 

 

 It's taken me awhile to share our fun day, but it's nice to relive this nice hot summer day as we prepare for snow within the next few days.  ha! 

Thanks to everyone for the kind comments you've left about the One Room Challenge reveal!  I plan to reshoot the room in the daylight and I promise to repost the photos soon!  The photos that are on the blog right now don't do the room justice! 

 

Hope you're having a great week! 

Cheers!
Heather | Vivid Hue Home