How I Use Nature to Create Magical Moments at Home

Whenever I’m in need of an inspiration injection, there’s one place I always turn to—nature. From foraging for natural materials in my backyard to scouring my local flower market for unique branches, greenery, clippings, and stems, I’m always seeking out its perfectly imperfect aesthetic to beautify my home. So, it’s little wonder Mother Nature makes a grand appearance in many of the events I host there, too.

You might recall the intimate Live Beautiful launch dinner where bundles of green branches and decorative twigs hung delicately from my Brooklyn living room ceiling or the more recent Autumnal woodland scene for the MyTheresa dinner—every chance I get to infuse nature, I will. But I don’t do it alone.

From the moment I first connected with Taylor from Fox Fodder Farms, our creative synergies instantly aligned and we’ve been crafting magic together ever since. Over time, we’ve developed this incredible artistic mind meld and collaborative spirit where we’re constantly pushing and challenging each other to think outside the box and push the boundaries of what’s possible.

Our collaborative process is ever-evolving but we love to take simple ideas, inspiration, and a color palette then filter it through our lens to make it our own, putting seasonality and sustainability at the forefront. When working with nature and the natural world, you can’t be too specific. Being malleable to what’s available at that time of year and working with the seasonal ingredients at your disposal is key—this is something Taylor does impeccably well.

It’s no secret that I’ve become affectionately known as the “branch girl” so, when we collaborated on the Mytheresa gathering, we really wanted to amplify that theme by crafting a dramatic fall scene. This culminated as an autumnal forest that wrapped the walls and ceilings of my living room, making guests feel as though they entered a magical woodland—it’s something we’d never seen done before. There are no limits to what we’ll do in order to achieve our aesthetic goals either. Whether that means poking holes in the ceiling or tying florals with fishing lines on the banister—nothing gets in the way of our vision.

While creating events is always a stressful and overwhelming endeavor, there’s something about Taylor’s spirit that is incredibly calming and reassuring. Even when things feel impossible, she keeps an even keel which has a calming ripple effect across the entire creative team, including me. Taylor is a true artist and I trust her implicitly to take my creative direction and try experimental ideas and unexplored possibilities—the end result is always breathtaking and new! Taylor is always down for anything. I dream up the impossible and she’ll figure out how to get it done.

how to Forage & bring nature Home:

• Head out into your local area: fields, roadside areas, parks, and nearby forested areas with your clippers in hand and forage! Or if you are lucky enough, scout your own yard!
• Be open to a variety of branches, stems, and greenery. Look for something unique that you’ve never used before.
• Try to envision how you might be able to sculpt your branches. Clip away the leaves to sculpt them into a new shape. Everything has potential if you can imagine it!
• Be sure to embrace asymmetry though—nothing in nature is perfect.
• But always be sure to respect the environment and other people’s property. This means refraining from trespassing! You also don’t want to damage plants and trees while gathering your natural materials so only ever take what you need.
• Give your natural materials tons of water because they get thirsty. But don’t be afraid to let them dry out, too. See how your arrangement takes on a new life and aesthetic.
• Have fun! Experiment and try new things, always!