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Wednesday, January 14, 2009

Flowering Quince

Whole Foods is my favorite places to get fresh flowers. The location that is closest to me is one of the largest Whole Foods in the US, and they usually have some more unusual choices in the flower department.

When I went there yesterday, I was thrilled to see that they had a nice selection of flowering quince. Although not to everyone's taste (my husband can't understand why I have a bunch of branches in a vase), I love how flowering quince looks because of its sculptural qualities.

This is my all time favorite picture of flowering quince, in a room designed by Michael Smith. Michael Smith is, of course, the decorator selected by the Obamas. He must be floating on air right now, don't you think?

Another favorite picture in my files, both because of the amazing Jean Royere sconce and the flowering quince.

Do you spot the flowering quince in this picture? It is a bit tucked away. I love the look of the branches of flowering quince reflected in a mirror. Interior design by Suzanne Kasler.


A room by one of my favorite designers, James Beebe Hawes of Caldwell-Beebe. I am not sure if this is flowering quince, but it has the same look and feel. Don't the branches look like a sculpture?

When I look at this picture, I can imagine that the owner of the house went out and clipped some flowering branches (look at the basket underneath the table) and stuck a blooming branch in the water. Great stylist at work here!

I love the beautiful symmetry in this picture - the Italian consoles, the mirrors, the lamps, and the branches facing one another is perfection. I did not note who did the interiors on this room - does anyone regognize it? I just saw it recently on a blog.

A masterful David Hicks tablescape. I am not sure if this is flowering quince, but it has the same effect. The branches connect the smaller items to the height of the lamp, don't you think?

This is one of my favorite pictures of an entryway - from an Ethan Allen ad!

Here is my entryway, with the flowering quince I bought yesterday. It looks quite twiggy right now (and after looking at the pictures on this post, I should have bought two bunches), but within a week, it will be in full bloom. I removed my usual collection of items off the chest in order to make room for the quince, and rearranging things made me realize that I am lacking a good medium scale item for to put on this chest. I think a nice piece of sculpture would be great here, so I will be on the lookout for that when I go to my favorite annual art market next month.

36 comments:

  1. Love flowering quince! And love your entryway! :)

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  2. Katie, you are the Queen of the entryway. When I was putting together my favorite posts of 2008, I searched and searched for the post on your entryway through the seasons...and did not find it. I think I have seen a picture here and there but not everything in one post. (Hint, hint)

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  3. love branches in the home...they take up lots of space, and have saved me many times!

    what a creative post...good eye :)

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  4. I too am a flowering quince lover! I love the simplicity of it! I will have to check Whole Foods and get me a bundle! Your entryway is so lovely!

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  5. Very pretty! I plan on stopping by my local Whole Foods to see if they carry it asap!

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  6. Jeffrey Bilhuber -

    I love this - so beautiful and your entry looks great.

    you know what - Whole foods is the BEST place for flowers here too - and Kroger at Buffalo Speedway -= even better than the florist.

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  7. what a lovely post.. makes me want to head out and buy flowering branches for an entryway right now.

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  8. Great post. I never really knew it was flowering quince in pics like that.

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  9. OKAY...YOURS LOOKS BEAUTIFUL AND NOW TOMORROW AMI am off to my WHole Foods to look for flowering quince. All of the images are beautiful!

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  10. I have been to countless floral shops in LA for months looking for flowering quince, to no avail. Maybe I just got the season wrong! I'm headed off to Whole Foods tomorrow to look for it -- thanks for a lovely post with gorgeous photos!

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  11. I love how you articulated the placement of the end
    table 'connect the smaller items to the height of the lamp', And your entry looks very lovely indeed. It makes me want to run out and buy some flowering branches myself! Thanks for the lovely images!

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  12. I hope you guys can find some flowering quince! I must admit, I was surprised to find it so early in January. I am not an expert on flowers and such, but I usually start seeing flowering quince in February.

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  13. What a great eye you have! Displaying flowering quince in a vase during its bloom time in late winter is an exceptional way to bring the outdoors in! And shortly after the quince is finished blooming, we can bring our lovely yellow forsythia or pussywillow branches indoors. With a little knowledge, all of us can have gardens that bloom through all seasons. To read more about plants with winter interest, check out my blog: http://www.egardens.blogspot.com. Sorry about the shameful self-promotion but I just couldn't resist! Loved your pictures!

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  14. In Germany and in Georgia I always would get flowering Dogwood branches. I loved them. At Easter I would hang my ornaments on them.

    Thanks so much for your support. You are truly a "Comment Queen" and have an award waiting. But you must know there is absolutely NO PRESSURE from me. :)

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  15. Your entry is beautiful! I will look to find some flowering quince, if posssible in this Kansas City below 0 temps this week! Maybe Whole Foods here will have some!

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  16. Um, yes please (both flowering quince and your entry way). On my way to whole foods as we speak.

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  17. Great post, and thanks for the tip about Whole Foods having flowering quince in. I looked at another Atlanta Whole Foods over the weekend and didn't see any, but I must hurry on over to the old Harrys to see if they have it in stock. As an added bonus it lasts so much longer than most cut flowers if you tend to the water regularly.

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  18. have you seen the small hard yellow fruit that the quince produce? exotic flowery smell and makes great jam!

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  19. Thanks for sharing your entry! SO glad to know the flowering quince is at WF -- wasn't there last time I checked :)

    Like you, that's my go to place for affordable flowers :)

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  20. Love your selection of sparse arrangements...just elegant!

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  21. Gorgeous!! So casually elegant & understated. (Your entry looks right out of a magazine by the way!)

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  22. Love the arrangements, love the curtains and the dreamy quality in picture number 5, and really love your own entry! The sconces are fantastic.

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  23. What a great post!! Your entryway looks great!! I'm definitely going to have to stop by Whole Foods now. Lucky you to have such a big one by your home!

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  24. Beautiful quince, beautiful entry way, beautiful you!
    xo xo
    PS Flowering quince is also known as plum blossom, a lucky flower for the Chinese who buy it up to put in their homes during Chinese New Year. So if you're doing a Chinese New Years party this year, use that quince!

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  25. Your entryway is stunning and the quince is a beautiful touch - love it!

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  26. may they be flowers or twigs..the arrangements look great

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  27. Cool entry! That is a lesson in how to be chic without a big effort.

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  28. Oh la la - your flowering quince is gorgeous! I love it and I think your entryway is so lovely. Yes, all those rooms are spectacular and the quince, or flowering branches, add this delicate sculptural quality that makes the rooms so alive! Organic elemets are essential in a room, I'm realizing. But these delicate beauties are a favorite of mine too. I have always loved that Micheal Smith room at the top. We have that Ethan Alllen table, but I don't have nearly such a nicely styled look because David insisted on sitting his stereo on it. I can dream of a future home where the stereo is elsewhere and I can style my table with quince and think of you. :)

    Great post, as always!! xo T.

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  29. Beautiful, beautiful post, I love how your eye studies the details, and I love your attraction for refinement and simplicity. Your entryway came out beautiful, and I think you were absolutely correct in your choice of sconces! I love flowering quince since it is such a harbinger of spring at this time of year! Thank you for your lovely comments on my return to blogging post!

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  30. I love the arrangements. I like to put forsynthia (sp.?)branches in a vase. It's the same look. Love the table in your home.

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  31. Lovely post and your entry is absolutely stunning. I adore those sconces, the console, well, pretty much every item in the photo. Beautiful.

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  32. That's Jeffrey Bilhuber (the room you like that you saw on a blog). I saw this room on the final day of install, (Bilhuber is my old firm) and it's absolutely stunning.

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  33. Your entry is beautiful and you were able to finally find the perfect sconces! Would you mind sharing where the sconces are from?

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