Fig & Dove was originally created to fill the void that existed as designers struggled to find tasteful holiday décor for both their client's homes as well as their own. It's always an honor when an Interior Designer chooses Fig & Dove for her own home, and even more of an honor when it's the fabulous Traci Zeller, whose home was featured last Christmas season in Southern Homemagazine. We thought it fitting to have Traci kick-off our Holiday Tastemaker Series!
(Traci Zeller's family room from Southern Home, with Fig & Dove Christmas stockings)
Traci is based in Charlotte, North Carolina, and is currently one of the talented designers participating in the inaugural Kips Bay Decorator Show House in Dallas, TX. For her room, she created a French-inspired Gossip & Powder Room appropriately named, "Flights of Fancy" - if you have a chance to visit the show house, I'd highly recommend it!
As we gear up for the holiday season, we are excited to visit with some of our favorite friends in the industry to find out how they prepare their own homes for the holidays and see what Fig & Dove items are on their wish list!
What brings you the most joy during the Christmas season?
Having more time to spend with family and friends is definitely the best part of my Christmas season, and also that we take a little extra time to show our appreciation to everyone who makes our lives easier and more enjoyable, whether it’s the servers at our favorite restaurant or the hair stylist who always handles a beauty emergency. That said, I absolutely love having my house decorated; even enjoying my Starbucks hot chocolate at our breakfast table feels festive!
What is the one tradition you and your family talk about the most?
Our twin Elves on the Shelf — Bubbles and Jingles — have visited us every year since my twin boys were little. They engage in the craziest hi jinks, and you never know what you might find in the morning! Their antics have slowed down now that my boys are older, but it wouldn’t be Christmas without Bubbles and Jingles.
What is a recipe your family and friends look most forward to each holiday season?
A beloved friend (who is practically family) makes us a big batch of kifli every year. Kifli are a Hungarian pastry, rolled into a crescent shape, and they are incredibly time-consuming to make, which is why receiving them is such a special holiday treat. I have been known to hide half the batch from my family to make our kifli “stash" last longer! Our first stash was “lost in the mail” last year, and I’m convinced someone “accidentally” opened the box and decided to keep it for himself.
What are some of your favorite Fig & Dove items, and how would you style them?
The Acrylic Stocking Holders are absolute perfection. The acrylic and brass combination is luxe and gorgeous on its own, but the understated profile also doesn’t detract from anything else you may use on your mantel.
The Square Boxwood Wreath hangs in my breakfast room year-round, adorned with its Fortuny Piumette Sash (although I really need to build my sash collection). I hung it for Christmas last year and liked it so much that I just left it there! The wreath adds color and texture to a large bank of windows.
I’m crazy for the sculptural lines of the Silver Dove Bowl. It’s so pretty that it can be used empty as a styling piece, but for the holidays, it will be even more appealing when I’m chilling a bottle of my favorite Ruinart Rosé Brut champagne.
Someone should stop me from buying art pieces on Instagram, but I’ve found that theAcrylic Photo Framesare an easy and affordable way to display small works on paper. Let the collecting continue!
I adore our Kitzbuhel Velvet Stockingsthey look so beautiful hanging on our mantel. I need another stocking for Chloé (our puppy, whom you can follow on Instagram at @chloesaysbonjour), and I think I’m going to mix in an Alpaca Christmas Stocking for a coordinated (but not overly matchy) look. I might even monogram hers with a paw print, although a crown might be most appropriate!
