Athena Calderone on how to bring the outside in

A woman reading on a chair in her lounge with a dog on the floor next to her.

The New York member, interiors and entertaining guru behind EyeSwoon, and author of Live Beautiful, shares her love of foraging

‘I have received an abundance of requests with regards to branches and how best to adorn our homes. The best advice I can offer is to take a pair of clippers and step outside your door. Nature is always our greatest source of inspiration, but particularly right now. My favourite part? Even the dried out, fallen, or dead branches offer life to our homes, imparting both a sculptural and textural quality. And it’s free. Go on and forage in nature and see what you can find.’

Images courtesy of EyeSwoon

My tips and tricks
1. ‘Trim your branches and smash the cut edges with a hammer. This allows water to absorb into them and prolongs their lifespan.’

2. ‘Spin your vessel or walk around it as you arrange the branches, so you can get a 360 approach.’

3. ‘Remember that these branches are a piece of nature that you are bringing into your home and therefore are imperfect. Embrace asymmetry and do not cut them all to be the same height.’

4. ‘Branches can look equally as beautiful once the leaves have dried out.’

5. ‘These branches are thirsty – make sure you water them every day.’

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