Those who dislike autumn often talk about it as the season of death and dying. I see it differently. I see autumn as the gateway to rebirth.
After all the party-party of summer, it’s time to get reflective. It’s time for simple pot roasts and soft mufflers and soul-searching. And there is no better metaphor for pulling inward than the trees right outside our windows.
They’re shedding their finery and baring their skeletons and getting quiet for a while. And so, our ode to those trees — and the enlightened days ahead.
— Karen Klages, kklages@tribune.com
Dusk in the forest? We felt it in this moody, shadowy Branch Out wallpaper from the Scottish company Timorous Beasties.
Cost: about $153 for a 10-meter roll (32.8 feet). At timorousbeasties.com
Faux Bois Branches Candelabra (also above) from Wisteria is made of resin and stands 15 1/2 inches tall.
Cost: $89. At wisteria.com or 800-320-9757
Fox River Grove artist Sandy James searches her gardens for leaves and branches to turn into sculpture (and jewelry). She coats them in copper and finishes with an interesting patina. Three White Oak branch sculptures with a bronzy patina are shown.
Cost: five leaves, $176; three leaves $118; two leaves $72. At ofnature.com or 847-639-1829
No bit of willow goes unappreciated in Kiko Zimmerman’s flower shop. She saves all the scraps/sticks, cuts them into even smaller pieces, ties them together with wire and creates a woodsy sheath over a glass vase. Old Japanese printmaking patterns are her inspiration. We used this one (12 inches tall, 9 inches wide) to hold a candle.
Cost: $75. At Kiko’s Flower and Gifts, 127 N. Northwest Hwy., Park Ridge, 847-696-4226, www.kikokiko.com
Looking for a polished twist on the natural look? The Enchanted Forest Cafe Table (31 inches high, 38 inches diameter) accommodates a couple of chairs and is meant for a small dining space. The finish is oxidized copper.
Cost: $2,855. At michaelaram.com
