At Laura's parents' New Orleans pied-a-terre, feathered eucalyptus overflows an antique French pickling jar filled with ripe persimmons.
With the arrival of the holidays comes a calendar full of gatherings and parties. And what better way to show appreciation to a gracious host than with a gift that can be used for the next celebration—and many more to come. Interior designer and antiquarian Laura Roland shares her “Must-Haves for the Modern-Day Host.” The essential antique and vintage gifts on this list are sure to please any entertainer—even the one who has everything.
1. Antique Breadboard – Round or rectangular, English or French, an antique breadboard makes a pretty yet practical gift. Its timeworn patina brings warmth into a clean, contemporary kitchen and offers a forgiving surface for chopping veggies and serving charcuterie.
2. Antique Bottle Carrier – Once reserved for hauling milk jugs, an antique bottle carrier makes a fun, colorful caddy for flatware when entertaining outdoors or buffet-style.
3. Old Paris Porcelain – A favorite of Marie Antoinette, the hand-painted serving pieces in this centuries-old collection work double duty today. Fill a finger bowl with olives, lemon wedges, or other accoutrements, or use a plate to hold a grouping of pilar candles.
4. Antique Pickling Jar – Ranging in hues from emerald to olive green, an antique pickling jar is strong in stature which makes it the perfect weight and height for arranging tall branches or long-stemmed flowers (see arrangement above).
5. Antique Tea Caddy – It’s a gift that even the coffee lover will cherish. These handsome boxes corral anything and everything from corks or matchbooks on a bar to car keys on a console.
Tour of one of Laura’s favorite design projects—her parents’ historic French Quarter pied-à-terre, and see her antique-lover’s library in our Baton Rouge Showhouse.
By Margaret Zainey Roux