HOME FOR THE HOLIDAYS
Volume One: Lucia Zolea
In this chapter of Home For The Holidays, we’re welcomed into Lucia Zolea’s recently restored home, where collected treasures and thoughtful details create the perfect setting for a season of gathering, cooking and celebration - all guided by her soulful, considered eye.
Are there any holiday traditions from your childhood that you now find yourself recreating in your own home?
Growing up my mom and I always decorate the tree together. We would get all of the boxes of decorations out of the garage and talk and laugh while we decorated. It is something I really cherished and this year I got to decorate with my daughter which was really special.
How do you prepare your home in the lead-up to the holidays? Are there rituals that signal the start of the season for you?
I love to bring the outside in. All of our hydrangeas from the Summer have dried so I made lots of dried bouquets for the Winter season. We also have loads of Holly trees in the yard and I love to decorate our mantle and tables with them.
Is there a recipe that has been passed down through your family that you treasure making at this time of year?
My favorite recipe that I look forward to every year is my mother's tri color italian rainbow cookies. Every year she makes a large batch that we devour and give to friends and family. I haven't yet attempted to make them on my own but this year would be a good one to start!
How have your holiday traditions evolved since becoming a mother / starting your own family?
I feel like since becoming a mom I want the Holidays to be magic for Jane. In return it makes them feel more magical to me and my husband. In my experience having a child truly lets you live the best years of your life again and again through their eyes. Now we decorate, bake cookies, drink hot chocolate, and watch old Christmas claymation movies together. I want that togetherness and feelings of warmth as memories for Jane.
How does your personal style shift as the season becomes more festive?
I crave more fun, more color, more accessories! The holidays make me want to wear a crystal hair piece and embellished shoes. It is such a special time in life - it makes me want to dress with more attention to detail and to the ornate.
Is there an object in your home - a decoration, a cookbook, a piece of tableware - that holds festive significance to you?
When I moved into our house, during our first Christmas, my aunt gifted my husband and I a fabulous collection of antique glass Christmas ornaments for our tree. She is such a special person in my life and I think of her every time I see them. The power of a gift!
After completing your renovation, what does “home” mean to you now?
We have so much left to do in our home but every small step brings me a joy that I can't describe. Home is everything to me. It is a resemblance of our hearts, our hard work, our love, our life together.
Now that you’re celebrating in a newly renovated space, have any of your holiday traditions taken on new meaning?
With the renovations we have done, the home feels so much more cozy and comfortable. It allows the ease to make those new and lasting memories.
If you could preserve one feeling from the holidays and carry it into the new year, what would it be?
Gratitude! Every season I get to spend with my family and loved ones is one I will forever cherish. I want to carry those feelings of warmth, gratitude, and love with me always.