The season outside: outdoor decorations inspired by nature

on the coast

Chances are, all you need to make beautiful decorations in minutes is right outside your back door. In Pajaro, California, for example, we paired natural materials with accessories in cool coastal colors to decorate a deck in a breezy beach style. Although the palette of greens and grasses varies around the West, the mantra is the same: Simple and natural can be stunning.

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* Sea swag. A eucalyptus branch from a coastal canyon, embellished with a green ribbon and a starfish ($4 from Tuvalu Home Environment; www.tuvaluhome.com or 949/429-5671), dresses a gate.

* Dunes tree. Starfish and glass balls deck the tree. Gifts are wrapped to match the ornaments' hues.

* Sea glass lanterns. Short pillar candles centered in 8-inch-tall glass vases nestle in frosty blue sea glass (available at craft or aquarium supply stores).

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in the valley

Oak woodlands, grassy hills, and a Mediterranean-style patio inspired the decorations pictured here. Winter days are dry enough to linger outdoors at San Francisco restaurateur Pat Kuleto's Kuleto Estate Winery in Napa Valley; an olive leaf wreath and silvery onion flowers in an urn make the perfect backdrop.

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* Night lights. Strings of amber lights (each 50 feet long, $110; from the Gardener, see below) glow on a massive oak, while glass-and-wire lanterns edge the patio.

* Patio bouquet. Bay leaves encircle dried onion flowers spray-painted silver.

* Allium "snowflakes." Dried allium flower heads, spray-painted silver, dress a patio at White Sulphur Springs Inn and Spa in St. Helena, CA. DESIGNS ON THIS PAGE: Donna Tingle, the Gardener, Healdsburg, CA (www.thegardener.com or 707/431-1063)

* Olive wreath. Fresh olive branches, harvested from California groves, from this 16-by 18-inch rectangular wreath. It's available online for $50 plus shipping (and includes 6 feet of wired gold ribbon) from Lindsay Olive (www.lindsayolives.com or 800/801-1469). Proceeds benefit America's Second Harvest. Order by December 15 for delivery nationwide.

PHOTOGRAPHS BY THOMAS J. STORY

COPYRIGHT 2005 Sunset Publishing Corp.
COPYRIGHT 2005 Gale Group