Elegant Gold Gilt Pears

A few years ago I found myself getting into a bit of a rut in my Dining Room with Christmas decor. If I find pieces that I like, it's easy for me to rely on the same look from one year to the next. I have a lot of vintage "kitch-y" fun stuff that I use in the Garden Room, but in the Dining Room I like to do something a little more French Country. Tartan plaid can still be found in here, but I've wanted to try some new/different ideas with a more elegant country vibe.

I have an old window box that I salvaged from two houses ago. I used them the first few years we lived there, but they started to fall apart from wood rot, so we retired them. One was completely beyond hope, but my husband put the other back together for me. After a good clean out and paint refresh I used it a few times at that house for a centerpiece box at Christmas. Since we moved it's been here in my storage area just waiting for the right occasion. 

So this year I used my 3 preserved boxwood topiary trees with some faux greenery, faux hydrangeas, and then for some color I added green and gold pears.

I love the look of the pears, but they needed a little dressing up for Christmas. I first thought about using Run N Buff, but I couldn't locate any here at the house. I searched through my paint stash and found this DecoArt metallic paint and decided to give that a try. I didn't want a solid look, but something more like a gold "wash". 

It worked perfectly, and I just used one light to medium coat of paint.

These two pics are when the paint was still wet, 

so it looks a little more dense.

It took about 5 hours for it to dry completely, and then I painted the bottom once the main part had dried. I was really happy with how you could see the golds, greens, and rusts of the pears through the gold paint. It gave a nice metallic sheen of gold without obliterating the look of the faux fruit.

Faux pears are one of my favorite "bowl fillers" throughout the year. I use them from late summer till late winter. They also work well as an alternative to pumpkins for Fall.

I think they turned out really pretty, and a little more elegant. A no cost (for me), easy dress up for my Christmas table centerpiece in the dining room. I'll share more pics of the Dining Room next week.

Did you catch my last post?

Here's another elegant little pear.

Are you all decorated for Christmas?

...almost.

Have a great weekend, friends.

come by and join in on All About Home Link Party

on Monday evenings at 6:00 Central.

joining in here:

The House on Silverado

Love Your Creativity at Life and Linda, 

All About Home at Common Ground and Follow the Yellow Brick Home
Inspire Me Monday at My Uncommon Slice of Suburbia
Met Monday at Between Naps on the Porch 

  Inspire Me Tuesday at A Stroll Thru Life

Make it Pretty Monday at The Dedicated House
   Wonderful Wednesday at LeCultivateur 

Turnabout Tuesday at My Wee Abode,  Share Your Style at French Ethereal
Centerpiece Wednesday at Karin's Kottage

Vintage Charm at Our Hopeful Home,  

Thursday Favorite Things at Follow the Yellow Brick Home,  

Create, Bake, and Grow at Shabby Art Boutique, 

Farmhouse Friday at The Painted Hinge