The Morning Garden by Paloma Contreras, Nature Notes of an Edwardian Lady, and The Nat Note x Antonio Melani

Welcome to TGP Tidbits where we round up the happenings and our musings of the design industry each week. This week we take a look at The Nat Note x Antonio Melani, Nature Notes of an Edwardian Lady, and The Morning Garden by Paloma Contreras. Written by Natalie Aldridge.

The Nat Note x Antonio Melani

We’re ringing in the holidays with a touch of sparkle and a dash of storybook glamour. The latest collaboration between Antonio Melani and Natalie Steen, the style curator behind The Nat Note, brings a festive spirit to Dillard’s that feels timeless, fun, and refreshingly modern.

Natalie, beloved for her discerning eye and signature newsletter, has translated her taste for print, texture, and polish into a collection made for celebration. Metallic jacquards, velvet suiting, and perfect party dresses, come together in an edit that balances charm with sophistication. Each piece feels ready for candlelit dinners, holiday soirées, and every moment that calls for a little shimmer.

Much like a beautifully layered interior, The Nat Note for Antonio Melani is about composition and detail. Textures that catch the light, silhouettes that flatter, and a sense of joy that runs through it all. It is a reminder that great style, like great design, is an act of storytelling and that there is always room for a bit of sparkle.

Available exclusively at Dillard’s, this is the collection to wear for the season’s most memorable moments.Festive, feminine, and entirely enchanting. The full collection is available here.

Nature Notes of an Edwardian Lady

There is a certain kind of beauty that feels lost to time. The quiet poetry of everyday life, the gentle noticing of seasons, and the art of true observation are among the many graces so often lost to modern life. Edith Holden’s Nature Notes of an Edwardian Lady, newly released by Rizzoli, is a rare glimpse into that gentler world.

Rizzoli, Nature Notes, p.127, Rowena Stott

Rizzoli, Nature Notes, p.123, Rowena Stott

Best known for her beloved Country Diary of an Edwardian Lady, Holden created this companion volume in 1905 and 1906, recording in exquisite detail the changing landscapes around her Warwickshire home. Every page is a work of art, combining delicate watercolor studies of flora and fauna with reflective notes on the natural rhythms of the English countryside. It is a book that feels alive, each brushstroke and looping letter breathing with intent and wonder.

Rizzoli, Nature Notes, p.173, Rowena Stott

Rizzoli, Nature Notes, p.40, Rowena Stott

Much like the interiors we cherish most, Nature Notes is layered with meaning and memory. Its pages remind us that beauty often lies in the smallest gestures such as a grouping of wild flowers, the changing of the leaves, or even a tiny bird. Holden’s vision is one of harmony, patience, and presence, the same virtues that define a well-lived, well-designed life.

Rizzoli, Nature Notes, p.33, Rowena Stott

Rizzoli, Nature Notes, p.5, Rowena Stott

Presented in a finely bound edition by Rizzoli Universe, Nature Notes of an Edwardian Lady is not merely a collector’s treasure but an invitation to slow down. It belongs as much on the drawing-room table as it does beside a garden window, a testament to the enduring grace of art, nature, and observation.

Rizzoli, Nature Notes, Cover, Rowena Stott

The Morning Garden by Paloma Contreras

For this year’s Kips Bay Decorator Show House Dallas, designer Paloma Contreras unveiled The Morning Garden, a serene, sunlit retreat that channels the beauty of morning light and the timeless taste of Bunny Mellon. Created as an ode to nature’s quiet beauty, the space captures the soft radiance of dawn through a delicate palette, hand-painted de Gournay wallpaper, and a refined layering of pattern and texture. And this week, we’re diving deeper into her extraordinary room, a space that embodies Paloma’s signature blend of elegance and warmth.

Photos courtesy of Aimée Mazzenga

Bathed in natural light, every surface feels alive. Woven rattan mingles with tailored upholstery, floral prints whisper alongside ticking stripes, and sculptural lighting casts a gentle glow across the space. The room strikes that elusive balance between comfort and formality, where nothing feels overly precious yet everything is considered. Contreras invites us into a moment of calm elegance, a place where one could linger over coffee, read by the window, or simply watch the light shift throughout the day.

Like all of Paloma’s work, The Morning Garden is a celebration of craftsmanship and collaboration. Her thoughtful attention to proportion, detail, and mood creates a timeless interior that feels as natural as it does refined. With the soft optimism of morning and the composure of classic design, the room stands as one of this year’s most graceful tributes to beauty, serenity, and the art of living well.

Every inch of the space tells a story of artistry, patience, and the joy of creating something that feels both intimate and inspiring. From the bespoke de Gournay walls to the curated mix of antiques and custom furnishings, Contreras’s vision unfolds like a painter’s study in light and texture. The Morning Garden is not merely a showhouse moment but a reminder that great design, much like morning itself, has the power to renew, uplift, and quietly transform the way we live.