In partnership with
Maayan Zilberman’s
holiday party palette matches
the opulence of the season.
PHOTOGRAPHY BY Cody Guilfoyle
WORDS BY Ann Binlot
Candy
Eye
“I love anything that refers
to coming full circle, rejuvenation, and rebirth.”
Circle
Game Changer
Make Mocktail
After the birth of her now two-and-a-half-year-old daughter, the artist and candymaker realized just how enriching it is to be around feminine energy. “As we get older, we settle into home life and our immediate family and forget how much fun we have with our peers—and how important it is to gather and share our experiences,” she says.
Her holiday planning starts with creating the perfect guest list (her magic number is six friends). Next comes the styling. Zilberman says she’s never been one for traditional holiday decor: “It makes me feel like I’m dressing up like some other family,” she notes. “Instead, I prefer the motif of circles, which symbolize the completion of a full year and regeneration.” She takes pieces she would use everyday and makes them more festive. Think: Opulent glassware, candlesticks, and other objects from CB2’s holiday offering in a fresh color palette of burgundy, mauve, and softer gold that mirror the indulgence of the season.
Finally, her intimate gatherings follow a formula she’s used for decades. They incorporate some sort of activity, like candle making or cookie decorating, and themed food buffets — “one time it was ‘tacky ‘70s cookbook’ platters,” recounts Zilberman. She finishes the evening off with drinks — “one friend had just gotten sober, so we did a dry cocktail night” — and of course, a fun party favor — “usually the product of whatever we’ve made as a group, packaged in a gorgeous box or recycled fabric pouch.”
However, Zilberman’s hosting secret is research. She makes sure to take note of her guests’ interests and passions to create a more personal experience. Although she grew up in an observant Jewish household, these days, her circle is more diverse — and she wants everyone to feel included in her family’s home, a Brooklyn Heights apartment where her partner, Alex, spent his childhood. “It’s so important that everyone feels appreciated and remembered,” says Zilberman. “The best part is when new connections are made through making things together. The party lives on through friendship.”
Zilberman, who keeps her holiday decorations non-denominational, recommends focusing on a recurring shape or motif throughout your home to make it more cohesive. “I'm celebrating more of the new year and starting on a new page, rather than a specific religious holiday,” she says, noting she gravitates towards circular shapes and rounded edges. On the mantle, constructivist candlesticks are interspersed with large-scale glass ornaments and a glass dish filled with her crystalline candy. On the coffee table, a footed sandstone vessel, filled with another group of ornaments, a brass-accented cloche (that elevates even the simplest of candles), and a decorative rose-colored bowl, help create a lounge-style environment, while keeping with the theme. Zilberman likes spheres because they represent several things to her: the shape of the planets, the sun, and the moon; they make you feel as if you’re looking forward into the future; and as a candymaker, they’re reminiscent of bonbons. “I love anything that refers to coming full circle, rejuvenation, and rebirth,” she says.
“In our home we celebrate the holidays by putting away anything to do with work, and we pull out all the games,” she says, noting they can also be great design pieces to keep on display. A marble checkers set or oversized tic-tac-toe board, or holographic gold foil tarot cards look good and serve as an icebreaker during parties to get the mingling started, or an activity for guests to play later in the night. Zilberman prefers to use a mix of the permanent and the ephemeral, scattering her vibrant candy dominoes and chess pieces throughout for a quick treat.
Zilberman doesn’t drink, and neither do most of her friends, so her holiday get-togethers are alcohol-free. To make delicious ‘cocktails,’ she recommends mixing good sparkling water, which can be displayed in an Art Deco-style decanter, with Optimist Botanicals’ Alcohol-Free Spirits. “The real fun of it is the garnishing, like with a cherry, or an olive, or cranberries, or a little sprig of rosemary,” she says—or the glassware, like a taller-than-usual martini coupe, a ribbed tumbler, or a tapered flute. “It's just about making it look pretty.” Sending a special treat — usually a tiny bottle of a drink, or “potion,” as she calls it — home with the guests makes the evening more memorable. “It’s a sweet reminder of our time together, and the scent and taste bring back the sensory memories of the holiday,” she adds.
Sweet Saba’s Maayan Zilberman loves a good gathering.
FULL
it a
in partnership with
Make Mocktail
it a
Make Mocktail
it a
VIDEOGRAPHY BY Quinn Meyers
PROP STYLING BY Randi Brookman Harris
WORDS BY Ann Binlot | PHOTOGRAPHY BY Cody Guilfoyle