Gilded Botanical Specimens
Celebrate the natural beauty of autumn foliage with a touch of mid-century modern glamour. Gilded botanical specimens involve collecting fallen leaves with unique shapes—such as oak, maple, and ginkgo—and preserving them in double-glass floating frames with delicate gold leaf accents. This sophisticated DIY brings the changing colors of the outdoors inside in a highly curated, artistic way.
Press your collected leaves between heavy books for a few days to ensure they are completely flat and dry. Using a small brush, apply gold gilding paint or delicate gold leaf sheets to half of each leaf, creating a striking contrast between the natural brown or red organic matter and the brilliant, reflective metal. Arrange the leaves inside brass floating frames and hang them in a grid pattern on your wall for an elegant, museum-quality display.