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HOLIDAYS

HOLIDAYS, HOME ENTERTAINING, HOME STYLING

Colourful Place Settings

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We love dinner parties! From the great food and wine to the fantastic company, throwing dinner parties is such a great way to enjoy food, friends and family. We know that there are a lot of aspects that contribute to a great dinner party, and having a beautiful place setting is one of them! Putting together plates, napkins, placemats and glasses is a pretty basic thing to do .. but creating a beautiful place setting is more of a challenge! A dinner party is so elegant when the table is ready when guests arrive. We know from working with our clients that sometimes incorporating colour into places in your home can be intimidating – and we know your dinner table is no different! Well, fear no more! This blog is going to show you the best places to incorporate colour into your place settings without sending you running for the hills!

 

1. Start with a place mat or charger.

This is a FANTASTIC place to incorporate colour. Most people have a set of white or ivory dishes, which is perfectly fine! White is a timeless neutral and can be dressed up or dressed down, and also goes with everything! Add a charger underneath your dinner plates. Having a set of chargers is a great investment. They don’t have to be china, all they need to be is beautiful and to your taste! Chargers can be as inexpensive as you’d like, so having a few different sets won’t cost a fortune!

 

 

If you don’t have chargers, than a place mat is another great option. Colourful place mats are a great addition to your table & don’t have to break the bank! Colourful, patterned, textured, whatever you like! This gives your table a more refined look and adds a different element.

 

 

2. Mix up your serve ware.

 
Do you have a stunning set of china getting dusty in your buffet? Bring it out! Life is too short to worry about a chipped glass or plate. These beautiful items are meant to be used. Incorporating a vintage bowl on top of your white plate and colourful china adds another layer to your table and adds interest as well. Among all that, it’s a conversation starter! You can be sure one of your guests is going to ask about the beautiful dish that is in front of them. If your concerned about breakage still, maybe the bowl is just decorative. It can be moved off the plate upon dinner being ready.
 
Do you have a set of silver that never gets touched? Bring it out! Show off these family pieces or collectables. No one sees them hiding in a cabinet and adding different elements to your table scape makes it unique and personalized!
Colourful glassware is something we are seeing a lot of these days too! Tinted wine glasses, coloured water glasses, glasses with coloured stems, be creative! There are many places to add your flair.

 3. Add a table runner or table cloth

 
Depending on the formality of your party, adding a table cloth or table runner will add another layer, and an opportunity for more colour! There are so many fun patterns and colours of table linens available. If your charger/place mats, plates and bowls are all solid colours, this is the perfect place to add some pattern! It doesn’t have to be a crazy pattern like animal print, a simple subtle pattern would be beautiful too. Depending what you like, this options are truly unlimited. Are you having a formal party? Try a beautiful damask patterned table cloth. Is this a casual dinner with friends? A geometric table runner would add interest and variety to your table.

4. The Centerpiece

 

The best place to add colour. Fresh flowers, candles, you name it! Fresh flowers come in all shapes, sizes and colours. You could do one large vase, multiple small vases, vases in colours with neutral flowers, glass vases with bright flowers, vases with multicolored flowers… whatever you like! Do your thing!

Remember – keep it simple, keep it seasonal and have a great time,

 

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HOLIDAYS

DIY Christmas Tree Alternatives

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It’s December 1, is it feeling like Christmas time to you? For many this is the day to put up your tree and start celebrating the season

Whether you’re lacking in space or are opting out of a traditional Christmas tree for any number of reasons (the fact that they tend to become a fire hazard before they make it to the curb in my case), a DIY option might be the perfect alternative. We’ve rounded up five great, creative options from around the web , here are our great alternatives to traditional Christmas trees.

1.  Washi tape Christmas tree

2. Christmas Tree Cones

 3. Christmas Tree of Books

4. Popsicle stick Christmas trees

5. Christmas Lights Tree

I remember one year, as a child, we just didn’t get around to getting a tree (must of been a busy year…) Anyway, we really wanted one – so my sister, my brother and I made one out of construction paper and taped it to the wall.  We added Christmas cards and paper ornaments and of course, a star to top it all off.  My parents have great memories of us doing that together – and that’s what the holidays are all about – beautiful memories,

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HOLIDAYS, HOME ENTERTAINING, WE ANSWER WEDNESDAY

We Answer Wednesday – All About the Holiday Centerpieces

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“I am always looking at magazines for ideas for my centerpieces, but they all look so expensive and hard to put together. How can I get that look for my home?”

So many people are entertaining from home these days. This is a fad that many thought wouldn’t stick around but entertaining at home is typically more budget friendly and a great way to show off your beautiful home! There are a lot of different ways to throw a dinner party from a formal party to a backyard BBQ, but regardless of your type of party, 9 times out of 10, there will be a centerpiece on the dinner table.

Here are some suggestions on what to use as a centerpiece for your dinner parties.

Floral centerpieces

– are a classic and traditional option. There are so many different types of floral arrangements that can be present on your table. So how does one decide?
 

Incorporate a colour scheme

Part of hosting is making things look nice for your guests. Plan your floral arrangement based on a predetermined colour scheme. For example, if you have all white dishes and serve ware, incorporating another colour will enhance the table setting. Maybe you love purple and don’t own any purple dinner accessories. A centerpiece is a fabulous place to incorporate it. A white and purple floral arrangement would be a beautiful way to spice up your traditional white dishes.

There are so many sizes and shapes and styles of centerpieces to create. Depending on the size of your table, you may have the space to have multiple arrangements on the table. A series of small vases instead of one large arrangement gives your table a fresh look. It doesn’t have to be flowers either! As you can see in this photo, beautiful and bold lilacs in these oversized teal vases with glass bottles mixing in for fun make a big impact but the arrangement is so simple, paired with robin’s egg blue dinner plates and glasses set on the rough textured, reclaimed wood harvest table looks absolutely incredible for a spring dinner or wedding

 

Candles

Candles are another classic option for a center piece. These can be arranged in many different ways using various colours, sizes and textures. Candle centerpieces have so much DIY potential, and with sites like Pinterest and Houzz, the options are truly endless for what you can do! There’s no reason to go crazy expensive either… Simple is beautiful too. If you’re looking for a wow-factor, be creative with your arrangement, it will look great!!

Holiday Themed Centerpieces are so much fun.

For Christmas, try adding ornaments into a large dish. Throw in a little sparkle if you can! A little glitter by candle light will make your table shine.

When it comes to ‘dressing up’ your table think about these important points…

  1. Time of year, seasonal decor is easy to find so it won’t be a stressful endeavor to under take

  1. Type of gathering.  Is it formal? Casual? Family-friendly? Inside or Outside?  This will be vital when decide what to put on that table
  1. How crafty are you? There are tons of great ideas with glue guns, glitter and so much more but if you aren’t a crafty soul you could get stressed out, keep it simple, sometimes the simplest decor makes the most impact.
  1. Waste.  If you worry about waste think about edible centerpieces like fruit, candy, nuts or even beautiful artisan bread laid and displayed in a chic way.  If you opt for florals, think about how you could re-purpose the arrangements in your own home or give them away as a ‘prize’ like you often see at Weddings.

 

 

You can do so much with basics like ribbon, mason jars, flowers, paint, glitter, flowers, twigs, burlap, leaves, pumpkins, nuts, fruit, coffee beans, candles and other basics from around the home, the possibilities are really endless…

 

We love the look of a simple and seasonal centerpiece – celebrate the beauty that surrounds you everyday and embrace it!

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HOLIDAYS

Step-by-Step (professional) Tips : How to Decorate Your Christmas Tree

We took some time just  before the holiday season to talk to experts to get the best step-by-step tips on How To Decorate Your Christmas Tree this year. 

Before you start think about the overall look you want, check out sites like Pinterest for ideas.  A white tree can be very funky or elegant depending on the choice of ornaments and colour theme.  Do you have high ceilings? A 9′ ft tree might be a perfect fit for the room.  There is so much selection of Christmas decor nowadays the possibilities are truly endless.

Step 1: Make sure you like the placement of the tree, it could be tricky to move it later.

*Fluff the tree (if artificial) and add lights (if your tree isn’t pre-lit).

*Keep the lights on while decorating the tree. Add the tree skirt now, so you don’t knock any of the decor off later

Step 2: Add the garland.

*Start about 1/5th the way down from the top of the tree.
 
*Use floral wire to attach the garland or twist branches together if the tree is artificial. If you want to keep it super simple, look for ribbon garland with wire so it is easy to twist around the tree.
 

*Run at an angle around the tree: 2-3 times around a 6′ tree and 3-4 times around a 9′ tree.

Step 3: Add oversized ornaments and decorations.

 *Use 2-3 oversized items on a 6′ tree and 3-4 items on a 9′ tree.
 
*Lanterns and/or urns work great on a tree.  Just remember to make sure they are sturdily wired in place and add filler.  And don’t use a live flame on candles!
 
*Place the largest pieces toward the bottom of the tree.
 
*Mix the items up.  They don’t all need to match

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Step 4: Add ornaments.

 *First, place larger ornaments on the inside of the tree for added dimension.
 
*Next, place a few large ornaments toward the outside of the tree.  This is where you’ll want to put the ornaments that you want to showcase.
 
*Use long ornaments to help fill empty spaces.

 

Step 5: Tweak, tweak and then tweak some more.

 *Step back from your tree and it examine it throughout the process. Do you have too much of one colour in a certain area? Have certain styles of ornaments clumped together? Does the decor look even/balanced?
 

*Make tweaks as you go.

Step 6: You’re finished!

 Now pat yourself on the back and enjoy the oohs and aahs of your family and friends!

Enjoy the ‘tree trimming’ – play some music, take your time and relax – it doesn’t have to look perfect! It’s a part of the celebration of the Christmas season,

 

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