Interior Design and Garden Projects

We Gather Together ...

...to ask the Lord’s blessing. A favorite song or sentiment around many Thanksgiving tables across America. This cultural holiday tends to focus on the food served. I thought it would be fun to explore ways to enliven and enrich the sense of “gathering” with family and friends.

GATHER IDEAS

If your home will be the gathering place, begin early planning by asking your guests for input on the meal and activities. Or, if you prefer to set the menu, scan and email food and beverage recipes to willing guest cooks. Possibly, you found a new twist on an old favorite that you just know your sister would enjoy bringing.

GATHER MEMORIES

To make your Thanksgiving table a more meaningful gathering spot, ask guests to bring a small object to add to their place setting. This item will serve as a conversation piece when they share their “thanks-giving”.

Or, surprise your guests, and place an item at each dinner setting which reminds you of how they have touched your life. Get creative and have fun. The simplest of items can evoke a cornucopia of memories and gratitude. It will spark other guests to relate similar stories about someone gathered at the table. Voila! recognition and appreciation are served with style!

GATHER PERSONAL TOUCHES

An event lingers with us when we’ve been individually affected. Create simple, personalized touches to let each guest sense their uniqueness. Photo place cards can be rendered via computer or by hand – a nice children’s art project. Clean white plates (think Dollar Tree), either salad or entree size, can have each guest’s initial or monogram stenciled or hand-painted. Even, clear glassware can be personalized with simple to do etching or painting. Local craft stores sell the products you’ll need.

GATHER MUSIC

Create a collection of music that appeals to every generation of your guests. Send a CD home with each guest with liner notes identifying which song belongs to each relative or friend. It’s another layer of sentiment that says you care and builds a bond between loved ones.

GATHER PHOTOS

Create a movie CD, album or photo board - a virtual family reunion around the TV throughout the day or after dinner. When an out-of-town relative cannot make it to the gathering, include them via photos or videos. Even more fun, ask them to send photos that they have which possibly no one else has ever seen. So many opportunities for laughter and reminiscence will be born of this creative endeavor. Techy-teens can thrive with a project like this and it enhances their sense of belonging in a larger family – so put it on their chore list soon!

GATHER DECOR

Decide whether you’ll serve buffet style or sit-down. Buffet service is visually more appealing by creating height differences between dishes (think, catering service style). I like to use table cloths over large baking pans to provide solid support for casserole dishes. Pedestal cake plates make lovely presentations of finger foods. Incorporate fresh flowers and/or dried natural materials for an interplay of texture and harvest color. Play with these buffet service idea and create solutions unique to you to layout a beautiful Thanksgiving meal.

For sit-down meals, try some original decorative touches:

• Use upside down martini glasses as pillar candle holders and display something pretty in the bowl area beneath. Place three to five down the center of the table for best effect. Add small vases of floral nosegays in between.

• Hollow out mini pumpkins to hold tea lights or votive candles.

• Buy conical shaped Styrofoam and attach autumnal elements, e.g., acorns, dried kumquats, nuts with hot glue. Alternatively, attach small fresh fruit or gourds with toothpicks or bamboo skewers, depending on the weight of the decoration. Place the centerpiece on an appropriate metal, wood or glass base. A charger plate or silver tray works well. Add Fall leaves to the base and place the cone in the middle.


Your gathering will take on extra meaning as your creativity blossoms for your family and guests to enjoy.  Happy Thanksgiving 2010, everyone.

My Life As Guitar Strings

Found this message from God on a piece of lined yellow pad paper from January 26, 2009:

"Oh, Lord God, what is Your word to me today?"

"I sing a song of peace over you.  My soul, the heart and nature of Me, reaches to your soul for connection.  I want vibrancy in our relationship.  Think of a guitar string being played, see it vibrate at the musician's touch.  Be like that string.  Allow Me to make music of your life -- what a world of music awaits us.  My touch, your response.  Vibrancy."

TABLE TALK

     The excitement of holiday entertaining is building as I see store displays of linens, tableware and accessories. This month I’ll share a few favorite ideas for your dinner table to become a delight for your guests.

NAPKIN FOLDS (directions and images borrowed from bhg.com)

Dinnertime Surprise: what a fun treat for family and friends at your Thanksgiving, Hanukkah and Christmas tables!  (Please excuse the off-season palette of the photo.)

1. Fold a napkin in half from top to bottom, forming a rectangle.

2. With folded edge at top, secure napkin with your finger in the center of the top fold.
3. Fold the left and right corners down to meet at thee middle of the open bottom edge.
4. Flip this large triangle over, and turn so that the long side is on top.
5. Securing napkin with your finger at the center of the top edge, fold the right and left corners down to meet at the bottom edge.
6. Turn napkin over and, if desired, tuck a gift inside the opening.
[Hint: for a crisper look, press folds with an iron after each step. Sturdy fabrics, such as linen or cotton, work better than do shiny or satiny fabrics.]

     Flowering Flourish: this fold offers an array of decorating possibilities. A variety of plain colored napkins, a collection of patterned napkins, or a blend of both will create a very pretty and interesting design. You also have endless options for the decorative accent on the napkin.

     For the accent, think of using natural elements such as acorns or nuts hot glued to a piece of 1" grosgrain or satin ribbon. If you like sparkle or glimmer, use metallic spray paint on natural elements or used accents purchased at your local craft store. Your children might enjoy making decorative accents from holiday stickers adhered to pretty paper or colored cardboard fashioned into a napkin ring.

1. Fold a napkin of plain or patterned fabric from left to right, then from top to bottom to form a square.

2. Turn the square so open corners are at the bottom.

3. Beginning at the open corners, roll the napkin at a diagonal to the opposite corner.

4. Wrap with a ring, or tie with twine or ribbon, two-thirds up from the narrow bottom.

5. For a center piece, place individual napkins into several medium-size crystal or glass vases. For individual table settings, place in a tall drinking glass. For your buffet table, create a bouquet by placing all the napkins in a large bowl.

PLACE SETTINGS

     Consider buying new patterned salad plates or scouring thrift shops, antique stores and yard sales to collect a melange of designs. Each person gets an individual place setting and your table is a lot more interesting. You can tell the story of finding each plate. Keep to a cohesive palette when designing an eclectic look for your table decor.

     I love the look of colored stemware or serving ware on a table. A stimulating visual presentation is created by using a combination of clear and colored glass, smooth and etched surfaces.

    The layered look offers such a plethora of decorating possibilities. With your plain or patterned tablecloth as the base, begin building up your design theme with a charger plate, dinner plate, salad plate and then your soup bowl or napkin on top. Or, a contemporary look can be created by using a long flat rectangular napkin fold and then placing the napkin between the salad and dinner plates – either vertically or horizontally.

     Your flatware placement offers a variety of options. One new option is to place the knife and fork vertically atop your salad plate or shallow soup bowl and then adding the spoon horizontally. If you use a soup spoon, then place the dessert spoon at the top of the place setting beside your stemware.

     Salt!! My newest fun addition to the dining table is sea salts. Visit thejacksonvillemercantile.com and get introduced to the amazing array of healthful, mineral rich salts. Flavored pepper blends are great also. I place them in cute little bowls for guests to try new taste treats.

     If you have small framed photographs of family and friends, these can be added at each place setting or scattered among your centerpiece in the middle of the table. Your guests will feel extra special being included in the beauty of your table.

     Wishing each of my readers an extraordinarily enjoyable and beautiful holiday season, Cheryl

THE SENSUAL HOME

     As Autumn approaches with all of its splendor and riot of outdoor colors, we also know that we’ll soon be spending a lot more time indoors. Everything in an environment affects us. The sharing of space with other people creates challenges that can sometimes be easily addressed. To make our homes even more inviting and comforting for the cold months ahead, let’s explore the Five Senses and how they can translate into home decorating.

     A sensual home wraps you in comfort and delight. It can ignite and feed your passionate nature. Jot down your favorites in each of the five senses. Commit to give yourself a few sensual treats to ward off winter doldrums.

SIGHT

     Oh, the delight of visual pleasures like candlelight, fire flames, raindrops on window panes, drifting snowflakes and reflections in dark nighttime windows! What do you want to look at during the winter? Are photos on display that bring you a sense of connection to loved ones and cherished memories? Is the art on your walls more than decorative – does it reach your soul?

      Do your walls have color or pattern that make you feel good? Reconsider those white walls. On an overcast day, they can create a mood-dampening atmosphere.

     Change your window treatments to rich warm colors in heavier weight textiles (velvet, corduroy, wool challis). Use thermal lining and you get energy-savings as well.

     The right lighting is a key element to feeling good in your home. If major changes are not in the budget, a simple solution is to add canister uplights to brighten and warm cold, dark corners. Similarly, adding low-wattage picture lights to your artwork adds a nice glow on chilly days and evenings. Also, plug-in wall sconces add great layering to your lighting scheme; covers are available to hide the cord.

SOUND

     Beyond the din of electronic media, do you have pleasing sounds to meet your emotional needs for comfort or energy? Have you reviewed your music collection and organized your very favorite selections so they are readily available?

     One antidote for a gray, cold day is playing tropical, summery songs with Latin and Jamaican rhythms to lift your spirit and get you moving! Many people find comfort in chimes, gongs, running water fountains, even a faux fireplace DVD with the snap, crackle, pop! sounds of burning wood.

TASTE

     Treat yourself to a few favorite taste sensations or be adventurous and find some new things. Your local specialty foods store (e.g., Jacksonville Mercantile - Jacksonville, Oregon; Whole Foods Market; Oakville Grocery - Yountville, California) or ethnic market would be great places to start your treasure hunt.

     Keep fresh fruit and nuts in a bowl in easy access for TV or movie time. Enjoy that delectable chocolate nibble now and then. Incorporate favorite comfort foods like healthy, hearty stews and soups into the winter menu.

TOUCH

     What textures do you enjoy? The surface of denuded madrone tree bark can be captured indoors by having smooth stones, finished wood objects, leather surfaces and similar things to touch in your favorite sitting area.

     The gnarly feel of an oak tree can be enjoyed indoors on woven reed boxes, carved wood pieces, and bamboo or twig placemats and table runners.

     The cozy softness of a rabbit’s fur can be translated into home decorating with a luscious throw to curl up in - silk velvets and faux furs are yummy! 
 

SMELL

     There a myriad of ways to satisfy your sense of smell. Scented candles, essential oil diffusers, incense, simmering pots of fragrance, stew and soup, oven-baked breads and casseroles, hot baths and showers with fragrant gels and salts – think spicy and invigorating or mellow and soothing. Ask your dwelling mates what their favorite aromas are. See where you agree and fill your rooms with those delights.

DISCOVERIES

     You may find that being indoors more causes you to discover an area of your home that actually assaults one or more of your senses. Yikes! I hate opening that closet and seeing that clutter. Whooeeeee! My son’s bedroom reeks of athletic shoes and under-the-bed hidden food. Eek! That tile floor is so cold under my feet. Decide to address these problems quickly and you’ll open the door to even more pleasure at home.

     To quote one of my favorite interior designers, Clodagh: “To truly support us, a home has to stretch beyond its material properties and sustain our complex human needs.” Stretch your imagination.  Live in a home you love – one that loves you back.

(c) 2009 Cheryl von Tress Design, LLC  All rights reserved.

A DECORATING PANTRY

       The adage, “familiarity breeds contempt,” can be especially true of decorative accessories in your home. Your eye tires of seeing the same vignettes. That vase on the same table with the same tired-looking flowers month after month. The painting that has not changed location for years. The spent candles now cast anything but a warm glow.

       Photo A

       My remedy?  Develop a pantry of decorating accessories and move things around once in a while. It may be that certain artwork can only be located on certain walls due to its size and shape.  However, when possible, switch out your paintings and pictures at least once every two years or at a minimum, change the decorative accessories nearby.
       Accessories can be anything that your eye finds pleasing and, if properly displayed, will bring a sense of beauty to your room.  To develop your cache of decorative objects, you can look to various sources, e.g. home decor departments, internet sites, nature and your own collection of treasured things.


WHAT’S ON YOUR SHELF? 
       A decorating pantry might store various things:
       – candles (varied in shape, size and color), votive holders and candle sticks; 
       – vases and bowls (wood, metal, glass, ceramic, pottery) of different scale and size;

       – dried floral items, e.g. seed pods, “chocolate” artichokes, kumquats on a stem, leggy branches (these can be spray painted for seasonal touches) and more;

       – stone, metal and wood objects d’art to rotate on tabletops;

– seasonal changes of table and bed linens, curtain panels and pillows;
– photos of family and friends – move from room to room or switch out the display on your walls and flat surfaces; and
– memorabilia from vacations, family heirlooms and children’s handiwork.
       The key is to have a place to store these items. Closets, drawers, clear plastic bins or tubs of woven or fabric material with good accessibility work well. To make seasonal or rotational changes quickly, assure that you can change out items easily.
       Admittedly, I have a few vignettes and plantscapes that have been in place for a while. To sharpen the visual aesthetics, I add cut flowers and freshen my home decor by bringing in new accessories, fabrics, linens and house plants to breathe an air of newness.



Photo B

A FRESH COAT OF PAINT
       Another little trick to employ: so many existing or new items can be transformed with a simple coat of spray paint. Krylon brand Fusion spray paint has been a great decorating find. My former collection of glazed outdoor pottery is now a glossy black to give my front entry a contemporary flair. Woven vinyl outdoor armchairs received a coat of black spray paint and ‘Voila!’ they transformed from drab to fab in a manner of minutes. Your tired-looking woven or wood trays and baskets also come alive with a new paint finish.

GET FRESH!  INVIGORATE YOUR DECOR

       Garden trimmings are an easy, quick way to freshen a room. Easy-care houseplants can be created with peace lily plants placed directly into water in clear container with a base of rocks. I add a little liquid fertilizer a few times a year. Diffenbachia, philodendron (large leaf variety) and scheffelera cuttings make long-lasting arrangements or centerpieces when placed in water.  As with fresh flowers, cut the stems routinely and freshen the water every couple of weeks.  (See photo notes below.)

                                                                           Photo C

PLUNGE IN
     No matter what your decorating scheme is changing things up now and then is not only a quick way to transform a room, it invigorates your creativity and renews the enjoyment of a your home.
       Be adventurous. Take risks as you build your pantry. Think eclectic and mix up styles (retaining some common color scheme) or go more subdued. Try out a new genre and see what’s interesting and comfortable. It’s your home, your style. Do it your way and fall in love with your home all over again!
              

PHOTO NOTES:

A - Artful fireplace niches were created by removing existing shelves and decorative clutter.  Client can now change her accessories easily.  Clean-lined framing with hidden rope lighting were added to enhance contemporary style, warmth and drama of the room.

B - Cake plate turned upside down as floral container. Single Green Goddess blossom and button carnations. Mini-pendants from Justice Lighting Group "Limoges" wave pattern in porcelain bisque.

C - 24" glazed shallow bowl from Pier 1 Imports with cuttings from Madrone and Japanese maple trees.  Contemporary glass vases with similar cuttings.  This arrangement could be set up for a dining table centerpiece or for display on an entry table, cocktail table or buffet.  Museum tack is advised under the vases to avoid spillage.