Feb 19, 2007 6:57 pm US/Central
21 Ways to Make Your Home Holiday-Ready
(Crate & Barrel, Southlake Town Center)
It doesn't take much elbow grease to make your home sparkle.
1. Place pumpkins and gourds in curio cabinets and around the house.
2. Change out typical china with fall colored-dishes. This will sprinkle fall color around the house.
3. Intersperse gold leaves into bunches of branches or willow sticks. They look great in a vase on a buffet.
Hurricane vases are an awesome investment and are easily transformed for the season.
4. For thanksgiving, fill them with pumpkins and gourds before adding a candle.
5. For Christmas, change out the pumpkins for cranberries and nuts.
6. Remember to change out your spring flower arrangements in foyers and kitchens. Adding evergreens and holly berries will add Christmas flair.
7. Warm up leather furniture with colorful throws in red and green and a holiday pillow.
8. One beaded pillow can dress up an entire living room or bedroom.
9. Remember to look up: Chandeliers can be transformed by adding red shades.
10. Drape your light fixtures with festive crystal or jingle-bell garland.
To dress up your holiday table, follow 6 steps and you can't go wrong.
11. First, add a nice fall colored table runner.
12. Then, layer your napkin between your dinner and salad plate.
13. Third, place your silverware in a non-traditional way. For example, lay it at an angle or all on one side.
14. Fourth, place cards add punch. From a pinecone to an ornament, seeing one's name makes a guest feel welcome.
15. Small accents like colorful, jewel toned table napkins can really bring the dinner table to life.
16. Finally, the centerpiece. Remember to follow the rule of three: 3 candles, 3 vases, 3 of anything makes a great tablescape.
17. For a "less is more" approach, drape a strand of garland as a runner interspersed with candles.
18. Change out the candle colors for the season.
19. For a third option, add small Christmas trees at different heights on table tops.
20. Take any large glass bowl from your cabinet and fill it with pumpkins for Thanksgiving or colorful ornaments for Christmas.
21. Adding a small string of Christmas lights to your mantle gives the room a warm holiday glow.
