Three Elements of Decorating and Entertaining

3 Basic Elements to Setting a Beautiful Table: COLOR, TEXTURE, and HEIGHT

Appeal to all the senses – smell, sight, taste, touch, and hearing

COLLECT: ANYTHING around your house that reflects your theme (something might seem crazy at first - remember, this is going to be amazing & inexpensive!) Make this fun by sending your kids on a scavenger hunt! Pick pinecones or cut branches from your trees. Use things you already have! Go through the pantry… seeds, beans, coffee beans, pasta, fruits, veggies all add texture! Make your invites, napkin rings, centerpieces with scraps of ribbon, fabric, felt. Make it personal… family pictures, old books, collectibles, antique boxes, anything sentimental helps “tell a story” and makes guests feel special.

#1 Rule: Prepare as much in advance and keep it simple! Entertaining on a budget is easy… it takes some planning and creativity, but make it fun! Involve your kids (creates memories), make things, use things in unusual ways! See ideas below under “collect”. Have some “basic” pieces that you can “change up… see ideas below…

THEME: Choose a theme and use it for your invitations, tabletop, buffet, and even a small gift for your guests

Casual Holiday: rustic and natural, Fancy Holiday or Occasion: decadent, shiny silver, appealing colors.

Contemporary: clear containers, clean lines, simple.

Simple Changes = BIG Impact

If you've been to my decorating workshops, you've heard me say... "3 simple keys to decorating... height, texture, and color!" Here are a few examples of combining these elements. I'll share before and after pictures so you can see what I mean...

Before...
After...

This project began with a client who wanted to "update" her living room. Notice that before everything seems "lost" in the room. We purchased a new sofa, rug, and added window treatments as well as a few accessories to take advantage of the height of this room.

Here we drew the eye up by adding window treatments with color and texture. Lamps add height to the area behind the sofa while creating ambiance with lighting.