'TIS THE SEASON TO BE PREPARED
The season of holiday cheer is fast upon us and Fall is a great time to start getting prepared! There are many things you can do ahead of time to help. Whether you’re getting ready for out of town guests or hope to have your holiday shopping done by Thanksgiving, here are some great ideas to help you get started in your planning.
The Decor Featured on an HGTV holiday decor special, Allison Thurman of Art by Allison in Batavia equates well-decorated interiors to well-dressed individuals: the furniture is the apparel, the paint is makeup, the lighting is the jewelry, and the accessories are. . . the accessories! She urges against cookie cutter decorations that don’t reflect personality; but instead urges corresponding items of your trade as tree decor! Are you a doctor, teacher, jeweler, photographer? Use ornaments that spark conversation! Make bold statements with whimsical themes or non-traditional colors! Add interest with decor that is the opposite of your interior's style: if formal, add rustic; if casual, add reflective pieces like Murano glass or crystal. Highlight corners with lighting, add drama by decorating the chandelier, and enhance dining with metallic fabrics that catch light.
The Food By hiring a Personal Chef who can customize offerings to meet your personal goals, you are able to be a guest in your holiday ready home. Chef Pamela Anne of Simply Go Gourmet in St. Charles loves preparing anything with cranberries, apples, pears or pumpkins for her own company during the holidays. Her buffet always includes a charcuterie platter with an assortment of cheeses using apples and pear slices instead of crackers. Vegetables, such as endive leaves or bell pepper wedges, make for wonderful vessels for dips, and her family loves her Rum Raisin Bread Pudding recipe.
The Table Margot Henshaw, owner of The Prince’s Table and Liberty Luxury in Glen Ellyn believes your table is your canvas and your palette is comprised of lighting, flowers, dinnerware, and accessories. She suggests never underestimating the effect of candlelight, such as the Rolls Royce of all candles - the Root Candle line, to provide drama and warmth. Table candles should always be unscented; this also goes for your floral selections. Flowers ought to be fresh and work with your table story, which should include accessories that are beautiful and useful! Her store boasts hand rendered pewter by skilled artisans - Italian pewter with clean lines for simplicity or Vagabond House pewter with sophisticated yet charming flora and fauna in breathtaking intricacy.
Hostess Gifts for Those Who are Visiting Unique home decor, meaningful signs, trending lines in jewelry such as Mariana, My Saint My Hero, Summer Ellis and Kendra Scott; as well as, a wide variety of the best lines in candles including Nest, Capri Blu and Thymes are located inside a cozy log cabin in the heart of Oswego. Owners and residents, Nicole Menard and Mary Blanchflower are proud of the endless gift giving ideas at their specialty boutique, Velvet Grace, which is filled with an array of ever changing, hand-picked items that make lovely hostess gifts!
-Kristen Kucharski
