Entertaining at Home for the Holidays

With the holidays fast approaching, the thought of preparing your home for entertaining can be overwhelming. With the help of a home stylist, you can relax and entertain in style, knowing your house will impress your guests like never before!

Using what you already own, a home stylist or interior re-designer will redesign your space creating a new, comfortable, inviting, and festive atmosphere for a fraction of the cost of full service decorator fees. Many home stylists work for a flat per-room fee. This type of service is also known as “design remix,” “room makeover,” “home staging,” or “house fluffing.”

Interior redesign is the art of transforming your home utilizing the wonderful and not-so-wonderful things you have accumulated over the years, with the assistance of a talented person who has a passion and skill for making homes look beautiful. The goal is to create a space that is balanced and harmonious, while reflecting the personalities of the family members who live in the home.

Before you begin any decorating project, clearly define what you hope to accomplish. You may define your project by asking yourself a few questions:

As a home stylist, I like to start with the architectural focal points of the space and expand on those. This tends to bring out the best features of the home and creates a more natural flow. When you are considering how to arrange and display your accessories, your aim should be to highlight the qualities of the objects themselves, but not to overwhelm the other features. Remember accessories are meant to accent your home’s features. You also want everything in a room to compliment the overall look of your home.

Before

To begin the Redesign process, your home stylist will meet with you to determine the issues involved. In this initial interview, the home stylist and the potential clients identify the following: the scope of the project, goals, timeframe, cost of the project (e.g, how many rooms).

and after!

When your stylist returns, she rearranges the room(s), using primarily what the client already owns. She will search out closets, attics, basements, garages, and even never-unpacked wedding gifts. Items may be borrowed from other rooms. The goal is to meet the client’s objectives while bringing forward the best features of the home. Other areas in the home may need to be downplayed.

Most stylists work when the client is not at home, greeting the client with a whole new look by the time they arrive home. Each room takes, on average, three hours to makeover. Makeovers may be one room or a whole house. They may be done all at one time or incrementally.

Additional services may be contracted for items including color studies, recommendations for wall coverings, window treatments, floor coverings, and furniture. Many times, consultations are done remotely by exchanging digital pictures, with recommendations presented to clients via e-mail.

Especially during the holidays, the use of lighting, scents and music can set the tone of your event. During holiday entertaining, turn off the overhead lights and use side lighting and candles to create a softer yet festive atmosphere. Twinkling holiday lights and/or scented candles in strategic places can really boost the ambiance of your special occasion. If you don’t have scented candles available, simply boil a small amount of water; add cinnamon, nutmeg and vanilla, simmer for a few minutes before guests arrive … and voilà! The smells of the holidays will permeate throughout the house! Holiday music in the background will also add comfort and joy. Be sure the music is not too loud; you want your guests to be able to converse comfortably.

Whether you are a do-it-yourselfer, or you’d like the help of a home stylist, it is best to define your objectives and make a list and check it twice. Planning ahead can take the stress out of the holidays so you can enjoy the company of your family and friends.

Happy Holidays!