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The Event: Christmas in Connecticut THE LOCATION The historical home of clients in Connecticut that was built in 1891. THE SETTING A fairy-tale mansion in the woods. THE DESIGN This particular client owns a chain of boutique-style gift stores and coffee shops, so during the holiday season she is too busy to decorate her home. She approached me with the project of preparing her family's holiday decorations, and I was elated. Her home is my dream house, and if she ever put it on the market, I'd snatch it up in a second. I was able to hand-pick all the decorations I wanted from her amazing shops, and I felt like a kid in a candy store. THE LIGHTING Holiday lighting is very important, especially when decorating a home of this size and grandeur. I wanted passersby to gaze in awe at the home's expression of the season. I hired a lighting company to install lights on the outside of this magnificent home. I up-lit the house in alternating red and green lights, washing the entire front in those holiday hues. Miniature juniper trees on the front porch were covered in small white lights. This provided an intimate touch in front of such a large home. Tiny white lights ran along the entire edge of the back porch, like delicate icicles hanging from the arches. This tactic allowed my client to enjoy the lighting from inside her home. THE TREES Three Christmas trees were placed inside the home. The first, a traditional tree in the family room, had classic-looking ornaments, multicolored lights, and the added touch of real candy canes. The next tree, of sheer elegance, was set in the alcove of the amazing formal living room. It was covered in tiny white lights and delicate ornaments. Hand-tied bows of silk shantung in solid mango, hot pink, and gold and plaid made the tree seemed dressed for the occasion. The colors complemented the wall treatments of the room. The outcome was the " picture-perfect tree." The third tree was set up in the kids' playroom. While I had been able to decorate the trees in the main areas of the home as I deemed best, I wanted my client's children to experience the thrill of decorating their own tree for Christmas. I helped with the lights on the tree, but the kids did the rest themselves. Handmade ornaments from school, past and present, and their favorites covered the tree from top to bottom. The key was to let the children's imaginations go wild and let them enjoy the season. TUTERA TIP: Fresh garlands and ribbons should be kept a safe distance from open fires and fireplaces. It's easy to get caught up in the look of a magnificent mantle, but remember that both of these holiday trimmings are fire hazards. OTHER HOLIDAY DECORATIONS This fantastic home has twelve fireplaces. I thought it would be fun to create a decor for each one around my version of the "Twelve Days of Christmas." I decorated each fireplace mantel with a specific theme based on the twelve themes that were reminiscent of the season. The fireplace in the formal dining room was all white and had an antique mirror hanging above it. The feeling was very clean and pure, like snow, so I placed fifteen different snowmen, in different sizes and styles, on a bed of Christmas tree branches and greens, adding contrast to all the white. I draped strings of crystals (available at any home improvement store or lighting company) along the edge of the fireplace and mantel. These crystals are an inexpensive way to add sparkle and formality to any setting. Between the swags of crystals I hung simple yet elegant round glass ornaments. Each ornament hung at a different level and was tied with a see-through iridescent opaque ribbon. In the living room, since the tree was elegant and formal, I decorated the fireplace a little less formally. It was covered with a variety of carved wood animals. A garland and the same silk ribbon that was used on the tree coordinated the overall feel of the room. The fireplace in the study was simple and masculine. A variety of antique nutcrackers imported from Germany were set among a small amount of Christmas greens placed atop the mantel. The edge was accented with miniature nutcrackers hanging like fringe. For the fireplace in the family room, which was traditional like the tree that stood beside it, I draped garland and a wide plaid Christmas ribbon, and topped the mantel with antique angels. The theme was representative of peace for the season. The next fireplace was decorated for the children's enjoyment with a variety of teddy bears dressed for Christmas sitting on top of fresh Christmas greens. One of the most beautiful and amazing fireplaces was in the main entrance of the home. Since Santa Claus is one of the most visible symbols of the holiday, this mantel featured a variety of Santas. Garland was also draped along the sides of the mantel and accented with tiny white lights that led to a huge Santa holding a bag of gifts. I placed a plate of cookies on the mantel to represent the traditional offering families leave for the big guy. As a finishing touch, the entire banister in the foyer was covered in a garland of festive holiday ribbon. TUTERA TIP: Providing a separate dining table for the younger kids is a great way to keep them entertained, calm, and still part of the holiday. The kids' table should be shorter in height than a regular table, and you can rent kid-size chairs. They will feel more important and have a lot more fun. Place a fully decorated miniature Christmas tree in the center of the table for a whimsical touch.
Next: A New
Year's Celebration
From the book A Passion for Parties: Your Guide to Elegant Entertaining
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