Nature-Inspired Holiday Decorating with Brian Gluckstein

Can you believe Christmas is one week away? I for one can't! It's like I blinked, pressed the fast-forward button, and we are already there. I've been feeling equally excited and panicky about this year's holiday decorating. Time is a scarce commodity for busy people like us. Besides the usual hectic work schedules, we've been busy searching for a winter home south of the border in a warmer and dryer climate (more on that later). It's been harder and harder to find days when I could get myself in the zone where my creative juices could run free. It's also the self-imposed pressure that this year's holiday decor needs to be more unique than the last year's. All that unnecessary obsessing aside, at the end I went with whatever my heart desired: a more simplistic, cozy and nature-inspired holiday decorating theme for 2018. 

Picture above features a few of my favourite things this year: faux fur pom-pom stockings by Glucksteinhome, wooden bead garland, antique brass candlesticks with black taper candles, and wispy long-needle pine garland. 

My 2018 holiday mantel. 

Now onto the dining room. Besides kitchen, dining room is where all the holiday fun and memories were made from holiday gatherings with family and friends. After a recent makeover, this space feels more current and more us. 

This is my 2018 holiday dining table setting based on the Darius Silver collection from Brian Gluckstein by Lenox. Its neutral colour palette and striking geometric patterns create a calm and cozy ambience without looking boring. 

I actually created two versions, one with a blue dessert plate for a pop of colour; and the other with the Brian Gluckstein by Lenox Darius bread/appetizer plate. 

Blue above, Darius silver below. 

At the end I went with the Darius silver. The tablescape looks so much more put-together this way. 

I also used Leyland Cypress boughs, and Glucksteinhome LED mercury glass tree candle, together with a few glass Paz trees from CB2, to create a simple centrepiece. 

I am really loving how this year's holiday table setting turned out. I went through a few iterations to get to this point, so here are a few tips I would like to share:

• Start early, so you have time to make adjustments and acquire missing pieces. 
• Pick a theme, or not. Either way, don't go overboard with accessories, so you can create a more calm and cohesive appeal. 
• Use natural materials as much as possible, for a more sophisticated yet not over-the-top look, for example, fresh greenery and organic linen tablecloth and napkins. 
• Serve your guests with the best quality dinnerware possible, like this bone china set from Brian Gluckstein by Lenox. 

I will be back in a bit to show you the rest of my 2018 holiday home tour. A 2018 project recap list is also long past due so that's coming your way too. Stay tuned and festive! 

Christmas 2018 Home Tour

After a few weeks on the road, we are finally back to the comfort of our own home and ready to celebrate holidays with family and friends. And of course, all the halls were finally decked, with only one short week to spare before Christmas. Without further ado, let's start my 2018 holiday home tour. 

First stop has to be the living room. Unlike last year, we moved the tree to the opposite side of the room for a change. I am used to having my first coffee while catching up on morning news in that chair to the right, so standing up the tree on the other side would mean I didn't have to compromise my daily routine during holidays. 

Picture below: my 2018 Christmas holiday living room.

My 2018 Christmas tree, unlit. 

My 2018 Christmas tree, all lit up. 

Mantel, wispy long needle pine garland, antique brass candlesticks with a simple DIY eucalyptus collar. 

Picture below: the only new baubles I added this year were these amber glass ball ornaments from H&M Home. 

Gifts wrapped in craft paper. 

Next step is foyer. Ever since we moved the tree from our usual spot (by the staircase) in the foyer to the living room, this space felt a bit lonely during holidays. There's no wow factor for our guests when they first came through the door. So this year I added a small but fresh Balsam Fir here to add a touch of festivity. The same long needle pine garlands draped over the staircase handrail. 

Along the wall on the opposite side of the staircase is this new Article BIOS sideboard which is now my favourite piece of furniture at home. 

I kept this wall simple. The reflection of the garlands in the mirror was a nice touch. 

So there you have it, my 2018 Christmas home tour. Dining room and holiday table settings are up next. 

Holiday Tablescape with Brian Gluckstein by Lenox

It still felt like yesterday when I was contemplating on the style of my holiday table setting last year. And just like that, Halloween was already over and we are now in 2018 holiday homestretch. If you've been following my blog for a while, you'd know winter holidays and Christmas are my favourite to decorate, and I often started early just so I had extra time to enjoy and appreciate the fruits of my labour. 

Below is my 2018 holiday design board. The jumping off point was this Winston durable bone china place setting from Brian Gluckstein by Lenox. If you think "hygge" was only a phase of my design journey then you would be wrong. My pursuit for "hyppe" is growing ever stronger, so my holiday decorating is all about simplicity, warmth and nature. Wood beads, amber glass, greenery, linen, Kraft wrapping paper, and black and white dinnerware all contribute to this organic yet sophisticated look. 

So this was my Thanksgiving table setting based on the Brian Gluckstein by Lenox Winston dinnerware. I love the simplistic, clean and a touch of masculine design patterns and the basic black, white and platinum colour combination. And the fact that it's made of durable bone china but dishwasher-safe is just icing on the cake. This table setting is so versatile that once I replace fall branches with Christmas greenery, it will be all set for hosting festive feasts. 

Bonus for you is that you also get a sneak peek of my newly designed dining room. Be sure to come back in a few weeks to check out my 2018 Christmas decor - my plans are ambitious this year. 

Disclaimer: All the Brian Gluckstein by Lenox Winston dinnerware sets were generously gifted to me but all the opinions are my own. 

A Magazine Feature and 2018 Christmas Design

Christmas is my favourite holiday to celebrate and decorate. It took me a whole second to say Yes when the chief editor at the Victorian Homes Magazine approached me to do a feature of my Christmas decor. The Winter 2018 issue came out around October 9. 

To re-cap, this was my 2017 Christmas tree, my favourite to-date. 

Below is my 2018 Christmas design board, which is still largely based on the "hygge", simplicity and back to basics theme. What do you think? 

Christmas 2017 Home Tour Part Two

Yesterday was my first official day off this Christmas, so I was finally able to catch up on some baking and decorating to ready our house for a whirlwind of Christmas parties to come. 

Pictures below: I call this our "final" state of our 2017 Christmas decoration. You can read about our Christmas home tour part one here. 

The first up was to decorate this year's gingerbread house. Before this week, I had this ambitious plan to bake my own gingerbread cookies and build the house from scratch. With Christmas only a few days away and a ton of stuff still needed to be done, I went with the Ikea gingerbread house kit to give myself a head start. The Ikea kit is a no-frills set which was perfect for me. I always made my own royal icing anyways. 

So here's my 2017 gingerbread house based on the Ikea VINTERSAGA set. Anthony immediately pointed out that the charcoal navy front door looked just like the door paint colour we had at our cottage. Mission accomplished! 

The wreath on the side of the house was a nice touch. It was a royal pain to pipe a very thick tube of icing vertically, but I liked how it turned out. 

I never thought I was a Buffalo Check person until I spotted these cute stockings by President's Choice. I know, it's totally uncool to buy decor accessories from a grocery store. But, I will make an exception for PC Home. They actually carry pretty stylish stuff. 

Look at those tiny brass bells on the stockings...how cute are they?! The black deer head stocking holders are also from this year's Christmas collection, and I got them at 50% off! 

Remember that Serge Mouille ceiling light I have in my cottage dining room? I am so obsessed with it that I ended up getting a floor lamp for our home. This tall and handsome fella arrived just in time for holidays. 

I was having a few very hectic weeks at work leading up to the holidays. I was frustrated and exhausted, and didn't think I would have any energy left to pull off the upcoming festivities. Then yesterday my bestie dropped off this super gorgeous white and burgundy Freesia bouquet for me, gave me a hug and told me I had the energy level of a 10-year old. And all of sudden, all the exhaustion was lifted away from me, and I felt like an Energizer bunny again. I am so grateful to have friends that would quietly listen to my ranting, and do just the right thing for me to keep me back on track. 

Wish you and your loved ones a very Merry Christmas!