Christmas Decorating 2013

 

This year I was determined to decorate my home before the season began and I actually did it!

 
This is my front door swag and my Christmas tree.
 
 
I always place my tree in a garden urn to make it taller in my entry.  Fortunately I have a willing hubby who rigged this up for me to make it easy each year. 
 
 
He actually screwed the Christmas tree base into the top of the urn for easy installation.
 
 
I love admiring the ornaments my kids have made throughout the year.  I also have a collection of crystal ornaments that sparkle beautifully!
 
 
Each year I frame a photo of our family representing a significant event from that year.  It's so much fun to go back and look at each one and reminisce.  Last year we were at Disney and it was a Christmas of a lifetime.  It's fun to see our photo hanging on the tree.
 
 
My birdies always get their berry wreaths on their tails each year.
 
 
I love placing ornaments throughout my home, especially in my entry arrangement.
 
I filled my bowl on my dining room table with all my favorite large ornaments.
 
 
The gold deer is a new addition this year.
 
 
My cabinet in my kitchen got all decked out too with oversized ornaments, large pinecones and birds.
I did it in about 4 hours and said a sigh of relief when it was done!  Especially since about 1/2 our lights weren't working and had to be replaced.
 
 
 One of the tapestries I purchased in Paris even got a touch of sparkle.  My bust got a swig of pine too!
 
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After I finished MY HOME, I was off to do our Church decorating.
 
Deck the Halls is literally what we did all day a few weeks ago.
 
 
I recruited about 7 teenagers that willingly decorated their fingers to death!
We had some fantastic lady volunteers that joined us too!  Didn't they do an amazing job on the tree?  This was at the end of the day so you can see the exhaustion  written all over our faces.

 
I just love the fireplace in our lobby!  You feel like you are in a mountain lodge!  Now that it is all decked out with sparkly icicles and snow covered garland it is even more fantastic! 
 

My hubby and his friend spent a few hours on this lift fluffing wreaths and swags! That's dedication! They actually have a little "decorator" in them - Shh don't tell them I said that. They also took great instruction as I yelled and pointed from below.
 
I found these great big ornaments this year and they look amazing on the rustic mantel! The stockings were made last year by a grandma in the church.  I gave her a blanket I loved and asked her to make great big stockings out of it. She added black velvet to the top of each one and they look fantastic on this huge mantel.
 


My philosophy behind good Christmas decorating is to have large items and fewer of them.  Big ornaments always make a tree look fantastic! 
A fresh wreath is hung in my living room and smells divine.  Just hope it lasts till Christmas.
 
 
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We also decorated a business lobby a couple weeks ago.
 
 
 Lots of work but so rewarding to see the finished product.  Such gorgeous colors to match their corporate banners in their waiting area in the lobby.
 
 
I've been extremely busy the past few weeks and am looking forward to some down time this holiday season.   I've been enjoying my Christmas mugs each morning when I do my quite time by the fire.
Hope you are enjoying your season!
 
 
One more week and it's time to "check out" for a while!
 
 
 
 
 
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Visit my website, DecRenew Interiors
 

Decorating in Southlake, Texas

 
I absolutely love working with people that are new to the Dallas Fort Worth area and need to settle into their new homes.
 
Several months ago, I received a phone call from a client that lived in another state. They had just purchased a home in Southlake and she found my website online.  She had been following my blog for some time and connected to my design style and my design philosophy. (This blog really is my voice and many clients tell me that's how they connect with me initially).
 
Once they moved here, we did a "Walk-thru" consultation to pick all the wonderful paint colors throughout the house.  The painters then arrived with their scaffolding and got to work on this GIANT painting project.
 
I then took an inventory of what she had already and made a list of things we needed to shop for to make each room feel complete and presented her with the Cost Worksheet.
Once approved, we set up a full day install day and I got to work collecting all the items and consulting with the contractors doing the work at the home.
 
We kept some existing furniture and just added custom made pillows. Other furniture pieces we reupholstered or purchased new.
 
Isn't it amazing how a pillow can update an antique chair?
 
I updated a few pieces by adding new hardware.  The knobs were wood before but just blended in.  Now the piece looks dressed up and is ready to be admired for sure.
 
 
BEFORE & AFTER
 
 
 
We put together vignettes with some of the things she had as well as things I purchased.  The reindeer candle holder with a chocolate ornament hanging from his antlers, is so adorable.
 
 
I shopped throughout the house for items that I could use to complete rooms.
Above I took all her old drapery finials and placed them in a basket with Christmas ornaments. They are having a party this week so I wanted it to look party worthy!
 
Simple but beautiful.
 
 
The client had the mirror but I just enhanced the mantel with accessories. I love finding unique treasures that pull the room together.  My client had seen a mantel on my website with similar colors and wanted something like that. Her finished mantel is similar in color but a totally different grouping makes hers unique. We added moss to the driftwood I found and it really looks great combined with the blown glass and ceramic items.
 
Love the "feathery" florals I found.  I knew what I was looking for when I was out shopping but just couldn't find the perfect thing until I saw these.  The less fussy the better on a mantel.
 
I love how it softens the blown glass and it immediately created the height I needed.  Don't you love these white porcelain jars with the square lids?  I just adore them.
 
A shell tray layered with books and a driftwood ball.  My blown glass birds are special too and are extremely heavy so they won't be easily broken.
 
I love the rug and we combined 2 beautiful couches with it.  2 chairs of their favorite chairs are being reupholstered as we speak (the weren't finished due to the 4 day ice storm we had).  A large family lives in this home and they needed plenty of seating for movie night!  I also made sure the coffee table was close enough to put your feet up (it has to be functional right?)
 
Mixing just the right patterns can be tricky.  Of course, when a decorator is working with you, it will be the perfect combination.  Notice how the waves in the mirror go with the waves in the rug.  Subtle but stunning.
 
 
We used their existing coffee table and I think it looks very inviting.  I also love using trays on coffee tables so they can be easily moved when the family wants to play games, set food out, etc.
 
A turquoise throw was placed to bring the colors together and will be perfect for cuddling.  My client really wanted a soft, calming space and that it is!  The entertainment was painted too.  The soft gray on the walls makes this room feel bright and cheery.
 
 
 This little collection was placed in a niche.  I added the sticks and moss and I almost stole this to take home with me. The Christmas ornaments make it festive for the season.
 
 An oil painting that was special to my client was placed in her kitchen.
 
 
We found these horses that they had and grouped them with some horse artwork I found in their office.
 
We found all kinds of unique pieces for the entertainment center.  Mixing textures is key.  When working with a white entertainment center, you want items that stand out and don't blend in.
 
Isn't the stone work in her kitchen gorgeous?  You can also see the faux cabinets we added to the top of her existing ones.  It really makes the kitchen feel much bigger!
 
Her china cabinet that use to be light oak was transformed with a paint job. A yummy gray that works beautifully with the rug in the family room.  We made sure they painted the back the same color as her kitchen cabinets so the items we placed in the cabinet would be showcased. I put family pictures, artwork and some other collectibles in the cabinet.  I don't like cluttered cabinets.  I want my client to walk by it and notice what is in it.
 
BEFORE AND AFTER
 
 
 
We painted her bronze chandelier a nice metallic silver and it looks like a brand new chandelier.
One of the biggest mistakes people  make when decorating their living rooms is using the wrong scale lamps.  They can make or break the entire design of a room.  The ones I placed behind these couches are the perfect scale for a room that is very large.
 
 
 
 
Once the tree is gone, we will put a new reupholstered love seat in this room and it will be the perfect grouping for conversation by the fire.
 
In their master bedroom, we added a 2 mirrors behind the lamps my client already had.  She already had the bedding. We also hung some existing artwork she had but I added the silver metallic medallion to make it all feel to scale.
 
 
As you can see, every detail was thought about!  The benefit to having an Interior Decorator is that we think of all the finishing touches.  It seems that it would be so easy to just shop for the items, however when choosing accessories for each room, they are CAREFULLY selected to make sure they all have the right color, shape, texture, uniqueness and scale to work together in the room. 
 
 
Mixing old and new, shiny and rustic, glamour and simplicity, masculine and feminine and most of all..... making sure each room flows together and has a WELCOME HOME feel to it - Ruthie Staalsen 
 
This family is ready for a new start here in Southlake, Texas and loads of memories are going to be made in this house that is now a HOME!
 

 
As you can see my tag line has changed.   "Connecting Life and Home" is really what I 'm about especially after you have read this post! With the fast paced lives we live, our homes are being neglected, and my mission is to change that.  I rebel against hectic lifestyles and focus on a slower paced lifestyle so we can enjoy our homes with friends and family. My mission is to make your home a place your family and friends want to be!

 

 
 
Visit my website DecRenew Interiors to see my Design Portfolio
 and ready My Story.
 

Ruthie's Thanksgiving Menu

 
 
I'm preparing for our Thanksgiving Menu.  Excited to have 14 of us here to celebrate Turkey Day!
 
 
We've had a big winter "warning" the past few days so lots of activities have been cancelled and the girls have been able to help me some which is nice.  We also got to have breakfast with my mom this morning which was a treat for a Monday!

 
Our rose bushes were covered in red roses and I hated to think they would go to waste in the freeze.  I cut just about every one off the bush and I've placed them throughout my house which I'm LOVING!
 
We did a big shop last week for all the big stuff ...
 
 
and last night we purchased all the perishables like fresh herbs, vege's, appetizers, etc. 
 
 
 Trader Joe's is my favorite place to this kind of thing!  I even bought myself a couple Rosemary trees.  Can't wait for their new location in Southlake!
 
 
Their fresh cranberry sauce is out of this world delicious which I purchased of course!
 
Here's our TURKEY DAY MENU: 
 
 
  This is a new addition to our Thanksgiving table this year.  We will see how it goes over.  I'll add some candied pecans to it as well.  Each person will just get a little bowl prior to the big meal.
 
 
We always have a variety of cheeses, candied nuts, fruit and a few slices of a nice salami.  I include a variety of crackers so there is a nice selection to choose from. I like to place the appetizers in a different room than where all the cooking takes place. This makes it easier and less chaotic for the cook. I also place an assortment of chocolates throughout the house to make it extra special. 
 
 
Deep fried Turkey injected with Jalapeno Butter. Our family loves to "DO" things together.  Frying the turkey is a fun way to spend time together before the meal!
 
 
My husband is setting up the fire pit in the backyard too and it becomes a place for the teens to hang out while the turkey is cooking. Watch this funny video we laugh at each year!
 
 
Sausage, Cranberry & Apple Dressing - Recipe
New recipe for me this year.  I read all the reviews and they rave about the sausage in the dressing.  I know my family will love that!
 
 
Jalapeno Corn - Recipe
 
 
Scalloped Potatoes - My own recipe.
  The trick is that I add a packet of Ranch Dressing to the cream and lots of garlic and fresh onion for great flavor.
 
 
Green Bean Casserole - made by my wonderful sister. Always a big hit with the crunch onions on top :)
 
 
Sweet potato casserole (my favorite) Recipe
I love the pecans on top and will add some golden marshmallows to the top too!
 
 
My husband will make the turkey gravy because that's his specialty!
 
 
Of course Pumpkin and Pecan pies!  This year I have eggnog ice cream to serve with it.  I also only use REAL whipping cream which makes them divine!
 
I wait until a few hours after the meal to serve the desserts and look forward to serving them with the wonderful coffee my sister gave me.
 
 
Here is a great link to print Thanksgiving menu cards that I thought were nice.
 
I'm off to figure out who is sitting at what table.  Time to iron tablecloths, put my apron
 on and get cooking!
 
I've also learned that these family gatherings can't be perfect.  It's a time to enjoy each other, laugh together and nobody is going to freak out if things don't go as I'VE planned. 
 
I'd love to hear your favorite meal items or traditions this time of year!
 
 
Visit my website, DecRenew Interiors to see my Design Portfolio.

Do you take time to rest and replenish?

One of the goals I've always had as a business owner is to strive to improve myself. I don't ever want to become stagnant and boring in my personal life and as a Decorator.
It's really easy to loose your vision when you are running a mile a minute and fail to take time to STOP and replenish.  Being that I'm a mom, wife, friend, sister, daughter,  decorator, blogger, teacher, volunteer and business owner, it's easy to become exhausted.
I have been extremely busy lately and have felt very anxious and stressed.
 
One of the things I'm learning is to make sure I find time for myself to "BE STILL." This task is not easy for me and over the past few months, I'm really trying hard to accomplish this task.  Everyone needs to make time to be filled up.  We woman think we can do it all and still give out our best.
This is a lie and I'm totally learning that I have to take time to REST and REPLENISH. 
I decided to do something for myself that I could look forward to.  A time to get my cup filled up and a time to have energy poured into me with some rest amongst that time.
One of the ways I've found helps me feel restored is to be around people that are positive, encouraging and successful.   I also have admiration for those that have learned from their mistakes and successes and are WILLING TO SHARE with others by mentoring.
   Tobi Fairley is one of those woman that I have watched over the past 5 years and have gained lots of admiration for her personally as well as an Interior Designer. She is incredibly transparent and willing to share her insight and ideas.

I just returned from Little Rock, AR where I attended Tobi Fairley's Designer MBA Class.  Several years ago I attended one of her Design Camps and found it incredibly helpful.  See the post here.

She and her incredible staff  poured into about 20 of us for 3 whole days.
I learned a ton and had fun making new friends with other Designers from all over the US and Canada.  It was good to learn the things I'm doing well with my business as well as things I need to change immediately!
 
Prior to the class, we were asked to take a personality test.  It was fun to see what personality I was as well as the rest of the class.
I'm learned that I am a ENFJ
Which also translates to "I'm like a dog"

ENFJ's are social butterflies who are cheerleaders and supporters of a wide variety of friends and acquaintances. They hate bullying and they love to greet their loved ones with a face lick and a tail wag. They feel good when the people around them feel good, and they tend to adapt to the group that they are in very quickly, even adopting the values of whoever they are surrounded by. They are loyal and expect loyalty from others — think of them as the living embodiment of a “team player.”
It always helps to know yourself and improve yourself. As you can see I'm a people pleaser and tend to burnout quickly.  Which explains why I need to take time to "be still" and replenish.  Of course learning that I can't please everyone is something that everyone struggles with.

I had an amazing time with round table discussions, brainstorm sessions, question and answer times and cocktail parties.
 
 The evening times in my hotel room were incredibly restful and I took time to reflect on my personal life and business.

The Capital Hotel is amazing and I LOVED the toffee they put on your pillow each night!  One of the things that was confirmed is that I cannot do it all and cannot be everything to everyone!  It's time to do some delegation which I have started to do already!

source

What are you doing to pour into YOU?  Are you continually striving to be better but also taking time for yourself?  If you own a business, it's hard work!   Take the personality test, find a mentor, be still and do not feel one bit guilty about it!

 Visit my website, DecRenew Interiors to see my Design Portfolio.

Fall Party Decor

 
This past week I helped one of my clients get her home prepared for a big party she was hosting.
 
 
I finished decorating her home about 6 months ago and she wanted me to come in again and add the special "fresh" touches that make a party feel alive. 
 
We added a grouping of pumpkins to her dining room table.  I love using white pumpkins in different shapes and sizes.  I especially love these above because I added a metallic finish to them.  It made them look more interesting and I'm sure made the guests curious.  The white pumpkin with the blown glass top (a drapery finial) is my absolute favorite.  I added some bard that intertwined between all the pumpkins.
 
 
My client had a beautiful crystal vase that I used.  I put the gray metallic pumpkin on top of the vase (toward the back)  and then added the fresh flowers all around it.
 
The gray pumpkin got a metallic finish too.  
 
 
 
I added small touches of fall colors throughout the house.  I added two fresh gourds to this vase,
added water and placed the flowers all around them.
 
In her formal living room she wanted roses like I had placed when I first finished her home 6 months ago. This time I added berries and they look fabulous with the entire room.
 
 
 
We placed a new rug in her little "bar" which looks fabulous with her new custom made bar chairs.
 
I'm still crazy about these chairs from my ONE by ONE collection.
 
 
You can see the bar in the background here.  Such a great room for hanging with friends.
 
 
Lesley and I had a blast putting together all the arrangements and preparing for this party!  The client said it was a huge success!
 
 
Afterwards I drove to Crocket, Texas with my girls to spend the weekend camping in the woods with my husband and family. The leaves were turning and it was incredibly beautiful to be surrounded by pine trees and fall foliage.
 
  We took our RV (the best way to camp) and it was a great time to unwind and relax, especially after an extremely busy last few months. 
 
I love that we had great cousin, aunts and uncle and daddy time. 
 
My heart is full!
 
 
Visit my website, DecRenew Interiors to see my Design Portfolio.