Tag: Natural Decorating

Posted on

Easy Christmas Mantle Decorations. Christmas Trees + Candles

How to decorate with candles and christmas trees via @AnAppealingPlan #holidaydecorating copy

Candle lights and Christmas trees can create quite the fire hazard if you’re not careful. Make candle lights and Christmas trees the safe way in this video for eHow.

Click the image to start the video or if the image does not appear CLICK HERE.

 

Many years ago, Christmas trees were decorated with actual candles, and the candles were attached to the boughs of the trees. And, as you can imagine, this was quite a fire hazard! So, luckily, fast-forward to today. We have many different ways to decorate with candle lights and Christmas trees that do not require an open flame – specifically, speaking of battery-powered candle lights, and these are really a great way to decorate around a live Christmas tree.

SUPPLIES:

  • 2-3 Mini Christmas trees
  • 2-3 Birch wood boxes or containers
  • Additional Faux greenery
  • Silver ornaments
  • Battery or Solar powered candles
  • Birch wood logs
  • Ribbon

DIRECTIONS:

Place trees into birch wood boxes. Place additional greens inside box to cover the tree base and to create a base for the ornaments. Add ornaments in the color of your choice.

Wrap 3-5 logs with ribbon cut to size.

Place trees, logs bundles and candles either on your mantle, couch table or dining table, alternating each one to create a safe seasonal display that can be left out for the entire season!

Do you decorate your dining room table for the entire season? Let me know in the comments below. Like + Share the Joy with friends.

 

 

Posted on

Easy Fall Decor Idea For a Small Space

 

white pumpkin and olive on stacked books #FallDecor #Autumn #Home

Adding small touches of Fall Décor around your home can be easier than you think. This small seasonal display can be used in a living room, on a bedroom night stand  or to greet out-of-town guests in a guest room.

SUPPLIES NEEDED:

  • Mini White Pumpkin
  • Small Cutting of an Olive Branch
  • Small Clear Glass Vase
  • Books for Stacking

Begin by stacking hardcover books on a table or nightstand. A variety of color is nice but stay in the same pallet for a calm visual appeal.

Place Olive Branch cuttings in vase with water. Making sure the bottom is dry. Add white mini pumpkin.

Viola! Instant Autumn!

What small details do you add to your home to bring the season inside? Let me know in the comments below. Like this post? Share with your friends and sign up to receive tips right to your mail box!

Posted on

Seasonal Decorating: Styling a Spring Coffee Table

Dilemma:

“I want to bring the feeling of Spring into my home decor but my budget is small and my available time is even smaller. Can you help me?”

Solution:

I hear this dilemma quite a bit during workshops and classes. You want to refresh your home each season, and although you want it to look like a million bucks, you don’t necessarily want to invest a lot of time or money doing it. Creating a seasonal display on your coffee table is an easy way to bring Spring into your home and many of us already own these suggested items.

 

  • Wooden Tray
  • Your Favorite books or magazines
  • Decorative Box
  • Decorative Coasters
  • Potted Bulbs or Spring Flowers

 

Once you have raided your closets and collected all your items in one place it is simply a matter of placing them in an appealing manner on your table.

 

Check out this video I just made for you with simple tips for styling your coffee table that can be done in a matter a minutes. It will have you ready for entertaining or simply whistling like a spring bird in no time.

Now it is your turn, I want to hear your design dilemmas. Leave one concern you have about seasonal decorating in the comments below and we may answer in an upcoming video or session.

Posted on

A Christmas Tree for Every Room

It is the first weekend of December and my guess is that most of you are heading out to select the perfect tree sometime this weekend. But why just stop at one? What if you placed a tree in everyroom of the house? Big or small, Christmas trees bring the warmth of the season into the space. So this year, why not add a festive glow to more than one room? Consider these options…

 

THE KITCHEN CHRISTMAS TREE

{Image Courtesy of House Beautiful}

THE HALLWAY CHRISTMAS TREE

{Image Spotted on Alicia B Designs Blog}

THE BEDROOM CHRISTMAS TREE

{Image Courtesy of Traditional Home}

THE OFFICE CHRISTMAS TREE

{Image Courtesy of Jaunted}

And yes even…..

THE BATHROOM CHRISTMAS TREE

Where will you place your tree this year?

Posted on

In the News: A Naturally Thankful Season {article published in Impart Magazine}

 

A NATURALLY THANKFUL SEASON

No matter what part of the country you live in, for most Americans, Fall is a time filled with images of harvest, abundance, cool weather, and gathering with family and close ones. According to the Farmer’s Almanac, the 2012 Fall Season officially begins on September 22nd  and ends on the Winter Solstice December 21st but no one day most embodies the season more than Thanksgiving Day, or weekend if you are luck, filled with family, friends, laughter, sharing memories, and of course plentiful food. Preparing your home for that one day, however, can be overwhelming if you attempt to menu plan, shop, decorate, set the table and cook all in a matter of the three days prior to the big feast… Read the Full Article Here {written by Krayl Funch}

Topics covered in the full article include:

“Start At The beginning” : Creating a Seasonal Entranceway

“Bring it Inside”: Bring the outside in to celebrate nature

“Before the Big Feast”: Reduce stress by preparing in advance

Read the Full Article Here

 

Or view recent posts on related topics:

Make a Grand Entrance This Season / Fall Entertaining & Tablescapes

{Please contact us if you are interested in working with someone to help plan & coordinate your holiday gathering.  In-person & Virtual Services available Info@AnAppealingPlan.com}

Posted on

Moving On….Thanksgiving.

I have a love hate relationship with Halloween Decor. I LOVE that it gets people thinking about one of my favorite topics, Seasonal Decorating, but HATE  the plastic spiders, bloody corpses and all around potential {as my Grandmother would have called it} “tacky-ness” of the whole thing. I say POTENTIAL, knowing that there are many people who do it well and should not be included in this rant of mine.

But here we are finally, in November and we can now move full effect into Fall Decor without concern. The weather has cooled and it’s time to bring out the beauty and harvest of the season.

I SAY BRING ON THE FALL TABLESCAPES & PUMPKIN PIE!!

20121101-125533.jpg

 

Posted on

Make a grand Entrance this Season.

Your entranceway is the first impression of your home or business to a guest or client. Your home may be lovely beyond the front porch or center hall but that first impression is already made. Or perhaps they make inside and forget the pots of dying plants and faded past season decorations for a few hours while they visit with you; they still have to leave sometime. As they are backing out of your driveway, what do they see? That is correct. Your entranceway. Dead plants and all.

Don’t be a victum of “S.E.D.” {Sad Entranceway Design}. This season create a fabulously welcoming porch or entranceway. Even a few minor changes can make a huge difference. Or perhaps you are ready for a full overhall? Either way, stick with me kid and we will make it happen. {Virtual and In-person plans available}

Enjoy this post? What did it inspire you to do? Let a comment below and share the love with your friends using the social share button. Complete the form below to receive weekly updates to your inbox.

Posted on

Design Finds: Casa Nova Tampa

Lastnight I attended an event at CasaNova in Tampa, FL for a networking function {and if truth be told to stare at all their beautiful home decor items}, and found a few new favorites to put on my growing wish list as well as an item or two for a client’s office re-style.

This Bird Nest Pillow would make an excellent addition to the 75 other pillows currently on my bed, after all I don’t have one with a nest and eggs on it… And the whole bird trend is so hot right now.

Bird Pillow

If you follow my blog at all you know my love for Natural Design inside and outside the home, so when I saw this carved wooden chandelier hanging above a round card table I was mesmerized. I stood trying to figure out if it was a created from one single block or created separately then synched together. Still not sure but either way it is amazing workmanship. {although also on trend I apologize in advance for too much of the Tangerine Tango bookcase in the background of the photo}

Tablescapes, Tablescapes, Tablescapes. I LOVE them on an entranceway table, side table, waiting area, dining room, retail merchandising and for entertaining. Pretty much can’t go wrong. Try recreating the ones below on your empty table.

Finally their collection of custom fabrics which takes up pretty much the majority of one wall was too pretty not to take a few snappies of. Hmmm, I think the chair in my master might need a new slip cover…

NEUTRALS

Color Swatches Neutral

RED & YELLOWS

Color Swatches Red & Yellow

If you live, work, play in the Tampa Bay area be sure to stop in Casa Nova and say hi to owner Barbara & designer Kylie Italiano. And tell them I said hello.

Enjoy this post? What did it inspire you to do? Let a comment below and share the love with your friends using the social share button. Complete the form below to receive weekly updates to your inbox. Enjoy ~ krayl

Posted on

My Fantasty Land – Epcot 2012 Flower & Garden Show

 

Not usually a “Disney” girl Epcot has won me over. It is my grown-up fantasy world where life is good. The plants and grounds are perfectly manicured. The food and wine are perfectly placed and always tasty {ok the escargot in France were not my favorite. But no one is perfect right?}

 

 

 

 

 

 

This visit I timed my trip to be able to see HGTV’s Sabrina Soto give her presentation. She was very real and refreshing. She gave tips on how to get involved with the station and programing as well as answered all types of questions about design and her shows.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The audience was interesting to say the least. Two separate ladies made some what negative comments and Sabrina handled it very well. At one point joking saying she was not going to answer her question. She was also questioned on her fondness for Benjamin Moore paints when HGTV has a new partnership with Sherwin-Williams. Her response was frank and not based on monetary commitments…perhaps not wise but endearing her to me even more. As you can see she is a tiny girl with a big personality.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

After the workshop I moved on to another favorite “country” England where Twings Tea has sponsored the English Garden. The herbs and boxwood have me dreaming of being whisked away and then “Alice in Wonderland” and the line of children waiting for their photo-op snap me back to reality. Brief but worth the trip as usual.

The show runs now through May 20th. If you have the chance, make the trip and have a sip of champagne in France for me. ~ kf.

 

Posted on

SPRING Entranceways!! We love you!!

krayl_funch_springcontainers_entranceway

Spring. For a small word it brings an enormous amount of memories and positive energy to the air and to the humans for that matter.  It means we can head outside, play in the grass, hear the birds chirping, see the sun again, switch out our closets, cook with local fresh herbs and vegetables, make fresh salads from our gardens.

This is also the time to update the containers greeting visitors at your front door. YES, you need to pull out the poinsettia and browning mini-pine tree. Spring containers are fun! They look great. Smell great and welcome the season as much as your guests.

{Use groupings of planters in various sizes for an appealing display}

Now get out there and smell the roses. KRAYL

{P.S. If you are looking to refresh your containers or give your entranceway an entirely new look but don’t have the time? Let me help you. Contact us today to schedule your appointment. INFO@ANAPPEALINGPLAN.COM}