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Decorating for The Holidays: How to make a Holiday Arrangement Using Fresh Greens

The Holidays are back and we’re busy decorating for the season! Last year we provided a check-list for decorating with Fresh Greens: one of our favorite ways to decorate for the winter. This year, we’ve outlined a step-by-step guide on how to create your own arrangement using fresh greens. So put on some holiday tunes, grab your shears, and let’s get started!

Step One: Sourcing and Cutting Your Greens

The easiest place to source your greens is from your backyard! If you have magnolia, ivy, cypress, boxwood, or holly growing in your backyard, get your clippers and get cutting! Always cut the branch at an angle close to the joint. This prevents damaging the tree and keeps the greens fresher for longer. It’s easier for the stem to absorb water if it has been cut at an angle.

If you don’t have a backyard or don’t have the right plants growing, head to a garden center or plant market and start browsing. Most markets will have a lovely selection of holiday greens and flowers to choose from. Be sure to pick up a variety of sizes, textures and colors for the best fresh green arrangement. Always buy more than you think you need to cover any mistakes. You can make smaller arrangements with the leftovers.

Finally, if you’re trimming your own Christmas tree, don’t throw the extra branches away! Use them in your arrangements. This is a great way to save a bit of cash and reuse what you already have! The feathery branches from a Christmas tree are perfect for the base of the arrangement.

Step Two: Preparing the foundation

Once you’ve sourced your fresh greens it’s time to prepare your foundation. We recommend getting a few blocks of floral foam to provide structure and keep your greens fresh as long as possible. Soak the foam in advance.

Using floral foam at the bottom of a vase or urn is one of our favorite ways to make a fresh greens arrangement. These larger arrangements look beautiful outside and inside your home, beside doors, and next to fireplaces. Once the foam has been soaked, it’s time to get arranging!

Step Three: Making the base

We recommend building the arrangement in the area that it will be displayed. This gives you a sense of how large the arrangement should be, and how it will look against its surroundings. Make sure you have a pair of clippers on hand when arranging the greens. This allows you to trim each branch as needed. Start with your bulkier, feathery greens to create the base of your arrangement. The fuller the arrangement, the better. Greens such as cypress, fir from your Christmas tree, and juniper have a lot of body to them and make a fantastic base. Where possible, stick the stems directly into the floral foam to ensure they get water and stay green.

Build up the body of the arrangement until it’s looking full but there is still plenty of room for the details. Aim for about two-thirds full. You can always take away or add more as you go on.

Step Four: Get creative

This is the part where you should get creative and let your imagination do the talking. Fill in any gaps with more delicate leaves and details. Adding willow branches gives wonderful height. Magnolia leaves add a beautiful texture and still look amazing once they’ve dried out, perfect for the winter!

Be sure to add color. Add brown and orange leaves and branches. Make sure to add some red for a festive touch. Winter berry, Holly, and Poinsettias simply scream “holiday season,” so intersperse those within your arrangement. You can also use pinecones by attaching them to some floral wire and sticking the wire into the floral foam. Remember: the fuller the arrangement, the more beautiful!

Don’t be afraid to play around in this step. If you add something in and it doesn’t feel right, take it out and try again.

Step Five: The finishing touches

When you think you’ve finished, be sure to look at the arrangement from a few feet away. Add more base greens if necessary. Move branches around, and be sure the color is evenly dispersed. Look at it from different angles that it’ll be viewed from. Once you’re sure it’s perfect, add a red or tartanware ribbon around the vase or urn.

Congratulations, you’ve created the perfect fresh-greens arrangement!

Benefits of Bespoke Upholstery

If you’re remodeling, renovating, or designing a room or your house, furniture is a great place to start. If you are looking for a fresh and unique design bespoke upholstery is the way to go! From giving you more creative freedom to being sustainable, here are five benefits of getting bespoke upholstery made.

It’s more sustainable

Pre-made furniture and commercial upholstery often relies on glue and flimsy wood. However, older and antique furniture tend to have better frameworks, built to last. Why throw away a perfectly good frame? Older pieces can often be easily reupholstered to match your current design. If there’s an armchair or other piece that is looking outdated, reupholstering the cushioning and fabric will give it a new life.

Additionally, a lot of commercial furniture is made in bulk and then sold. This means that whatever doesn’t get sold inevitably ends up in a landfill. Bespoke Upholstery means that you’re using everything you’re creating, leading to less waste. Who doesn’t love a more environmentally friendly option?

It’s unique to your home

Whether you’re getting a sofa, arm chair, headboard, or handrails, bespoke upholstery guarantees that no one else in the world will have your design. Everyone loves having unique items. But more than that, it ensures your home doesn’t look generic or boring. You can cater the piece to your exact taste and personality, creating a better sense of home. Lastly, statement pieces start great conversations and leave your guests wanting to get some bespoke upholstery for themselves!

You have more control

Often when shopping for furniture and curtains, there are compromises you should expect to make. You may love the fabric on one sofa but find it uncomfortable to sit on. Or vice versa: you may find an armchair extremely comfortable but the color is two shades too dark. Getting bespoke upholstery puts you in complete control of the piece, especially if you decide to get custom framework made. Not only do you have control over the exact size for it’s designated location, but you have control of the frame and finish, fabric, and stuffing.

It provides more creative freedom

Perhaps the best part of bespoke upholstery is the amount of freedom it gives you. With thousands of fabrics to choose from, there are endless possibilities. You also have creative freedom over the finer details. You decide if you want to tuft the piece, whether it will have a skirt, a matching ottoman, and more. Additionally, bespoke upholstery is not just limited to furniture. From your curtains to handrails, it allows you more creative freedom in your design process. This is your chance to let your imagination run wild! Check out our tips for choosing the best upholstery fabric.

It’s creates a cohesive design

Along with the creative freedom that bespoke upholstery provides, it also lets you create a cohesive overall design. For instance, having curtains that match your cushions is a fine detail that can tie a design together. This often isn’t possible when buying pre-made items. Additionally, when you create your mood board, you can add fabric samples alongside paint samples to see whether they’ll actually work together. You won’t have to worry about whether you’re able to find the exact piece you’re looking for. Bespoke Upholstery allows you to create the exact piece you want!

Let us help you!

Unless you’ve had training, there’s a good chance that upholstering is not a skill up your sleeve. At Kelley Astore Interiors, we’ve been spending the past 20 years building relationships with the best upholsterers in the DMV area. Whether you’re looking for a one-off piece of furniture or an entire room, we can help! Head to our service page to find out more.

hosting outdoor celebration, outdoor party

Tips for Hosting an Outdoor Celebration

During these unpredictable times, more celebrations have moved outdoors. If you’re used to hosting events inside your home, this may feel like an intimidating change. But with the right planning, your guests will have a wonderful time and your outdoor celebrations will become the envy of all events. Follow these simple tips to begin your planning!

The Backdrop

The backdrop of your event includes the larger things seen by your guests. These will inform how well the smaller details play out. If you’re hosting in your backyard, the main backdrop will be your house. You want to make sure it looks its best. If you’ve been dying to repaint your exterior walls, now is the perfect time to do it! Alternatively, if you like the paint, consider getting your house power-washed. Power-washing uses a high-pressure water spray to remove dirt, dust, grime, and everything in between. When done correctly, it can give the illusion of fresh paint. Contact us for power-washing and painting quotes.

Be sure to clean all your windows. If guests will be able to see into your house, make sure the interior looks spic and span. Additionally, if any of your cars are going to be visible, go the extra mile and clean it. No one enjoys looking at a grimy, dusty car.

Gardening

Just like you would clean your living room if you were hosting inside, it’s time to clean your backyard for your outdoor celebration! Rake the leaves, cut the grass, get rid of any dead plants and weeds, and give your hedges a trim. Sweep any pavement clean of dirt. If you have decking, consider getting it power-washed as well. This is also the perfect time to plant some Autumn flowers. Be sure to plan in advance so you can water your grass in the weeks leading up to your event. If possible, avoid watering the grass the day before so that your guests don’t get muddy.

The Lighting

If your party goes into the evening, you’ll want to think about lighting in advance. There are many elegant outdoor-lighting options available. If your house has any built-in lights, make sure the lightbulbs are working. Turn motion-sensor lights off and opt for an option you can better control. From string lights, to lamps, candles, and lanterns your options are endless. Before purchasing any lights, locate your power outlets and make sure your guests won’t be tripping over wires. Any loose wires should be taped down. Test your lights a few nights in advance to make sure you like the way they look.

Heating

Heating torches, lamps, fire tables, and even a fire pit provide warmth to your guests while also providing light. How many guests you have and whether children will be present can inform your decisions. Investing in small blankets for your guests will bring a cosy atmosphere. They can be placed on the back of their chairs for when they arrive. Alternatively, you can have them on hand and pass them out later in the evening. If you decide to have a bonfire, nominate someone in advance to be in charge of lighting and maintaining it.

The Decorations

This is your chance to wow your guests. Beautiful outdoor decorations are enough to make anyone forget about celebrating inside. If you’re hosting a dinner, be sure to get floral centerpieces for the tables. Opt for colors to match your theme. For a classy look, opt for pastel roses. For a fun pop of color try sunflowers or peonies. Lastly, having something hanging is essential to any outdoor celebration. It creates a sense of intimacy by closing the space slightly. String lights, ivy, floral garland, or bunting are great options.

The Restrooms

Knowing where your guests will be able to use the restroom is very important. If your guests are having to walk through your house to get to the restrooms, keep disinfectant gel on hand for when the guests first walk into your home. Make sure your bathrooms are spotless and well stocked with soap and toilet paper. Everyone has different comfort levels so have disposable disinfectant wipes available in the bathrooms for you guests to use. Invest in individual hand-towels or disposable hand towels for you guests to use. Additionally, have hand lotion by the sink for an extra luxurious touch. Getting air-freshener will elevate your guest’s experience. Lastly, make sure to do regular bathroom checks during the actual event.

Host your Outdoor Celebration

If your guests see that the host is having fun, they’re more likely to relax and have a good time as well. So remember to have fun! At the end of the day, hosting an outdoor celebration is about celebrating. Once the party begins, try to forget about the nitty gritty details and just be present with your family and friends!

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