Now we’re saying, ‘mix the metals with reckless abandon,’ ” says design consultant Sandra Young of Calgary’s Willow Studio.

A chic little retail/design shop that twinkles with seasonal displays, Willow Studio is a great place to seek inspiration for this year’s hottest holiday-decorating trends. And take heed: This year’s seasonal style delivers more than a brilliant sparkle. It’s big, it’s bold—and while some of the choices may even seem a little bizarre, it’s also stunningly beautiful, as is the case with one Willow Studio display that features a life-sized peacock in a Christmas tree, or another with a polished silver candle holder-slash-table-centrepiece that’s shaped like the antlers of whitetail deer. Made you look? More like, look and you’ll love it!

Rosalyn Lazaruk of Wicketblue Interiors in Edmonton, shares Young’s contention that shine is in. “I think we all went towards silver and pewter for so many years that it went a little cold.” She loves the idea of adding shimmer to your holiday decor, but insists you don’t have to buy a metallic tree.

Instead, this interiors consultant encourages clients to add glitz to the existing palette. Once you’ve identified accent colours that go with your primary colour scheme, you can easily add sparkle and colour hues that complement the existing decor. Sofa pillows that feature metallic sheens or yuletide tartans, for example, are a great way to add a festive touch to your living space. They add an extra dose of contemporary sophistication if they feature luxurious fabrics like silk with metallic thread details.

To avoid a festive overload, Young recommends homeowners take a tough look at their Christmas tree—and declutter. Special pieces may look better on a mantel or inside clear glass vases. Young likes to use the extra space on the tree to add over-sized pieces (like the peacock feather masks or giant ornaments that resemble musical instruments). Her other suggestion? If you really want people to notice your tree, add some white. “The contrast adds a visual boost to almost any display.”

Bring on the bling
Sparkly bows, seasonal ribbons and strings of shiny beads are other good ways to add glimmer to natural focal points like mantels and dining room chandeliers. “I think you have to pick strategic places in your home and decorate them,” says Young, who views the powder room as another area that begs for a little seasonal glitz.

That same attention to detail works outside of the home, too, says Elizabeth Nandee of Basic Black Interiors, Calgary. “A lot of people forget to accessorize spaces like window boxes or the porch.” From where she sits, that’s a decorating faux pas. Since your eye is attracted to these details, they merit some holiday cheer.

A big fan of greenery, Nandee suggests adding spruce branches or small trees decorated with lights to window boxes and to urns or planters placed on your home’s front steps or on either side of the garage door. If your porch already features a chair, Nandee proposes adding a pillow with a holiday theme or design to the outdoor mix. That kind of focal point presents a lasting impression for visitors.

Back in Edmonton, Lazaruk likes to remind her clients to prepare for impromptu social gatherings by always keeping the pantry stocked with a few special items, like crackers and spreads. Even if no one drops by, you’ll have everything you need to celebrate your holiday space!

Stress-free soirees
If holiday entertaining is on your agenda, Deidre Taylor has two words of advice: party rentals. The owner of a Calgary-based IT search business called Atticus Resources, Taylor loves to invite clients, family and friends to her family’s acreage northwest of the city.
Having rented everything from tents to chairs, wine glasses and plates, Taylor views party rentals as the quickest and least-expensive way to glam up a personal or corporate event “because you don’t have worry. Everything will match—and look great!”

Try rentals once and you’ll likely do it again, agrees Katherine Lomax of Edmonton’s Elegant Touches Inc. Lomax’s business includes party planning and a rental inventory that makes seasonal party planning a snap. It also eases the post-party work, since renting allows you to enjoy hosting an event without having to clean dishes or wash and press those fabulous matching linens.

To de-stress the food side of the party equation, Taylor recommends hiring caterers or buying oven-ready appetizers. To add one extra-special food experience, consider renting a chocolate fountain, a margarita machine or a cappuccino centre. One Edmonton company, Señorira Margarita, provides a cappuccino centre that includes an attendant who serves a selection of special coffees featuring choices of flavoured syrups and toppings.

I don’t know if rental places promote the stress-free side of their business, but they should,” says Taylor. NL

OUR DECORATING EXPERTS:
1. Sandra Young, Willow Studio, Calgary
2. Rosalyn Lazaruk, Wicketblue Interiors, Edmonton
3. Elizabeth Nandee, Basic Black Design, Calgary
 
Get festive for less
Save money and add style with festive tips from design consultant Sandra Young of Willow Studio:
- Update holiday ornaments or centrepieces with metallic spray paint and some craft-store glitter.
- Add a few shiny bits to traditional pieces. Young’s favourites for 2008 include Japanese lanterns made from translucent glass in green or orange.
- Tasteful and inexpensive to operate, white LED lights can often be used indoors and out. They also offer some year-round decorating opportunities.
- Mix artificial plants and foliage with inexpensive fresh greenery you pick up at the florist, garden shop (or from your own evergreens).
- Place weighted-down tin cans inside a few ice cream buckets full of water and freeze them solid. Add a tea light to each bucket and line a winter walkway with your frozen candle holders.
- Abandon the crystal platter and serve vodka shooters, instead—on a bed of real snow.