Hostess with the Mostest CURATED BY Claudia By Claudia Ricciardone

Q Dear Claudia,
I contacted my interior designer last week about
getting my home ready for the holidays; however, she
informed me that if I want to custom design my dining
room in time for Christmas, it’s already too late! How
can that be? It’s only Fall! My family will be visiting
from out-of-town, and I am also hosting the dessert
course of our neighborhood’s progressive dinner party
in December. I’d like to spruce up my space in preparation.
What should I do?
Thanks in advance!
Laura in Charlotte, NC

A Dear Laura,

I often get calls from clients who are eager to overhaul

their home but are short on time. Custom room

designs can take weeks, if not months, from conception

to installation, but you can still make your home entertainment-

ready in time for the holidays. Below are my

pro tips for turning your home from Ho-Ho-Ho-Hum

to Deck the Halls in no time.

One of the most cost-effective ways to get your home ready

for entertaining is to declutter and edit what you have. Hire a

designer for a consultation or grab a design-conscious friend

and ask for feedback about what

works. Ask them to focus on what

can easily be removed and/or

changed. A fresh set of eyes will

offer you proper perspective.

A staging tip is to use accessories

that are larger than a mango. Visually,

a bunch of itty-bitty objects

read as clutter. It’s better to use a

few larger-scaled items to pull a

console together rather than several

very small ones. This is especially

true when styling a bookcase, which

can quickly mutate into visual clutter

if you’re not selective with your

accessories. When pulling a room

together, your eyes need space to

rest. Decluttering goes a long way in

updating the look of your home.

LET THE

SUNSHINE IN!

It’s not unusual to walk into a

client’s home and find that it’s too

dark to comfortably entertain. If

you’re like me, you are energy conscious

and navigate your home in

bat-like conditions. Using layered

lighting, such as table and floor

lamps, is a great fix. The easiest

way to brighten your home is to

open up the drapes, blinds, and

shutters and allow some of that

glorious sunshine to make its way

into your home. While you are at it,

and if weather permits, open your

windows and let some fresh air in

as well. Thankfully, newer homes

are built to be much more energy

efficient than homes of the past. Unfortunately, this also means

that indoor air can often smell stale. There’s nothing like fresh

air to invigorate your home.

While we’re speaking of smells, make sure your home’s scent

doesn’t offend. Avoid heavy floral or cloying fragrances when

choosing scented candles, which can trigger headaches in sensitive guests. Citrus and spice scents tend

to be more easily tolerated. Essential oils

can both pleasantly scent the air and offer

health-promoting benefits.

And don’t forget about your furry friends.

I sometimes forget that not everyone loves

pets as much as I do. Washing pet bedding

and using throw blankets that can be laundered

on your upholstered furniture may

help minimize pet hair and odors.

ACCESSORIZE WITH

NATURE

I delight in a home that’s been decorated

for the holidays. However, like accessories,

holiday décor looks best when it is carefully

curated. Whether your holiday theme is

made up of cherished family heirlooms or

decorations in your favorite color palette,

group similar items together (rather than

spreading things out over various surfaces)

so that your collection looks cohesive.

One of my favorite ways to decorate

is to use items from nature. It’s fresh,

eco-friendly, and items can be composted

when you’re done using them, which also

reduces the need for storage space. Pumpkins,

gourds, magnolia leaves, evergreen

branches, pinecones, birch logs, holly,

clove-studded citrus, cranberries, and

cinnamon sticks can all be used to create

nature-inspired, earth-friendly holiday

décor.

GIVE YOUR POWDER

ROOM A FACE-LIFT

Finally, you can add big style by giving

your powder room a makeover! Turning

your powder room into a jewel box is a

no-brainer way to wow guests. Impactful

art, wallpaper (or a gorgeous new paint col or),

fresh linens, and updated lighting can

turn a small, overlooked space into a showpiece.

As you can see, there’s plenty that you can do to make your

house fabulous in time for your guests. You’re going to rock that

dinner party!

Thanks for your question, Laura, and Happy Holidays!

Friends,

If you’d like me to answer your design

dilemma in a future column, private

message me via Instagram

@claudiajosephinedesign.com