Untitled - Julie Couch Interiors

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Designer-Worthy Holiday Décor
It’s true interior designers seem to transform a room from faded to festive with just the wave of their hand, but did you know
you can do it too? Join these Tennessee-based designers in a behind-the-scenes look at holiday decorating and learn experts
tips you can use at home.
Sophisticated Tablescape
The concept: Layers. Each element has an
important place in the overall plan. Just as
point of your parties this season (besides you, of course!) Create a beautiful, each room in your home is more than the sum
of its parts, your table should be no different!
elegant-yet-relaxed tablescape for the holidays with these insider tips from
The layers add interest and beauty, serving as
Nashville interior designer Julie Couch. TEXT Julie Couch | PHOTOGRAPHY courthe perfect backdrop for a holiday dinner.
The dining room table needs special attention, since it will be the focal
tesy of Julie Couch
The How-To
Setting the Table
Burlap At less than $3 a yard, burlap adds texture and
a soft neutral color to play up your holiday décor. And
since it’s available at almost any fabric store and it’s so
inexpensive, simply throw it away if someone spills.
Placemats or Chargers I borrowed these from a good
friend (with good taste!). A little formal, they are an unexpected, fun contrast to the rawness of the burlap and are
beaded and beautiful in subtle tones of green and gold.
Fine china Nothing is prettier or more sentimental than
your favorite dinnerware. Pictured is Kate Spade’s June
Lane pattern in the silver and gold colorways. I couldn’t
choose just one, and anything in silver or gold is festive!
Napkins Sheer and sophisticated, the palette of green and
gold is repeated and then accented with a simple pearl
napkin ring. (Full disclosure: I couldn’t find a napkin ring
I liked anywhere, so I used some of my bracelets instead.
They worked splendidly.)
Flatware I used the Hotel Collection from WilliamsSonoma. It’s mismatched yet classic. It’s just what your
favorite big city hotel would have.
Glassware I chose the most decorative pattern available,
Waterford Clarendon. I thought, if you’re going to go
formal, go! And I just couldn’t resist how much I felt like
royalty sipping from these beauties.
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Classic Details
Candles When it comes to candles, don’t overdo it. I
chose oversized iron candelabras to add weight and
drama. Next, the addition of ivory tapers is effortless and
gorgeous. Simple is better. You’ll see the romantic candlelight and not the candle.
Flowers Another classic, red roses, is easy to find but always stunning. In this arrangement I used four dozen, cut
the stems short, and placed them side by side, each held in
place with blocks of floral foam. Like the candelabras, the
grand scale of my favorite silver punchbowl is an unexpected centerpiece. Then, I added simple glass vases with
white snowberries scattered among the place settings. It’s
a perfect mix of formal elegance and whimsy.
Favors It’s always fun to get a present! I wrapped homemade chocolate candies in brown paper boxes found at a
crafts store. Then I topped this tiny treasure with green
raffia and a peppermint stick.
Julie Couch is a Nashville-based designer with current projects across
the southeast. Through her boutique interior design firm, Julie Couch
Interiors, Couch specializes in blending all styles of furniture and
textiles from antique to modern, to achieve a space that is beautifully
timeless. Visit her on her blog at www.decoratordozen.com for decorating ideas and tips.
home and garden
Heirloom Holiday
Food often takes center stage during the holidays, and as any good host knows, presentation is everything. Dazzle your guests this
season with expertly arranged table décor
tips from Knoxville’s Carol Raley.
TEXT and PHOTOGRAPHY Hallie McKay
The concept: Create a simple-yet-elegant
and unique tablescape from items mostly
found around the house.
Experiment with contrasts as you
mix and match pieces to create a
beautiful tablescape. Then, tie your
new holiday design into the home by
incorporating a personal, sentimental
or traditional touch.
The family dining room is centered around Carol’s collection of
heirloom silverware. Carol and her
husband began acquiring silver during their first year of marriage and
have since amassed an impressive
collection.
Sentimental Settings Heirloom,
antique and/or tarnished items are
great choices for decorative accents.
The age of each item reflects a history
and tradition that fits nicely within
the holiday spirit. “One of the most
enjoyable parts of decorating my
own home for the holidays is bringing out treasured collections and
handmade ornaments made by my
children as well my own collection of
hand-blown ornaments,” Carol says.
(Continued on pg. 61)
November 2010 • athometn.com | 59
home and garden
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Mantle Makeover
With these tips from Memphis’ Teresa Zilinsky, straying
from classic red and green holiday hues while still
channeling the festive vibes of the season is a piece of cake!
TEXT Teresa Zilinsky | PHOTOGRAPHY Nikki Aviotti Hodum
The concept: Dress up your mantle for
the holidays without straying from the
color scheme of the home.
The How-To
1. Start by measuring your mantle. Twist together two
lengths of garland (one isn’t full enough, usually) and
run them up one side of the mantle, across the mantle
and down the other side. (To add more interest and
texture, purchase two different types of garland. I like
starting with a pre-lit garland or a simple green variety
that I’ve added my own lights to by wrapping them
around and around. Then I pick another garland that
has more texture than the first—I especially like the
ones with larger leaves in them—like a mix of magnolia
leaves or larger boxwood leaves. This, mixed in with
fern or pine needles gives it so much more interest.)
2. After the garland is in place, begin adding the ribbon. I use some of the pine needles to pinch the ribbon into place. Wire-edged ribbon is much easier to
work with. I also leave enough ribbon to tie a bow in
the center, or sometimes I tie a bow on each end. The
60 | At Home Tennessee • November 2010
project usually takes about 15 to 20 yards of ribbon.
A large bow requires about three yards, as well as 10
yards of ribbon to weave it in and around the rest of the
garland.
3. Next, add extra decorative touches. This example
features a bead garland that picks up some of the terracotta colors in the client’s home. Then, incorporate
some more magnolia leaves for some extra sparkle and
texture. Finally, I added some pheasant feathers to give
the mantle even more pop and fun.
4. For a little extra color, scatter ornaments around
the mantel arrangement. I picked out blue and terracotta, as well as some ornaments with feathers on them.
Add some to the bow in the center, and then randomly
place the rest up and down the mantle, using wire to
attach them to the garland.
home and garden
Heirloom Holiday, Continued
Mix it up Carol organized her table
settings to incorporate varying textures, shapes and sizes to create interest and focal points. “Although there
aren’t any hard and fast rules when
mixing formal and informal pieces
on a table, I do feel it is important to
keep the juxtaposition of such pieces
as balanced as possible,” Carol says.
As the focal point, Carol’s heirloom
silver sets the mood for an elegant
dining experience. The feeling is
echoed by the crystal chandelier and
old south china pattern.
Delightful Details To relax an otherwise highly formal look, incorporate
whimsical notes such as colorful
ornaments and boxwood placemats.
Showcasing items like the handblown ornaments shown here gives
guests something exciting to look
at and is a great design strategy.
The evergreen accents bring a touch
of the outdoors to this tablescape,
giving it a more relaxed feel. Don’t
forget to use natural elements when
getting ready to decorate. Greenery is
relatively cheap and easy to find.
To light the table, Carol suggests
candlelight. Not only does it lend
warmth to the room, but you get
double the impact if you have mirrored surfaces.
Decorating 101 For those just starting
out decorating, Carol recommends
incorporating classic elements like
antique blown glass ornaments, crystal garlands and icicles.
See Sources for Details
November 2010 • athometn.com | 61