Rustic Christmas Table Decorations 2012 Ideas from HGTV

Bring a rustic yet elegant look to any holiday table with wool, knits, fresh greens and tons of woodsy texture.

By : Marian Parsons

Think Beyond the Linen Closet

Fold a vintage wool blanket and use it as a runner. It sets the color scheme and softens the warm wood of the table.

Bring Texture to the Table

A woven placemat adds rich color and texture to each setting. Remember to have an open mind when shopping: These mats were meant to be used on an Asian-style table, but they are right at home in a rustic theme. 

Mix and Match

Vintage Bakelite flatware from slightly mismatched sets looks perfect side by side. Don’t be afraid to mix and match silverware, plates and glasses. It often looks more interesting than using pieces that are made to be a set. 

Ditch the Paper Plates

Treat your guests to the luxury of using different plates and bowls for each course. Serve soup in simple wooden bowls, follow with a salad on a delicate ironstone plate and finish with dinner on a square wooden plate. A crystal goblet adds a touch of elegance, but the wheat pattern ties in to the natural theme.

The Season of Giving

A soup bowl doubles as a place card holder and carries an ornament for each guest to take home as a gift.

Tag It

A bundle of fresh cinnamon sticks is wrapped and tied in hemp twine. Write guests' names with permanent marker on a shipping tag and tie to a cinnamon bundle to assign seats. Arrange guests in a way that will encourage conversation and new friendships

Forget the Florist

Trim evergreen branches from your yard or an obliging neighbor's tree to serve as a centerpiece. Place fresh boughs in a galvanized bucket and swag a wooden bead garland around the greens. Use leftover Christmas tree clippings to fill in the base of the tablescape. 

It’s All in the Details

Embellish a simple galvanized sap bucket with humble hemp twine and an inexpensive snowflake ornament. Wrap twine several times around the top of bucket, then tie together and create a loop to thread snowflake on. Tie one more knot to secure the snowflake. 

Layer Upon Layer

Fluffy white snowflakes, knit "sweater" ornaments, twine-wrapped candles, fresh greens, pinecones and a stack of old books bring visual and textural interest to this centerpiece. Be careful where candles are positioned in relation to fresh greenery, and never leave candles unattended.

Keep it Natural

Egg-shaped fresh cranberries provide an unexpected pop of color against a craft store bird’s nest. Shop the farmers' market, garden center and the great outdoors to find accessories for this rustic table setting. 

Thanksgiving Table Setting and Centerpiece Ideas : Fall 2012 Ideas

Designer Erinn Valencich shares tips for setting a Thanksgiving table that balances natural elements with the gleam of metallics.  

By H. Camille Smith

Add a Touch of Glitz

For a sophisticated but not over-the-top look, balance the sparkle of metallics with natural elements, like fall branches or fresh fruit. 

Erinn's Tip: Metallics add a great modern touch to a fall tablescape. Deep copper and bright bronze are a lovely additional to a traditional table. I prefer to bring in natural, textured elements like these seed-beaded placemats so the table doesn't get too glitzy.

Play With Scale

Diminutive pears contrast with elongated stemware for a look that is elegant and playful. 

Erinn's Tip: Slender amber stemware adds height and drama to a simple table while gold pillar candles and votives sparkle as the centerpiece. 

Opt for an Aromatic Centerpiece

Who said a centerpiece needed to time-consuming, expensive or even floral? Erinn created this arrangement by grouping scented candles with an earthy potpourri. 

Erinn's Tip: During the fall, natural elements are the best decorations. This potpourri creates a lovely centerpiece and its subtle fragrance is a great addition to the table. Look for large, chunky potpourris and add elements from your own backyard, like pinecones and seed pods, to the mix.

Gleaming Glass Accents

Golds and ambers pair beautifully with the traditional browns and oranges of fall.

  Erinn's Tip: Glass vases can be found very inexpensively in a variety of colors, shapes and sizes at your local housewares store. They're fantastic for adding a splash of luminescent color to the room. So go wild! Bring a bunch home, try them out and return what you don't use.

Simple Sophistication

This place setting layers basic elements to achieve an extraordinary effect. 

Erinn's Tip: A set of white plates is a great standard to have for your year round table. You don't have to get something special out just for the season. It's all in the presentation a crisp linen napkin folded into thirds and laid under a bronze glass plate topped with a miniature pear sets each guests' plate off with style for very little money, time or fuss. 

Bountiful Centerpiece

Set the stage for an unforgettable Thanksgiving feast with a centerpiece that exemplifies bounty. A ghost white pumpkin, chunky pillar candles and metallic painted gourds add sparkle. 

Erinn's Tip: Create a table that's casual and warm with a modern twist. Play with colors of chocolate, taupe and birch contrasted with crisp white.

Contrast Materials

A humble pinecone adds an organic touch to each place setting. 

Erinn's Tip: Have fun with materials; contrast ceramic with glass, wood and gleaming metal. Forgo the old standby tablecloth and opt for glamorous, polished silver chargers and chocolate-brown linen napkins.

Decorate the Whole Room

This buffet sparkles with candles and glassware in shades of amber and gold. Natural elements like wood grain candles and a rustic, hand-carved bowl filled with fall apples complete the look.  Erinn's Tip: "When decorating for Thanksgiving guests, don't stop at setting the table. The buffet, side tables and coffee table will benefit from a few fall touches as well. Bring in large branches of fall foliage and place in a tall vase for a seasonal decoration that is chic and free the best of both worlds. 

Halloween Pumpkin Topiary With Spiders 2012 Ideas from HGTV

We stacked three plain pumpkins together then adorned them in spiders to make a spooky Halloween decoration.

By : Joanne Palmisano

To make this adorable pumpkin topiary, we pinned on spiders and wrapped the pumpkins with black yarn.

Tools and Supplies

serrated knife
scissors
hot-glue gun
3 carving pumpkins (we used faux pumpkins from Funkin)
30 to 40 straight pins with a black tops
flashlight
black yarn
small plastic toy spiders
one large spider

Carve and Stack

Carve the top and bottom of the top pumpkin in the stack. Carve the bottom of the middle pumpkin in the stack. This way stack on top of each other and the top one will have an opening for the flashlight.

Insert Pins

Push the black sewing pins into the pumpkins in a random pattern. Leave half of the pin sticking out. Use about 15 pins per pumpkin.

Create the Spider's Web

Starting at the bottom, wrap the yarn around one of the pins then bring it to the next pin, wrap it around and repeat. Keep weaving the yarn back and forth around the pins until you have one big web. If necessary, use the glue gun on the yarn to keep it from moving.

Add Spiders

Tie or glue small strands of yarn to several of the spiders. Tie the strands to the webbing so the spiders will hang down. Then glue some spiders directly to the webbing. Add several to the top to make it look like they are escaping. Place a few on the floor and make them look like they are about to scatter.

Include Mama Spider

Insert a flashlight into the top pumpkin to illuminate the large spider. Then place the spider as if she's escaping, too (again, be careful of the pins).

Spooky Halloween Table Settings and Decorations 2012 Ideas from HGTV

Host a spooky yet elegant Halloween gathering with colorful, bold table settings and decorations. These easy Halloween ideas are sure to impress even the bravest of guests.

 By : Farima Alavi

The Dark Black Raven

For an ominous look, RMSer michellelouise22 placed a black raven and spray-painted tree branches at the center of her fireplace mantel to represent Edgar Allan Poe's poem The Raven. She made the "nevermore" sign with vinyl letters, and the black candleholders and miniature pumpkins give an extra dark touch.

A Succulent Dinner Party

Host a lush dinner party with a vampire theme. Courtney Dial of Pizzazzerie started with a black velvet tablecloth and dressed it up with dark red accents. To resemble blood, Courtney hung cloth napkins from the table and added red drip candles on top of antique black candleholders. Add a mirror to the table to reflect the eerie candles, and stick "Blood Red" labels on the red wine bottles.

Skull Decor

Skulls fill this creepy dining room decorated by RMSer nyclq, who chose a black-and-white theme. She topped a gauze table runner with a delicate branch centerpiece that holds skull tea lights. The skull theme is carried through to the buffet table, featuring black candelabras and a mummy skeleton. The bright orange window panels are the only pop of color, which adds a dramatic touch to the space.



Pumpkin Carving Party

Carving pumpkins is one of the most interactive Halloween activities, so throw your own party filled with delicious treats and whimsical decor. Korinne Seel of Swank Sweets set a playful spider web tablecloth as the backdrop and enhanced it with inexpensive paper Halloween fans. All the edibles are from the local supermarket and customized with party printables by Anders Ruff Custom Designs. Set the pumpkins on cake stands to make them the focal point of the table.

 

Skeletons on the Table

You don't need gory decorations to spook your guests. RMSer debbiedoos set a frightening table with a metal skull centerpiece, red skull wine glasses and plastic bones on the place settings. To add more of a scare, she hung yellow CAUTION tape on the windows. This dinner table is sure to lead to a thrilling night.

Ahoy, Halloween!

Decorate in red, black and white for a pirate-themed Halloween party. Courtney spruced up vanilla cupcakes with pirate ship cupcake toppers. Fill an old rum bottle with root beer to act as decor and refreshments for guests, and serve other delicious treats in large treasure chests.

Magic and Whimsy

RMS user michellelouise22 chose a yesteryear theme for her Halloween decor. She made a kid-friendly centerpiece by placing fake red apples in a black "Poison" pot and painting one apple black to symbolize a poisonous one. The spider wine glass and hard resin book complete the supernatural look.

A Witch Gathering

Create a tall grim centerpiece by filling a three-tier cake stand with various Halloween decor. RMSer Tamgypsy filled the centerpiece with glittery skulls, bones, spray-painted Christmas ornaments and a silver witch's hat. She placed miniature skulls on the plates and brought crystal elements to the table with candle holders and wine glasses.

Candice Olson Window Seats Designs Ideas 2012

The divine designer creates 5 nooks that are perfect for reading and relaxing

 Candice annexes an old porch and adds a sectional for a nap-perfect nook.

 
 Simple seating and exotic pillows give this retreat a warm, inviting feel.

An already lush bedroom gets an extra dose of luxury from a chocolate-colored window seat.

In this art studio (once a closet), Candice adds an alcove for creative contemplation.

This easy-breezy window seat is perfect for lazy days.

Contemporary Living Room Decorating Design Ideas 2012 By Lori Dennis

 

About Lori Dennis

Dennis Design Group is one of the nation’s top architectural interior design firms. We focus on each client’s needs knowing that every project is as unique as its owner.

Recently honored with the Greenopia Award for being one of the most eco-friendly businesses, we set ourselves apart from ordinary interior designers by implementing Green/Sustainable principles. This coupled with uniquely conceived designs, attention to detail and a relentless effort to meet budgets and deadlines makes our firm stand out in a sea of competitors.

Dennis Design Group is a full service office overseeing complete interior and exterior design and development in the residential, hospitality and commercial arenas. The firm will consider projects throughout the United States and internationally.

A stunning, poured terrazzo floor (made of recycled content) is the dramatic backdrop for this modern living space. A soothing color palette of light blue, brown and crèmes keep the space from feeling too cold. Adding round elements like the drop pendant, chair bases, accessories and the ball pillows soften the hard linear

Custom drapery over the huge double window allows light in this room while maintaining privacy. Design tip: Solid fabric bottoms sewn to sheer tops create a sophisticated look that makes the ceiling appear higher than it is.

This eco-friendly, renovated condo has bamboo hand-scooped floors, floating stairs and glass to make the space feel larger. The sofa and drapery fabrics are organic. Jonathon Adler screens help to designate rooms within the big space.

The Bubble Chair gives a playful touch to any room. Here, the orange color pops in the neutral living room.

Lots of color, pattern and texture mixed together maximize the drama of this loft space. Adding a few living things to the environment is not only feng shui, but helps clean the air with fresh oxygen.

Design Tip: If your bedroom is visible to the main living area, make sure to face the bed to the door. Not only does the person in bed feel more comfortable with being able to view who is entering the room (a feng shui principle), but it looks great!

 Metal Venetian blinds work well with this loft's uber-urban exterior. Commercial surfaces mix well with sophisticated fabrics to create a sanctuary where luxury rules.

Rich colors, antique rugs and modern furniture combined with traditional architecture create a dramatic contemporary living area.

Fun details like a faux crocodile ottoman make this family space interesting and exciting.

Cool turquoise blues on the ottoman, pillows and drapery and the reclaimed wood tables and sea urchin lamps give the room a coastal feeling. Ultrasuede is the perfect material to use when you want to have light-colored fabric in a high-traffic room. It is extremely durable and easy to clean.