Tag Archives: holiday

Decorating your Home for the Holidays: Living and Family Rooms

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   DSC_0139When you have a generously-sized living room and a large family room such as in this home, the O’Connor model from Legacy, how do you bring in the holiday spirit without looking skimpy or overwhelming your home with cheer? Here are a few approaches for decorating both rooms while maintaining the style of your home.

Choose one room as holiday central for your home. This involves the tree you will be unwrapping presents under, the location for family holiday meals and any other traditions that suit the season. You can still decorate other rooms in your home but this gives you the flexibility to be understated in all but one area.

Replace current accessories with holiday elements rather than just adding them in. If you keep your home’s current décor in place while adding holiday pieces, your home can look too cluttered to be festive. Instead, pack away some or all of your everyday vases and other accessories to leave room for holiday items.

Add greenery. This is particularly effective in more formal contemporary spaces such as the living room above. Many stores sell fresh greens at this time of year. You can combine several types of greenery to make a splash For example, this living room could stay as-is and still feel like the holidays simply by adding pine and two-color holly around the silver candleholders on the coffee table and on the side tables. Add a few holiday ornaments to the tree on the right and this room is finished in an elegant and effective way. You might want to take advantage of the new battery-powered LED lights to add a spark to the greens.

Models 085This family room can support a large tree. You might one consider 8-9 feet in height to take advantage of the ceiling. The area to the right of the television provides a natural spot for a tree. Remember that you want to provide plenty of seating nearby. Don’t hesitate to rearrange the furniture to make the space work better with a tree. For example, you could move the checked chair on the right closer to the sofa and move the entire seating arrangement a bit to the right which would allow the tree to become the focal point of the room for the holiday season.

Whatever you decide, have fun with your decorations and they will help you set the stage for a lovely holiday.

 

Decorating the Exterior of your Home for the Holidays

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Models 070With the expansive exteriors of Fulton Home’s new Legacy community, the traditional wreath on the door may get lost. Here are a few suggestions to create a festive exterior for your new Legacy home.

Start decorating before you get to the door. You could place wreaths on the front of the matching columns to start setting the mood right away. The symmetrical arrangement supports carrying a doubled theme from the front pillars right to the front door.

Models 090Go big. Look for oversized wreaths and decorations. Before you shop, measure your front door and decide what size range would work best.

Go for multiples. One option is to purchase a number of large poinsettias from Costco or a similar retailer and place two on either side of each stair. You would create a sea of red holiday charm all the way to your door. If you would rather use smaller plants, you could line the walls with them or even place them in the planters shown in the top photo.

Consider luminaria. For a spark of charm consider lining your walkway and walls with many luminarias – a common holiday decorating choice in the Southwest. These simple decorations – just brown paper bags partially filled with sand with a lighted candle inside – could be used to outline the dramatic arrangement of the landscape and walls surrounding the front of your Legacy home.

No matter what decorating choice you make, your home will be lovely and ready to entertain family and friends this holiday season. For more on the Fulton Homes Legacy community, visit us online at: http://www.fultonhomes.com/our-communities/freeman-farms/legacy.

 

Valentine’s Day Solo

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12632055_SIf you find yourself without a significant other this Valentine’s Day, there are better ways to spend it than by feeling sorry for yourself. You can have a lovely day celebrating the person who should mean the most to you – yourself. Try these ideas to make your day special.

Splurge: You don’t need someone else to buy you your favorite chocolates, perfume or other favorite purchase. Let go – within reason – and buy yourself a favorite indulgence.

Share: Do you have other friends who also have no one to spend Valentine’s Day with? Why not plan a party with them? You could splurge on a happy hour or dinner at a favorite restaurant and follow up with chocolates and popcorn at home with a movie like Sleepless in Seattle and plenty of tissues.

Think of others: Are there people you know who may be having a tough time? Maybe it’s the lonely elderly couple next door or the single mom who never has a minute to herself. What can you do to brighten their Valentine’s Day? A batch of heart-shaped cookies and an understanding ear may be just the thing to make them feel special, and you may find yourself feeling better too.

Change the rules: The best way to meet someone is through your friends. You could throw a get-together party. Have every one of your single friends bring a guest of the opposite sex. Plan plenty of fun and silly games and events to get everyone comfortable. It’s a fun way to spend the evening, and you never know; someone at that party may connect with someone else. You may even find the person you will end up spending Valentine’s Day with next year!

Planning a Valentine’s Day for Two

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18493048_SYou can always go to a nice restaurant for dinner, pick up a Hallmark card, and look forward to your favorite chocolates and maybe some roses.

This is such a common approach to Valentine’s Day that restaurants will be crowded, roses cost a fortune, and even chocolates are so much pricier than they should be when they come in a heart-shaped box. How about a celebration for the two of you that is as individual as you are instead? The simple ideas below can help you plan a great evening.

Set the stage: Candlelight is never out of place. If you have a fireplace, be sure to light a small fire for the ambience. Fresh flowers are always nice, but pick something unusual rather than roses. How about orchids or daffodils?

Make it unique: Do you always eat at the kitchen counter? Then how about setting the dining room table for two? You could always plan to sit on the floor on pillows at the coffee table or throw a blanket on the floor in front of your fireplace or a window with a view. How about dining outside with just candlelight to make the space feel like yours alone?

Plan for two: Make a meal of small bites of finger food, with a variety of favorites for both of you. Add a bottle of sparkling wine if you drink, or some sparkling fruit juice or water if you don’t. Be sure to include a favorite dessert. Include foods that bring back memories of previous events in your shared lives.

Remember: This is a special time to share memories of your life together. Tell each other stories, and take the time to remind each other why you fell in love in the first place. You may find yourself creating the best Valentine’s Day ever.

Plan a Progressive Neighborhood Party for New Year’s Eve

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MP900309664While it’s fun to go out for New Year’s Eve, too many partiers make the roads dangerous. So consider a fun option instead – a progressive party in your neighborhood to recognize the year’s change.

Living in Arizona we actually have two time choices to celebrate the transition: we can stick with midnight or take advantage of the ball dropping in Times Square at 10 p.m. our time to wrap up the evening early. This is particularly useful if you are including children.

To plan the evening, recruit hosts that live close by. Include your street or cul-de-sac and maybe one or two other adjoining blocks. For the event itself, if you’re wrapping up at 10, you could start at 7 p.m. Plan to stay at each house about 45 minutes. The first two homes with times of 7 to 7:45 p.m. and 7:45 to 8:30 p.m. could each offer a signature appetizer and beverage. 8:30 to 9:45 might be dessert, and the 9:45 home could feature champagne and sparkling cider while everyone counts down the ball dropping.

To make the evening extra festive, add noisemakers and hats at various homes. Your group could also sing a chorus of “Auld Lang Syne” as midnight approaches. Print some copies of the song’s lyrics so everyone can join in together.

After the party is over, you may find that neighbors are friendlier since they’ve had a chance to get to know each other better. It also gives new neighbors a chance to get acquainted. This could become an annual event on your block and lead to other social events in your neighborhood.

 

Gift wrap that grabs people

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23430917_SIt’s true that once unwrapping starts, the gift’s the thing. But until that moment, making the giftwrap something special adds to the excitement and allure of the holidays.

If you want your gifts to capture attention even before they’re opened, here are a few ideas to help your presents have a presence under the tree.

Go metallic: This is actually a very easy way to make your gifts eye-catching. This photo shows both gold and silver, but you may want to choose one or the other. Select one or two metallic papers, and two or three types of ribbon in a matching metallic finish. Vary the ribbons and papers to create a charming vignette of shiny gifts. Bring the bling to your holiday gifts.

Select a single look: Choose one pattern of gift wrap and a ribbon that works well with it, and wrap everything the same. Consider buying one of the wire-edged ribbons available at warehouse clubs this time of year, with many yards for under ten dollars. Having all your presents in the same design will create a signature wrap for you every year that people will look forward to seeing.

6245227_SGo for the unusual: If you have small gifts, wrapping them in money – either U.S. or foreign currency – makes an intriguing look. (Of course, you don’t have to use the Ben Franklin shown here – dollar bills will cover it.) Some people like to wrap gifts in the Sunday funnies. You can use wrapping that adds to the gift inside – for example a dishtowel can wrap a kitchen tool or a scarf can cover a new shirt.

If you let some of the creativity you used to pick out your gifts to choose the right wrapping choice, you may be surprised to see that your presents are appreciated even before they’re opened.

Decorating your tree inexpensively

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16590126_SIf you’ve just moved into your first home, you may want a special holiday tree but can’t rationalize spending lots of money to decorate it. If so, this blog is for you. Here are a handful of ideas to make your tree brilliant and special without investing much money.

Lights: These are often a loss-leader in stores during the holidays, so you can pick up a batch for a reasonable price. If you can, spend a bit more and get the LED lights – they are more expensive initially, but they use much less energy and last longer, so you will save money in the long run.

Ribbons: Your local warehouse store has a wonderful selection of holiday ribbons with 50 yards running under $10. Choose one that appeals to you and matches the mood you want to present and use it liberally as a garland. Notice the way the ribbon on the tree in this photo curls and curves – adding a lot of personality and style.

Edible decorations: Bake ginger cookies and hang them on your tree. Pick up a bag of foil-wrapped chocolate decorations at an import store to add glitz, and you can eat them later. A package of candy canes is reasonably priced and they add charm when hung on branches.

Make it yourself: Holiday gift-wrap can be cut into shapes and hung on your tree. Festive gift tags add color and personality. Check out Pinterest to see what other suggestions people have for handmade holiday decorations. You’d be surprised what you can do with a few supplies and nimble fingers.

Go old-fashioned: Ball ornaments are generally available in a wealth of colors at good prices. Be sure to get plastic or shatterproof if you have pets or children. Even a few of these scattered among the other decorations can make your tree feel finished. If you really want to kick it up a notch, consider tinsel to add the final touch of holiday bling.

Decorating a tree is really not about money. It’s about imagination, style and the joy of having your own tree you created in your new home.

Children and Thanksgiving

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23849264_SThanksgiving is a family holiday and you can make sure everyone enjoys themselves by getting people involved.

Even small children can play a part when preparing for Thanksgiving. Start with simple tasks and build to more complex roles as your children get older and more able to contribute. Here are a few ideas.

Youngest children: Even a toddler can draw a Thanksgiving picture to put on the front door to welcome guests. Any crafts created in preschool or grade school can grace a table or buffet. Assign simple duties such as helping to set the table to make them feel a part of the day.

Grade-school children: How about assigning each child a side dish to help create? Go over the menu and ask which dish sounds like the most fun to make. You may want to pull in an adult who is not the primary chef in the house to help make the dish – giving them a chance to bond and contribute to the holiday. Children at this age could also be responsible for setting the table and creating a Thanksgiving centerpiece.

High school children: By this age, a teen can take over one or more dishes for the Thanksgiving table. You might want to have them help plan the menu – adding appetizers or a special dessert to go along with the pumpkin pie. If there will be younger children attending, ask your teenager to come up with activities to keep the small fry entertained and out of trouble before, during and after the meal.

Take the time when at the table to ask everyone what they are thankful for from the past year. You might want to discuss the topic in advance with younger children so that they have a chance to think about their answers.

Finally, involve the children in the clean-up. The more hands to help, the faster your whole family can relax and digest that incredible dinner!

Getting ready for Halloween – Decorating

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15317524_SHalloween is second only to Christmas for dollars spent on decorations. It’s fun to play with the holiday by decorating your home and yard. Here are a few ideas to bring Halloween into your home.

There are three directions to choose for your Halloween plans: classic, cute or scary. There are so many options for buying or making decorations that choosing one will help narrow down your decisions.

It’s easy to capture the classic look if you already have decorated your home for fall. You can add a few Halloween-themed items to take it that next step. For example, adding a witches hat and rustic broom in the photo above turns a classic fall arrangement into a nod to the end of October.

16024438_SCute is easy too. Grab a handy stuffed creature or two and add a few non-scary Halloween items such as uncarved pumpkins and Halloween candy. Nothing frightening here – this is a good choice when dealing with more timid little folks who may be overwhelmed by the season.

10776894_SScary is a great choice if you have teenagers in the home. The easiest way to handle this is to give them a budget and free rein. Visiting a local haunted house or two can help with inspiration. If you’re in charge, skeletons, spiders, snakes and dim lights can make your Halloween décor startling and spooky.

Warehouse, discount and dollar stores provide plenty of fuel for making your home fit the season, whichever direction you choose. For more ideas, search “Halloween decorations” on Pinterest. You’ll see a bevy of purchased and homemade ideas – all designed to please you, make you smile, or scare you to pieces.

St. Paddy’s Day Dinner

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17759325_SSunday is St. Patrick’s Day, and many people, whether of Irish descent or not, will be celebrating. If you’re planning a traditional corned beef and cabbage dinner or something less standard such as beef stew made with stout, take a few minutes to decorate your table for the holiday.

This place setting is easy to imitate or turn into a centerpiece. One fun image is the rainbow and pot of gold. Use colored paper or have a local young person create one with crayons – you can have one per person or a large one that runs across the center of the table.

Check party stores for black pots like the one in the photo – you may be able to find one left over from Halloween. Pick up some gold tissue paper and gold covered chocolate coins to fulfill the promise of a leprechaun’s pot of gold. No pot available? Use one of your own cooking pots  there are no rules on what the pot should look like!

Several grocery stores at the moment are carrying shamrock plants, or you can recruit those same children to draw or cut out shamrocks to decorate the table. Use green ribbon to tie napkins in place of napkin rings.

14238716_SIrish Soda Bread provides a great addition to any St. Pat’s dinner that is impressive, delicious and very easy to make. For a recipe, check the Internet or visit our Fulton Home’s Facebook page for a link to the Barefoot Contessa’s tasty recipe.

A half-cup of currants and a teaspoon of caraway seeds make a real difference when creating an authentic loaf. For a final special flavor, add a teaspoon or two of brown sugar and coat the top with a tablespoon or two of white sugar dissolved in water about five minutes before the bread is finished baking. That slight sweet taste and the surprise flavor of caraway will make your guests grab for soda-bread seconds.