‘Tis the season for getting our homes and hearts ready for the holidays!  To that end I attended a lovely holiday party for designers yesterday at Darby Road Home in Waltham, MA.  (http://www.darbyroad.com/)
 
What fun, and an opportunity to see owner Michelle Coppolo’s new offerings of counter stools, as she showed us in the photo below.

For some reason, counter stools are super hard to source for designers and the buying public alike.  I know this because recently I’ve helped several clients finish up their spectacular kitchen renovations by selecting stools, paint, lighting, wallpaper, and accessories – and finding the right stools was as hard as picking the right paint (and that just seems wrong). The discussion yesterday on this very subject among my designer colleagues was unanimous - there are too few places in the Boston area where you can actually see and test out a counter stool before you purchase it. Look in any design magazine featuring a kitchen and the counter stools are always featured prominently in rounding out the décor.  Michelle and Darby Road Home to the rescue!  And look at these beautiful offerings, all customizable in finish and fabric. Thank you, Michelle, for giving us a local store, a real treasure at that, to bring our clients to do the all important “sit test” on furniture and chairs.
 
And doubly thank you for a beautiful and elegant luncheon featuring a demonstration and workshop on holiday arrangements from Carol Hudson, Master Gardner from Wellesley, MA. (​https://carolhudsondesigns.com/)

During her demonstration Carol described how at the holidays, you very likely have some suitable greenery right outside your window to form the backdrop for small arrangements—Japanese Pieris Andromeda (yes, right outside my dining room window as a matter of fact), juniper, spruce, and holly.  She interspersed these greens with some roses for delicate detail, and the resulting arrangements were so lovely.  We each had the opportunity to make our own (thank you Carol and Michelle!), and you see my friend Linda Woodard (of Linda’s Decors, http://www.lindasdecors.com/) with instructor Carol and her arrangement.

​Thank you, Darby Road Home. Can’t wait to see all the new stock you are bringing in for 2019!

​It’s getting to that time of year when words like “cozy and intimate” come to mind.  We think about the perfect small gathering of family and friends, the ideal getaway, and the quiet nook in our home to nestle into.  But how about our upcoming holiday shopping experiences?  It might just be me, but thoughts of big-box stores, mall parking lots, long lines and Black Friday make me run for the hot cocoa in front of our glowing fireplace.
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So…for your upcoming shopping, you might want to consider the concept of “Small Business Saturday” which is Nov 24th, the day AFTER Black Friday.  Small businesses are the backbone of the American economy and our local community. Where else can you get personalized service in today’s shopping landscape - and hope to actually see the same business owner years down the road?

In Sudbury, we have so many terrific small businesses!  For my interior design clients, I personally love to do business with Carpet Carousel, Cavicchio Greenhouses, Hamill for Hire (Handyman) and Upholstery on Broadway (Kevin Kennedy).  To see all the great small businesses in town take a look at the Sudbury Chamber of Commerce’s website:
          http://sudbury.org/members/

Are you in a panic on what to give your sister, mother, or mother-in-law for the holidays?  Consider giving them a “VIP Design Day” with me. It includes an in-home design consultation, shopping at the Boston Design Center, delicious lunch, and a follow-up plan.  What could be more perfect?  

​Whatever you do, shop locally this weekend, and if you need holiday decorating help call Barbara at 978-440-7264.  You know you want to!   Make today the day you decide your home décor can be as exciting and vibrant as you are.