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Your Interior Designer Can Help Wow Your Guests – On Your Budget

It’s easy to get caught up in the hustle-and-bustle of the holiday season. 

Especially if you like to host an annual holiday party (or two), sometimes it’s possible for the stress of “getting Christmas done” to overwhelm the joy of the season.

You can lose sight of the very reason you host these gatherings in the first place!

It’s also not uncommon to feel “party envy” at this time of year… you’ll be attending other gatherings, and it’s almost impossible to avoid comparisons between your own party and others.

Who has the time – or the money – to create these lavish parties that become the highlight of everyone’s holiday season?

It might surprise you to know you can rely on your professional interior designer for help and advice in this area.

Far from a luxury only the “rich and famous” can afford, a great interior designer can often save you money while helping you make your party the envy of the guest list this year.

Ideas From The Pros To Give Your Holiday Party The “Wow Factor”

You may have incorporated many of these ideas into previous seasons’ parties… but it’s often surprising how many holiday hosts don’t remember some of the basics when it comes to throwing a great party.

• Have the place cleaned before the party.  Use a cleaning service with experience in getting things looking their best for holiday parties.  There are services which specialize in party cleaning (and who may come in handy in getting things back to normal after the event).
• Remember the purpose.  You’re not out to spend as much money as possible, or to “out-host” the couple down the street… your aim is to create a great opportunity for your guests to experience the joy of the season!  Take a deep breath… remind yourself of your real purpose here… and enjoy the party (and the prep) yourself!
• Start decorating right after Thanksgiving.  Give yourself, and your family, more time to enjoy the beauty of the season.  In fact, you will probably have noticed that some hosts have taken advantage of multi-season decorations (pine cones and greenery that can stretch from autumn through Christmas… snowflake, snowman, and icicle designs that can stay up after the holidays).
• Don’t over-decorate.  Your designer can help you pick out small, budget-conscious pieces that’ll make big statements without being big distractions (or big investments). Your décor should support the party, not overwhelm it!
• Budget food and drink first.  Let’s face it: people love to be treated at holiday parties!  You can have a beautiful food table, decorated nicely, that invites guests to enjoy treats without worrying them with overly-fragile decorations.  And if you’re on a tight budget, think about a nice champagne punch (in a beautiful bowl) rather than a full bar.
• Keep things simple.  You can create an elegant impression with bows, candles, and lighting.  You want to maximize your guests’ feelings of warmth and comfort… not necessarily dazzle them with expensive decorative pieces.

Need more ideas?  Get a professional interior designer on the job!  Hire a great designer, and you’ll likely end up thinking it was the best investment you made in your holiday party preparations… and you might be surprised at how your designer can save you more money than it costs to hire them, all while giving your holiday party the “wow factor” that’ll be the envy of the season. Visit our blog also at iicd-runa.org

The goal of this book fair is to support local Boulder artists and art admirers.

BOULDER – The Barnes & Noble and Boulder Art Association Book Fair kicks off early on Saturday Nov. 22.  It’s the first time the BAA has participated in this event and hopes it will bring awareness to the plethora of local artists in various mediums that are part of the organization.

The free, open-to-the-public fair will be an all-day, family-centered event, from 10 a.m.-5 p.m., at Barnes & Noble Boulder, 2999 Pearl St.

Conveniently timed just a week before Thanksgiving, the book fair will offer book-lovers, art-lovers, and cheesecake-lovers a chance to buy gifts and food items for the holidays, all benefiting a great cause.  There will be lots of activities to keep the whole family busy, including artist demos, kids’ crafts, art workshops, and art viewing.  BAA Artists will even be there to recommend their favorite products – and it’s easy to help benefit the BAA.  All attendees have to do is say the organization’s name at the book store or cafe register.

The BAA is also excited that the Barnes & Noble Café will sell whole Cheesecake Factory cheesecakes, the perfect Thanksgiving dessert, during the event.

For those who can’t attend the action-packed book fair at the store itself, Barnes & Noble will generously donate a portion of the profits of online sales for five days after the event, Nov. 23-28. For instructions on how to benefit the BAA through BarnesandNoble.com, please visit http://www.boulderartassociation.org/bookfair2014.html.

About the Boulder Art Association: The Boulder Art Association offers artists of any skill level the opportunity to join an open, friendly group committed to offering art opportunities throughout the Boulder Community. Consistent growth and a long history in Boulder enable us to offer more community outreach, support for local artists, county art shows, and a gathering place for artists and art lovers alike.

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I’ll admit it. I have never done it. It was way too risky for me. Lack of protection and the aftermath if compromised has kept me from the experience. But, I am finally ready. The idea of trying something new is pretty exciting. It will be my first time and then I’ll no longer be a Cyber Virgin.

Cyber Monday which is November 26th, is the official kick-off to on-line holiday sales. This year promises to top previous years in the amount of deals offered and dollars spent. I plan to join in the fun.

I have never tickled my keyboard in hope of finding the perfect gift. Instead, I have stuck with the old school technique of driving to many different stores, perusing hundreds of racks and table displays while competing with aggressive crowds bustling through the aisles with their elbows out.

Last year, I held my breath as shoppers sneezed in my direction.No one wants to be sick during the holidays. After hours of shopping at the mall, I reached out and snatched the elusive purple studded phone case I had sought. The endorphin rush of scratching one more item off my list was tempered by sore eyes from florescent lights and aching feet. My arms strained under the weight of several bags as the handles cut into the palms of my hands. After pushing my way through the heavy glass doors, I struggled back to my car, jammed all of the bags into the back end, and slammed the hatch shut with a heavy sigh as the circulation rushed to my fingertips. After arriving back at home, I hid all of the gifts and then went into a wrapping frenzy on Christmas Eve.

Staying at home and avoiding the crowds while saving time and money has seduced me into Cyber Monday. Jeez! I am all about saving time and money. Some of the deals offered may even be better than Black Friday!

Some businesses offer free shipping and gift wrapping. That is a huge selling point for me.  I could actually enjoy Christmas Eve.

I will make my list tonight and will start researching the deals. My hands will sweat a little as I press Add to Cart. They will continue to tremble as I enter my credit card number. But I am looking forward to the endorphin rush after clicking Place Order. My eyes will relax in the comfort of natural lighting in my sunroom as I rest my slippered feet while my dog Roxy snuggles next to me. Carrying the shipped boxes from the front door to the basement will be the only strain. Hey! My husband Danny could do that for me. With the money I’ll save, maybe I will treat myself to a purple studded phone case. I am really looking forward to losing my virginity.

Safety tips for Cyber Monday shoppers from the Better Business Bureau:

http://www.bizjournals.com/louisville/news/2012/11/21/ten-tips-for-cyber-monday-shoppers.html

Are you a Cyber Monday Virgin?

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