 This holiday season I am looking forward to taking a break from work and spending more time with friends and family doing the things I love: sitting by the fire, cooking and sharing meals, and maybe going on an adventure or two. Haven will be back in 2014 with bigger and better things, but for now here is a peek at my own home for the holidays. Merry merry!
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I'm a sucker for the changing seasons and Fall is no exception. There may be a brief moment of hesitation right at the start, a pang of longing for warm days, beaches, homegrown tomatoes and barbecues every night. But those feelings are quickly replaced with the joys of crisp air alight with the cozy scent of woodsmoke, crunching leaves underfoot and dazzling colors in the trees. Throw in big warm sweaters and a pot roast and I'm like, 'bikini who?' Not to mention all of the new decorating options! It's always nice to change things up a little at home. Pumpkins, anyone? 
A variety of mixed up colors, shapes and sizes of pumpkins makes a dynamic seasonal display for the front porch... 
... while stacked white pumpkins in an urn create a simple and charming centerpiece indoors. 
One last burst of color before the plants in my garden go dormant! 
Say it with a BannerWhile I love decorating for holidays and have even (embarassingly?) been nicknamed grandmother christmas, I have to be honest... I don't decorate for Valentine's Day. I just usually don't have the time or perhaps the motivation to get anything together beyond a gift and some nice plans with my honey. If you do have the time, or the motivation, there are a myriad of ways that one can decorate for the day of love. On etsy, I was happily surprised to find several shops who make really simple, really cute V-Day Banners. Take a look: 
Hang one over a doorway or mantle, put some pretty flowers in a vase, light some candles & pop some bubbly and you're ready for a romantic evening or party in your very own home!
xoxo  Good Gift GivingToday I’d like to share with you some fabulous Valentine’s Day gift ideas. Some are pricey, some are inexpensive, but all of them are unique and thoughtful, which is the best kind of gift to give. I’m not a big fan of red roses and heart shaped chocolates, but I’ve even found some modern (awesome!) updates of these traditional V-Day gifts. After all, who doesn’t like getting flowers and chocolate?! For the traditionalists out there the classics are great, just make sure they're special, beautiful, and good quality! I'm obsessed with this sacred heart chocolate from Vosges Chocolates, who also has bacon chocolate bars:  To die for flowers by Susie Nadler at Flora Grubb Gardens    If handmade gifts are your thing, Martha Stewart's got some fun ideas, like seed starters, catnip hearts, and love note tea:    I also love this wrapping idea from Design Sponge and I think books make wonderful gifts!  If DIY isn't your thing, you can still give handmade by giving something from etsy, like this adorable platter or framed print   I'm going to take a break from the Valentine's Day posts for a bit, but check back for a new "Good Read" and some V-Day decorating down the road...
Great Valentine's Day Cards Many of us believe Valentine's Day to be contrived... a holiday invented to get consumers to spend more money... and it is. But, it can also be something else. Whether you're pro V-Day or anti V-Day, it's kind of hard to ignore. Even if you choose to rebel against it by doing nothing, you're still inevitably surrounded and reminded of it by all those who choose to embrace it. So, as many of us do with other holidays (Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Year's, etc.) why not take Valentine's Day and it's kernel of meaning, reinvent it, and make it your own? If you have a significant other, show them your love. If you don't, who is to say you can't make it a day to show your love to your family? Or your friends? Your dog? Or YOURSELF! It's also an excellent opportunity for humor! However you choose to acknowledge (or deny) the day of love, there are plenty of unique and inexpensive ways to get your point across, like the humble greeting card:    And if you're not really feeling it...    My personal favorite:  There are always some people in your life who really deserve a Valentine's Day nod:   And holidays are always a great reason to hone your DIY skills. Nothing says "i love you" like something you made yourself. Martha Stewart's got tons of impressively pretty hand made card templates:  Check back this weekend for some neat Valentine's Day gift ideas!
XOXO my Home for the HolidaysThis year has had a lot of ups and downs, so in preparation for the holidays I tried not to create any unnecessary stress. I decided to decorate my own home using a soft pallette and integrating things that I already have displayed rather than going on a christmas decorating bender (which I usually do). This made the process easier and less stressful, and the result simple, relaxed, and to me, beautiful. 
Vintage bottles I already had on an office shelf got a dose of holiday with some mini vintage ornaments. 
My "mantle" always has urns and votives on it, so some fresh garland and homemade accents did the trick... 
One of those accents was a little snowscape I threw together in a glass hurricane. 
My antique bread bowl on our kitchen counter wasn't going to go anywhere, so I filled it with moss, air plants, vintage ornaments, and tealights. I am so pleased with the way it turned out, I can't wait to replicate it for my clients! 
Each year I try to fit an enormous tree into our tiny home, which usually results in some kind of catastrophe. I cover it in handmade bows, yards of ribbon, and color coordinated ornaments. It's always lovely, but a lot of work. This year, I took a step back and opted for a smaller tree in a pretty urn. It had just enough room for all of my favorite ornaments which makes it a bit simpler, but also more personal. 
I like the look of empty space, so I have this old empty frame hanging above our bed. For Christmas, I hung this simple but gorgeous wreath (made out of beaded and rhinestone Indian fabric) in the middle. It was a handmade gift from my friend Stacy, so it's extra special. 
I've been wanting a new light fixture over the bed for awhile now, and the holidays presented the perfect opportunity to play around with the one I have. A box full of large vintage ornaments and voila! Instant chandelier update. I might even leave it like this. 
I love to read, and have recently resorted to leaving piles and stacks of books all over the floor. I love the way they look, and can dig through them whenever I need something new or something to loan. Rather then boxing them up, I plunked my mini bedroom tree right on top of them. The books take up the space where presents would go and that makes me very happy!
Merry & Bright IdeasI'm always looking for a different way to decorate for the holidays. Each year I change things up a bit, constantly searching for ideas that will keep my holiday decor fresh and interesting...  Here are some fabulous holiday decorating ideas that anyone can create:  Make a wreath out of old photos and snapshots (this one could stay up year round!)  Make a living ornament by filling a clear globe with air plants, moss, and other natural tidbits  I love the simplicity and texture of this linen wreath  This is a clever idea from Apartment Therapy: fashion garland or a banner with holiday messages out of oversized tags...  ... or use tags to make personalized ornaments with photos and messages  For a showstopping holiday table, hang a variety of round, white chandeliers over the table at different heights. It creates a beautiful, snowy effect! Making Room for the Holidays This past weekend I had the pleasure of co-hosting interior designer Shannon Kaye’s Vintage Holiday Shopping Event. I decorated Shannon’s home for the holidays using beautiful vintage and vintage inspired pieces from our co-hosts, Dream, Willa Home, and Apartment 46. I’m thrilled to say that the event, which was a bit of an experiment, turned out to be a great success. Shannon’s bold, vibrant color palette and eclectic furnishings made holiday decorating a bit of a challenge, but her unique style inspired me to think out of the box and decorate in a more interesting way. I used unconventional Christmas colors like pink and gold, and incorporated her existing pieces into the holiday vignettes. I also used pieces from our co-hosts that weren’t overtly holiday, such as crystal decanters and Italian gilt frames. When filled with vintage mercury glass garland or hung with a vintage ornament, these everyday items glittered with festivity. By blending holiday décor and everyday pieces, we hoped to show our guests that holiday decorating doesn’t have to be gaudy or cartoon-ish, and the treasures that we decorate with in the off-season can be part of the holiday party too. I’m grateful to Shannon for including me in the fun, and couldn’t have done it without the lovely merchandise and support from Stacy Rhodes of Dream, AnneMarie Hogan of Willa Home, and Melisa Bleasdale of Apartment 46. Here are a few pics from the event; check the Holiday Styling portfolio on my website to see the whole thing, and have a happy Thanksgiving!  Crystal Decanters from Apartment 46 with vintage garland & ornaments from Dream  Vintage aluminum christmas tree from Dream with Shannon's chair and fortune cookie drapes of her own design  At the entrance I hung ornaments in Shannon's giant vintage birdcage and paired it with a galvanized metal container from Willa Home filled with rosemary
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AuthorSophia Cunningham Archives
November 2014
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