COLOR & DESIGN HELP:
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IDEAS FOR MOLDING & TRIM:
IDEAS FOR YOUR BEDROOM:
Red Winter Centerpiece
I hope you had a very Merry Christmas! My holiday guests were greeted with this winter centerpiece that I designed using roses, carnations and sprigs of holly from my yard. The ceramic vase was made in Italy, and it belonged to my husband’s grandmother.
By using such hardy flowers and greenery, this arrangement will last through New Year’s Day.
Red is a wonderful {and very romantic} color choice for winter floral displays. This type of centerpiece is perfect for winter parties, weddings and Valentine’s Day.
You can usually find red roses and carnations in the grocery store, and if you don’t have access to a holly shrub, any type of evergreen will do. Have a Safe and Happy New Year!
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Romantic Dessert Table
I created this fun and funky dessert table for Valentine’s Day, but I’ve been told this would be a great idea for romantic spring events, too. This colorful table is romantic, whimsical, and totally bohemian. My inspiration pieces? Two sarongs that I purchased while vacationing in Jamaica a few years ago. With their bright colors and tribal print motifs, they made the perfect tablecloth to build upon.
To pull this look together, I headed over to Antique Depot, one of my favorite antique stores in the DC – Baltimore area. Then it was off to the Salvation Army Thrift Store. Definitely not the most glamorous shopping trip, but it resulted in a fun and surprising mix of candy jars and other dessert table essentials.
One of my favorite finds was this terrific ruby red cake plate. I placed it on top of one that I already owned to create a delicious cupcake and cookie tower.
This trio of retro candy jars turned out to be a cute addition to the dessert table. As you can see, they provided plenty of love and happiness.
Other elegant finds included pairs of vintage candy dishes to display grapes, atlas vases for the Tootsie Pops and Asian mini-vases for the flowers.
I added personal touches {and additional color} with scrapbooking paper and ribbon — my two entertaining must-haves! The baked goods, candy and flowers all came from the grocery store. I really saved time and money by mixing in items that I already owned with my new purchases from the antique and thrift store.
This dessert table is clearly a reflection of what I like, which is a mix of modern, vintage, color and cultures.
These days, entertaining is all about injecting our own individual style. So make sure your table and displays include your unique, personal touches.
All images by Kelly Porter of Porter House Designs
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Happy Valentine’s Day!
I wanted to share one more delicious idea for a Valentine’s Day Treat Table, featuring those adorable mini-cupcakes. Here, on a sheet of sturdy yellow scrap-booking paper, I created a grid using chocolate licorice. Then I put cupcakes in each square — except the center. Actually, I would have put one in the center, too but one of my kids ate the last cupcake. Hey, life happens and sometimes we must improvise. So, I filled a glass votive with M&M’s Raspberry-Almond Premiums and used that for my ‘centerpiece.’ Ta Da! Happy Valentine’s Day {and let me know how your Treat Table turns out}!
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Valentine Treat Table {Get The Look}
In my last post, I introduced my budget-friendly Treat Table for Two. I wanted to show that you can create a colorful, romantic setting without breaking the bank. In this new post, I offer specifics on how to pull it all together. Move your cursor over the word “Notes” in the PictoBrowser to see details for each photo. A scroll bar will appear for some of the photos, so that you can read the entire description. Have fun!
Valentine Treat Table For Two: design and photography by Kelly Porter
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Valentine Table For Two
Valentine’s Day is next Saturday, so for the next couple of days I’ll feature photos of my colorful Treat Table for Two {for Couples on a Budget}.
This does require a little planning and some patience, but keeping your romance alive (esp. in this economy) should be a top priority! A Dessert Date is perfect for busy married couples with small children. You can easily set up a Treat Table for Two in your home after the kids are in bed. You can use your dining table, a coffee table or even a T.V. tray — whatever works! Here, I used our bistro table. Using a smaller table is way more intimate.
Start With Color – Get your color ideas from something you already have that can be used in your setting, such as a vase, tablecloth or plates. My inspiration was a serving plate my mother gave me a few years ago. From this, I chose delicious colors: bubblegum pink, hot pink, yellow and brown — keeping in mind that I had brown plates I could use.
With inexpensive items from the craft store, fabric store, grocery store and clearance sections, I saved a ton of money but didn’t sacrifice on style. This Friday, I’ll post more photos and details on how to get the look!
Valentine Treat Table For Two: design and photography by Kelly Porter
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