Inspire Me!: Delightful Decor, Right Next Door

Wednesday, December 22, 2010

Delightful Decor, Right Next Door

Some of the best Christmas designs are right next door. Whether planning for a Christmas soiree, preparing for in-bound guests, or just decorating for those who live in the space -- adorning your home for the holidays is a gift in itself. The best part is that it doesn't haven't to be perfect, permanent or polished. It can be YOU, in the form of decor.

Raleigh is full of talented and design-savvy women who add such wonderful touches to their home. Here are a few views of the delightful decor, right next door.

Enjoy.

Home of Mandy Moore
Wonderful use of simple elements to create the refined. Note the fresh cranberries in the hurricanes. Elegance is in the details!

Moore's centerpiece continues in the simple approach. Roses in champagne glasses - I love it!

Nothing says Christmas like Nandina berries. The scale of this arrangement set in front of the mirror grabs your attention as soon as you set foot in the Moore home.

Home of decorator, Kelly Jones.
Simple, tailored mantle.

I love the neutrals, golds and greens. Very elegant.

Jones' gifts. Love packages with a theme!

Jones' nativity sits in dining room between pair of white vases. Love the chic sticks!

I love how she displays her token gifts wrapped in clear bags with green satin bow.

Home of Mrs. Bonnie Cerwin
This elegant antique gains holiday flair with the rich garland draped over top. Note the gilded angel on top. Superb!

Again, Cerwin adds glory to her antiques with this similarly themed- garland draped over the gilded mirror.

Perhaps my favorite Christmas tree. Adore the fact that it spans 2 floors and is the focal point of the foyer. Note also how the colors and antique pieces are showcased in the neutral pallet of Mrs. Cerwin's home.

Great view of Cerwin's mantle. She says she changes it every year.

Home of Christina Allen of Fleur Boutique.
Allen presents design perfection in her own living room. This space is a perfect example of how a setting can be livable, elegant and warm at the same time. Love the old-fashioned familiarity of the Christmas tree combined with the sophistication of the furniture. Also, note the different tones of blue used throughout the room.

Another view of Allen living room, with added plus of precious child.

Close up of Allen's minimalist nativity scene.

Close-up of one Magnificent Mantle. This is definitely one of my favorite mantles of the season.

Wonderful example of Allen's feminine touch.

As a footnote: Christina Allen is the daughter of Mrs. Cerwin. How interesting to see where the sense of design carries over. What a legacy! And to see how both homes are graced with such feminine sophistication is really a treat.

All, thanks for sharing your homes with me. It was a real delight!

About vanCollier

Established in 1995, vanCollier began as an antique and interior design firm. With backgrounds in art history, fine arts and decorative arts, vanCollier marries old world elegance with contemporary design. The married couple behind this firm-on-the-rise is Beth and Chris Collier, who work together on their wide range of projects domestically and abroad. Their philosophy: Use traditional influences to create sophisticated and approachable environments. Says Beth, "Rooms should be masculine and feminine while conveying both traditional and eccentric details."

To contact Beth, email her at vancollier@suddenlink.net

About Eatman's Carpets and Interiors

Eatman's Carpets and Interiors is my family's business. My grandfather, Bill Eatman, opened its doors in 1957 in Downtown Raleigh as a design studio/upholstery workroom selling high end fabrics, wool carpeting, and wallpaper. My father, Woody Eatman, the current president, followed in his father's footsteps joining the family business after school. Years later, with her Design degree in hand, my mother was hired as a designer by Eatman's. My Dad and my Mom fell in love and married. Over time, Eatman's became a innovator in the world of flooring creating computer systems specifically for the industry as well as adding to the business a supply and installation divisions. Fast-forwarding through my arrival and my sister's, the business is now a hybrid of the past and the present. We continue to be a leading supplier of carpets residentially and commercially, and we continue to expand into the world of interior design with new fabric, furniture and lighting lines. But more than all that, it is where our family hangs its hat. It is, in every sense of the word, a labor of great love.