The Rural Voice, 1993-12, Page 49Home•Decorating
Giving your home that festive touch
BY KENDRA KRAUTER
Christmas is only four weeks
away? It can't be! I haven't even
started the planning in my mind, to
say nothing of the worrying and the
doing. I was
going to get the
garland, lights
and bows up on
my windows and
doors before it
turned cold and
snowy ... they
are still sitting in
the hallway.
Male members
of this family
don't seem inter-
ested in this job.
They seem quite
content to step
over, and walk
around what they call "woman's
work". I'll have to get my friend to
help me ... now she is keen. She
phoned me on the 29th of October to
ask if I thought it was too soon to put
up her garland and lights. When I
reminded her we hadn't celebrated
Halloween yet, she thought she
would hold off for a day or two.
I guess I won't bother trying to
come up with a brain wave of some-
thing different for outside, as I was
well pleased with last year's finished
look. Inside decorating is what will
need more attention as I finally have
a new look in the dining room. A
few weeks ago I tackled the project
of painting woodwork, stripping
walls, and wallpapering to give the
dining room a warm and comfortable
look. I have made some new table-
cloths and wreaths and I'm still work-
ing on the table centre, but basically
the look is coming together. The col-
our scheme is a warm creamy ivory,
forest green, deep berry, with a touch
of navy. These colours are in a
striped wallpaper and they are also in
a large floral tapestry -looking border
at the ceiling. There are brass accents
here and there as well as the light fix-
ture. I think that I will continue with
a few pine boughs and Christmas
picks worked into my Williamsburg
light fixture over the table. The table
centre for Christmas season will be
my French Horn candlesticks and
Magazines
can give
you ideas
some pine cones that I have brushed
lightly with gold paint, in an antique
wicker basket that I purchased at an
auction sale. While glancing through
the latest Select Homes magazine I
noticed some pretty napkin rings that
have been made with a single gilded
pine cone and gold wired ribbon.
They are very nice and really inex-
pensive to make. If I have time they
will accent the table setting. In the
same magazine there are a number of
ideas that are very effective. If you
are entertaining and serving your
meal buffet style, put a few cedar
boughs under the dishes, and a twist
more of the gold wired ribbon in
around them. It gives a very festive
look and a lovely fragrance as well.
If you are looking for ideas on
something a little different in the way
of interior decorating for Christmas,
look in the December 1993 Chate-
laine. A picture is worth a thousand
words! They have used boxwood
garland to grace the open stair and
balustrade and a wreath on the front
door. This is a finer look than cedar
or pine and is used throughout the
house in other floral arrangements as
well. They have used a traditional
red/green plaid fabric for bows and
tablecloths. This is a very cosy look,
because of the red plaid. In the same
article they are showing a very Victo-
rian look with angels, golden ribbon,
gilded beads, cones, and berries, and
pine and cedar boughs and swags.
This look is much glamorous but it
has a whimsical look about it as well
because of all the cherubs and angels.
There are so many different styles to
choose from now it keeps my imag-
ination working overtime, but alas the
budget does always interfere in my
fun.
When you are flipping through the
magazines don't forget to save all the
great ideas you like for your "Idea
Book". If you have any input you
would like to add to the column
please drop me a note c/o The Rural
Voice, P.O. Box 429, 136 Queen St.
S., Blyth, ON NOM 1HO. Merry
Christmas and Happy Decorating!!
'Til next month, Kendra
Kendra Krauter is a qualified
interior decorator who lives near
Ethel, ON.
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GODERICH
Falconer's
84 Kingston St. 519-524-9671
EXETER
Paro & Red Bickell
451 Main St. 519-235-2340
CLINTON
Don & Betty Duff
330 Victoria St. 519-482-3404
HANOVER
Neil Bruton
428 Tenth St. 519-364-5080
STRATFORD
Sharron Pirrie
882 Ontario St. 519-271-7371
KINCARDINE
Wessels
336 Lambton St. 519-396-7121
ST. MARYS
Al Strathdee, Bill Armstrong
107 Queen St. 519-284-2464
DECEMBER 1993 45