A
CONDO
CHRISTMAS
living in a small space
doesn’t lessen holiday
cheer. our resident design
authority queries some
experts for his top nine tips
by contributing writer
david jimenez
9
TIPS TO
CREATE HOLIDAY MAGIC
I asked friends and fellow condo owners to share a decorating
tip they employ to make the season bright in their stylish homes.
1
KEEP IT SIMPLE
“I like to keep it uncomplicated, yet elegant.
I love a beautifully decorated tree, a mantel
and a wonderful entry hall and always a
little surprise factor to each. It makes a
statement and is never overdone!”
2
CREATE A MOOD
“I set the stage by turning off
lamps and lighting candles.
Sometimes I use something
that I already have, like clear
glass or mercury glass containers or martini glasses with tea lights inside. The
romantic mood is set, and everyone looks
better in candlelight!”
—Linda Hancock, interior designer
—Ursula Terrasi, owner of Scandia Down
The key to decorating a small space is to keep your palette simple,
You can never have too many candles on display. When grouped in clus-
hile setting up one of our Hallmark
create a few bold statements and don’t overdo it. Choose a focal
ters, they create instant drama. Cover your mantel, coffee table or bar
stores for the holidays, an unusual
point, play it up to create some drama and make this the largest state-
with glass votives. If you have stairs leading up to your condo, consider
ment in the room.
lighting the path to your door with pillars in lanterns for a festive touch.
W
looking key in a small red box caught my
attention. “Worried that you’re chimney-less
or that your roof’s too steep?” queried the
first line on the back of the box, “That Santa
can’t get in your place while you are fast
asleep? Well, here’s a fun solution: Santa’s
special magic key to open up your door so
Dear Old Santa finds your tree.” How perfect!
A creative and practical alternative for condo
and apartment dwellers, like me, to give the
nice man access on the big day.
Just because you are limited on space
doesn’t mean you need to pass on beloved
traditions or be short on holiday cheer! There
are many inspired and festive solutions for
decorating an apartment, condo, studio or
small home this time of year. Decorating my
condo has been a fun part of getting myself into
the spirit of the season, and with the magic key
Just a few festive touches (and a limited but bold color
securely tucked under my doormat, I’m ready
palette) evoke the holiday spirit in David’s new condo.
to embrace this holiday. Read on for some
decorating ideas and styling tricks that are easy
to implement and will transform your limited
space into a palazzo of merriment!
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Photo by Judy Revenaugh
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3
4
PICK A THEME
“I decorate my condominium with
fresh flowers, a wreath on the
door, mercury glass, a few vintage Christmas pieces, silver and
lots of candles when I entertain.
There are many mirrors, which
pick up the candlelight and create a beautiful ambience.”
—Chuck Matney, owner of Matney Floral Design
Pick a theme or color combination and have it run
through your rooms, like a visual thread, creating con-
DECORATE YOUR DOOR
“Many owners at the Wornall
Plaza adorn their apartment
doors throughout the year,
often adding lavish or exotic
themes for the holidays. I like
to begin the season in early
November celebrating Diwali,
the Indian festival of lights. The
Hindu diety Krishna will grace
my door this year, while inside
dozens of votive candles and rose oil remind us that
good triumphs over evil.” —Susan Gordon, jewelry designer
tinuity throughout your home. Consider a classic silver
5
“I buy a nicely shaped live tree
from a nursery just after
Thanksgiving and decorate it.
When the season is over and
the decorations go back to
hibernation, the tree moves
to the terrace where I water
it so it provides some greenery throughout the winter.”
—Deirdre Byrne, business maven
Don’t forget about your outside spaces to
spread some holiday cheer! Try edging trellises
with non-blinking string lights, filling window
and vintage theme like Chuck’s, or break tradition
Create a warm holiday welcome for your friends and family at the front door by adding a
planters with pine cuttings and pinecones, and
with a bold color combination, a romantic shabby chic
few personal touches to a standard wreath, and take a cue from Susan and greet guests
hanging wreaths in windows for traditional
theme or rustic nature scheme.
with warm candlelight and a wonderful scent upon walking in the door.
signs of the season.
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Photos by Aaron Leimkuehler
Q
&A
DECORATE THE OUTDOORS
I reached out to a local meeting and event guru to ask
his expert advice on how to create a magical looking
tree this Christmas.
“I’m lucky enough to have high ceilings in my
newcondo,soIcanstillhaveagreatChristmas
tree, which has always been a family tradition.
My tree-decorating trick is to wrap lights
around branches close to the trunk—not just
on the outside—so it’s illuminated from the
inside out. Then I hang ornaments on the
inside too, close to the trunk as well as on the
outside, to achieve depth and multiple layers. Noble firs are the best for this —and they
smell wonderful. A final trick: put the lights on
a dimmer.” —Dan Nilsen, president of Bishop McCann
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6
8
BRING ON THE TREE
“I have the same tree
each year, which is tall
and narrow and sits
on a skirted table and
is smothered in my
favorite treasures—
ornaments from my
grandmother, bows
off favorite packages—
in other words, it is
nostalgic in every
sense of the word.”
LESS IS MORE
“I take the minimalist approach to holiday decorating. A single
small, real tree with a single ornament and a ribbon was my only
decoration last year, but it was prominently displayed on my coffee table. As with so much else in decorating, editing is key in successful holiday décor.”
—Dan Winter, Executive Director, ACLU of Kansas and Western Missouri
If you have a contemporary aesthetic, traditional holiday décor will not fit the bill. Instead, follow
Dan’s lead and consider small touches as a nod to the season. You might try a winter white palette
for a tree, wreath or garland, small pops of color in accessories or all things minimalist and retro.
—Dee Dee Arnold, an icon of style and civility
Don’t let living in a small apartment stop you
from getting a Christmas tree. It can be a
dramatic focal point. Based on the size of the
tree, consider rearranging furniture or moving a piece into a storage closet for the season
in order to make space. Tabletop trees, like
Dee Dee’s, are a great option especially for
tight quarters.
7
MAKE WINDOWS SHINE
“I am very fortunate to have a condo with a wall of windows overlooking the Plaza. The Plaza lights make a wonderful backdrop for
holiday entertaining. I have a collection of large, colored mercury
balls that I place on the floor in front of the windows and I like to
have fresh potted amaryllis bulbs and a little greenery. That’s it!”
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9
CONSIDER A CAUSE
“I choose my holiday decorations in celebration of the season, such as
berries, greens, bells, balls, and snow. I have purchased many at
DIFFA’s Holidays by Design event and have been delighted with the
creative and original objects. Often they are humorous and very personal. One door piece is designed for ‘a holiday Diva,’ and guests have
big smiles when arriving at my parties.” —Marilyn Strauss, Tony-award winning
—Ellen D’Amato, President & CEO, The Central Exchange
Broadway producer and founder of the Heart of America Shakespeare Festival
If you are lucky enough to have a bank of windows with a beautiful view, make it your focal point.
DIFFA’s (Design Industries Foundation Fighting AIDS) annual Holidays by Design fundraiser is on
Keep it simple by using one decorative element en masse or consider edging the windows with
Saturday, November 20 at 420 Nichols Road (above Panache Chocolatier) on the Country Club
a fresh take on traditional pine garland by using a lemon leaf, magnolia leaf or boxwood garland
Plaza. The event features a silent auction of beautiful holiday décor by top local and national
for a more sophisticated look.
designers that will deck your halls and ring in the season with the greatest gift of all—giving.
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