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Advance planning can help simple holiday decor make big impact
Lakeside Design’s Marcia Pomeroy, Michelle Pawlak and Terri Holder Dally pose with a few decorations.
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Published: November 13, 2008
With stores full of holiday decorations, even the most determined shoppers have probably found themselves daydreaming about how they'll spruce up their homes this year.
"The most important thing to remember is if you're going to decorate, especially for your mantelpiece, do it right," said Michelle Pawlak, interior decorator and owner of Lakeside Design in Mooresville. "A lot of people try to put stuff around their family pictures and it looks crowded. Just remove that personal stuff for the holidays."
Fellow designer Marcia Pomeroy agreed.
"Don't be afraid to pack away everything and just go for it," she said.
The two emphasized that "anything sparkly" was extremely popular this year.
"People really want that bling-bling this season," said Pawlak with a laugh. "You can do something as simple as getting an ornament and decorating it with a glitter pen and placing it on a washer in the middle of the table. Those can actually make great party favors."
Another suggestion she had was using artificial ice.
"You can find it for really cheap online or in the floral section of a craft store," Pawlak said. "Put it in a decorative glass with a light in the bottom. You can add artificial berries or fruit around the glass and sprinkle more of the ice around the display like confetti. Cranberries will be especially popular this year in displays."
Pomeroy recommended going to craft stores such as Michael's toward the end of the season for great discounts on decorative items.
"I just recently went to do my annual fall display and they had a lot of things on sale that were very nice," she said. "Craft stores generally carry things great for making a quick display, even if you don't feel like you're that creative."
For some of the best décor, Pawlak said she would let Lake Norman residents in on "the designer's secret."
"The best place to go for floral supplies is Piedmont Floral Galleries in Salisbury," she said. "They have great stuff and they really take care of you."
Specializing in very realistic silk flowers, the entire back half of Piedmont Floral Galleries is dedicated to Christmas, with tree, wreath and mantelpiece displays ranging from the more traditional to ones with peacock feathers or penguins.
"We make it really easy here, because beside each display we make, we put a board detailing how we did it," said Carol McCombs, floor manager. "We also get new things in every year, so you can just add to what you've bought previously and keep the same theme."
For decorations in a pinch, McCombs recommends grabbing some of their pre-made garland or wreaths.
"Most of them only need a bow added or maybe some lights and they're ready to go," she said. "For a centerpiece, you can pick a container, add a few pieces of greenery and put in a poinsettia or two. It couldn't be easier."
If your creative side just isn't coming out this holiday season, Lakeside Design can come to your home and help out for the holidays.
"The initial trip is $50, and we come out for an hour to see what you may already have and give you suggestions as to what you can do," Pawlak said. "Then for $65 an hour, we can set things up for you and give you a list of what you need to buy, according to your budget and timeline. We already have resources and know what the stores have, so we can coach you."
For more information about Lakeside Design, call (704) 663-7685 or visit their Web site at http://www.lakesidedesignstudio.com. Piedmont Floral Galleries can be reached at (704) 636- 7739 or by visiting http://www.piedmontfloralgalleries.com.
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