Hello everyone!
I am going to let you guys in on a little secret of having a retail storefront, and many of you who have worked retail might know this, but the moment it hits October, we are in full-blown Christmas planning mode!
Now, I won’t inundate your feed with all Christmas yet, but I think we might deserve to do one little post of one of our favorite products we use year-round at the store. I’m a planner, so I’m always thinking AHEAD!
Just like how it’s important to have staple items in clothing (think that basic white tee shirt that pairs with any outfit, any season!), it’s important to have staple items in interior design. There are just a few things that everyone needs to have!
One of my favorites is a wood tray. I love this item because you can use it in so many places, on the kitchen island, on the dining room table, end table, or even in the bathroom! Your options are endless!
For us, we use this particular tray on our dining room table, and let me show you how we transition from Fall to Christmas and what we like to put onto each tray to help it be stylish and practical.
Fall –
I believe to have the perfect wood tray, you need a mixture of practicality and beauty! Not only is this piece going to be the center of attention at the dinner table, but it’s also a focal decorative piece in your home.
At my house, we love charcuterie boards for dinner. I’m always sure to add small bowls and charcuterie cheese knives for easy access! I also am sure to include a bottle opener to open our drinks and cloth napkins to clean up messes (#boymom).
When considering what else to include, I like to keep in mind the textures and colors of my other fall decor. Right now, there is a warmer color palette, including different shades of orange, brass, and gold.
Once I have the more practical items planned out, I love to sprinkle in more decorative pieces! The first, of course, is pumpkins!
Now, we already know I have an obsession with pumpkins, and once the Fall starts, it definitely carries from my porch onto the inside of my house. I try to use a mixture of white and orange pumpkins on my place settings, and I also use a few of the leftovers on my tray.
Now, let’s add some more texture! I love how soft the cloth napkins are, but I add another element by adding wheat stems. I love wheat stems because you can either use them to add some height or tuck them between bowls or pumpkins to add further dimension.
I love to add a votive or two to my trays to add a little bit of warmth, and I can not be the only one who loves to relax with a glass of wine after dinner, and I love the romantic light votives can give a space—bonus points for a Fall-inspired scented candle to set the overall fall vibes.
Lastly, I will add florals for an additional pop of color and an additional added texture. Fun fact! I love to use some faux florals on my wood trays. I know many people are not fans of faux florals, but I love that I can place them exactly where I want and not worry about replacing them throughout the season. Plus, I can use them again next year, which is always a bonus!
Christmas-
Since a roasted turkey is often the table centerpiece during Thanksgiving, my trusty wood tray often transitions directly from Fall to Christmas. (Don’t worry, stay tuned for a Thanksgiving tablescape!)
As I mentioned, our storefront makes the switch to Christmas fairly early in the season, and I can’t help but to bring the same energy home!
The process is not very different from Fall. I will add practical items, followed by decorative. However, the things for each just change a bit.
For practical items on my tray, I think mugs are a must! We love to have coffee or hot chocolate after dinner, so having them already at the table is just a must! Since messes happen no matter the time of the year, cloth napkins are a necessity! Instead of using bowls for charcuterie, we usually fill them with Christmas cookies or candies since the holidays are a time to indulge!
I might go a little overboard for Christmas when it comes to the decorative aspect, but it’s supposed to be the happiest time of year, and decorations make me happy!
I usually start with adding a mini-Christmas tree to the tray. I love the height and texture this brings. The deep green of the tree is beautiful! I will even this out on the other side by adding some frosted greenery. I love that frosted greenery not only brings in a natural element to the board but adds some more interest and glitter to make a significant impact with a minimal amount of product.
Next, I pick a few of my favorite ornaments that I thought would get lost in my tree and add them to my tray. I like to place these in the bowls or mugs to add a layering effect. I also know many people have themes to their tree where they only want to use specific decorations, but this is a great way to feature ornaments you love but might not fit on your tree or go against the theme while still giving them a place to shine!
Lastly, I added some glittery star garland because there is never too much glitter or too many stars during Christmas! (Okay, there might be, but I definitely add more sparkle during Christmas than the rest of the year!)
Now, back to your regularly scheduled fall content!
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This week we got a recipe from Luke!
Luke is one of our incredible agents who specializes in First Time and New Home Buyers, but trust us, he has worked with buyers and sellers of all kinds! This week Luke will be sharing with us his special recipe for his version of a Washington Apple to warm you up this Fall!
Don’t forget to come back next week and the rest of the season as we welcome in Fall and the holidays! Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and Pinterest.
XO
Lynds