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Holiday dressing: swanky styles & sumptuous settings
Ebony, Dec, 2005
WHEN you dress, you have your own flair, and your holiday party shouldn't be any different. On these pages, three interior designers take you on a tour of some marvelous holiday party ideas in Chicago, Fort Lauderdale and Los Angeles. Whether your holiday party style is bold and decadent, or intimate and cozy, there's sure to be something here to inspire you. (No need to RSVP, girlfriend, you're always on the VIP list.)
THEME: URBAN OPULENCE
HOSTESS: Interior Designer Helen Bailey (above, forefront), owner of It's Urban Livin' design firm in Chicago. Helen is a regular contributor to television and radio decorating segments, and she wears an evening gown by Tadashi.
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STYLE DETAILS: Asia Roberson (far left) wears a black beaded bustier and puff skirt by Bates Designs; Dionne Fraser-Carter wears a crimson knit dress by Di-O Original Wearable Art. Katrina love (above, rear) is sophisticated in a jeweled silk gown by Noel Leon.
BIRDS OF PARADISE AND PEPPERBERRY SPRAYS also accent this holiday party setting. Tie-backs are created from bamboo poles, anthuriums and palm fronds. Further color is supplied by bromeliads and heliconias. In the place of honor amid these tropical plants and flowers, Cecil's prized crystal Christmas bee stands on a pedestal base (created from a red planter, topped with glass and lighted from within).
STYLE DETAILS
Camisole set: Bates Designs. Floral arrangements: Robert Fine Flowers, Chicago. Invitations: Bellamoure, Los Angeles.
DINING TABLE
"I combined my favorite colors, purple and chocolate brown, and then I added a pinch of holiday red so that the decor radiates," says designer Helen Bailey (left). "I selected a fresh-floral wreath as my centerpiece. I chose alluring velvets to make my own table placemats and napkins. Finally, I completed the look with beautiful and affordable holiday red accents."
"You should always aspire to create something that's unique and special. I envision a tropical Christmas with just a touch of winter," says interior designer Cecil Hayes.
THEME: TROPICAL CHRISTMAS
Hostess: Celebrity interior designer Cecil Hayes, CEO of Cecil Designers Unlimited in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., and author of 9 Steps to Beautiful Living: Dream, Design, and Decorate Your Home with Style, is a recipient of the Visionary in Design Award by the Design Center of the Americas.
STYLE DETAILS
For the party, Cecil wears her hair in an upsweep style and her black cocktail dress is accented with a black feather stole.
FROZEN DESSERT TABLE
"The table is covered with my mother's Madeira-embroidered tablecloth in shades of cream and taupe," says Hayes. "Next, I added a round glass mirror. The snowball-shaped centerpiece, which is comprised of white hydrangeas, white roses, baby's breath, and while Dendrobium Orchides, is accented with tiny red flowers. A family of glass penguins skate joyfully around the desserts, which are presented on silver platters and two Fenton Silver Crest cake plates. White china sterling silver and snow-white linen napkins complete the setting."
THEME: A WHITE-HOT CELEBRATION
HOSTESS: Interior Designer and stylist Nikki Chu, owner of the Nikki Chu Design Corporation in Los Angeles, designed Tyra Banks' office on America's Next Top Model.
"We're not typically known for snow in L.A., so I envision a winter white Christmas dinner, where all my guests wear white," says Chu. "And the hostess wears black."
DETAILS: Floral arrangements and centerpieces by event producer William Miller; white roses from Hallmark Flowers; invitations from Elcenia's Theme.
STYLE: Nikki Chu wears a black cocktail dress from her own collection.
TABLE SETTING: "Start with lots of fresh flowers [in one standard color] to make a bold statement," advises Chu. "Dress your table with festive linens and place mats. Stick to a formal dining setting that sets the tone for your holiday theme, and display your food beautifully. It's best to prep for your party two days in advance so that when your guests arrive, you can tend to them and their needs."
COPYRIGHT 2005 Johnson Publishing Co.
COPYRIGHT 2005 Gale Group
