Kansas City, the home of Nell Hill’s, is known for iconic jazz and mouthwatering BBQ, but the city is so much more than that to those of us that call it home. It’s a beautiful tapestry of people, arts, and culture – and the Kansas City Museum celebrates it all.
The Kansas City Museum preserves, interprets, and celebrates Kansas City through collections, exhibitions, and bold programs that reflect the City’s evolution and spirit, and engages visitors in unfolding stories about Kansas City’s vibrant history, cultural heritage, and pride. I’ve visited the museum a few times and believe strongly in their mission. I jumped at the opportunity to partner with them for the holiday season. So, last month the Nell Hill’s team headed to the Kansas City Museum to deck their halls in holiday finery!
The History of the Kansas City Museum
The story of the Kansas City Museum begins with Robert Alexander Long. Long’s life is not exactly a rags-to-riches tale – he came, in fact, from a well-established, middle-class Kentucky farming family. When Long sold off lumber from a failed hay business, he stumbled into an industry that would become the basis of his substantial fortune. In 1907, the Longs embarked on the construction of an estate reflecting their local and national prominence, a mansion and related buildings that filled an entire city block and was called Corinthian Hall. The property overlooked picturesque North Terrace Park and nearby available acreage, which offered a convenient place for Long and his horse-loving daughter, Loula, to exercise their prize steeds.
Today, the Kansas City Museum acts a history museum. It preserves, interprets, and celebrates Kansas City through collections, exhibitions, and bold programs that reflect the City’s evolution and spirit, and engages visitors in unfolding stories about Kansas City’s vibrant history, cultural heritage, and pride. The Kansas City Museum believes that recognizing and understanding the whole story of our City’s history is healing. Therefore, the Kansas City Museum aims to be the “Home of the Whole Story” where perspectives and experiences from individuals and communities that are often underrepresented and overlooked are acknowledged, honored, and elevated.
A Tree Fit for Corinthian Hall
We knew we needed to create a tree befitting Corinthian Hall, so we started with a 10 ft. tall Blue Spruce and bedecked it in dazzling embellishments suited for the resplendent space. It was important for the warmth of the tree to match that of the hall, so we selected a color palette of glittering gold, frosted white, with touches of deep red to add depth to the design.
Gilded flowers rest on the boughs, while glass globes of muted hues sparkle in clusters throughout the tree. We incorporated many finials dripping from the branches to evoke a design steeped in antiquity. Accompaniments of ribbon are dispersed throughout the tree and woven into the branches in a waterfall design. The tree is truly magnificent. This stately design is surely at home in the grand hall.
Embellishing a Statement Staircase
This splendid staircase is the first thing you see when you enter Corinthian Hall, so we knew that it needed a special touch. We decided to add garland to both sides of the banister, to allow the design to be viewable from anywhere in the entryway. Flocked garland was chosen to add to the high-end feel of the motif – and we used a lot of it. 216 feet of it to be exact.
Made to match the entryway tree, the grand staircase features the same colorway of rich golds, frosted whites, and deep red. Gatherings of white and red ribbons were cut into three foot sections, tied together in the middle, and secured to the garland every few feet. We then wove the ribbon tails throughout the greenery and attached groupings of ornaments nestled throughout. A statement gold ribbon peeks out between the branches, adding to the symphony of textures.
Building a Billiards Room Tree
The billiards room tree was a fun one – and a tricky one – to design. We knew we wanted to create a less formal space than the previous, to fit the playful tone of the room. We actually started with a rustic-feeling red and black, but when we started placing them on the branches, something didn’t feel right. We ended up swapping out those ornaments the next day with these beautiful brightly colored orbs.
One of my favorite things about this design is the way the ornaments seem to glow from the ambient light of the tree. It adds a touch of unexpected whimsy that I find exceedingly charming. No ribbon or picks were used, truly allowing the bulbs to take center stage in this design and offering a modern aesthetic that matches the room perfectly. The orbs would work great as an accent as well, but when used en masse they make quite the statement!
We were elated to partner with the Kansas City Museum and hope that you stop by to give them a visit if you’re able! Have you been? Which space do you love the most? Tell me in the comments! Until next time – happy decorating!