I will never forget the year it felt like Christmas passed over the Garrity home. We had just opened Nell Hill’s Briarcliff, and I was working a million hours a week. I didn’t have a spare second to decorate our home for the season. Since I am surrounded by so much Christmas décor at Nell Hill’s … [Read more...]
Holiday Table Inspiration from Nell Hill’s
Many of us have fabulous dining spaces in our homes … that collect dust. It’s time to fix that. This holiday season, and into the new year, resolve to fill your dining room with people you love, gathered together for good food and great conversation. I firmly believe that one of the greatest … [Read more...]
My Winter Love Letter to Plaid
This is my warm and happy place: snuggled under a plaid throw blanket, a steaming cup of coffee in my hands, winter held at bay outside my cottage doors. In my house, it’s plaid season. Someone asked me once if I was ever going to get over my obsession with plaid. Nope. Plaid is the fabric of … [Read more...]
Ingredients of a Marvelous Mantel
Next to your tree, your fireplace mantel is the most important part of your holiday décor. After all, this is where Santa makes his big entrance! The sky is the limit when it comes to dressing this long, thin stage. Some of us like a display that has a few discreet touches of seasonal cheer. … [Read more...]
To Trim a Tree
I love big, grand Christmas trees. But in my snug little cottage, we just don’t have the room. So this year, I’m trying something different. To get the illusion of a large tree, I’m putting a 5-foot tree into a garden urn (our favorite tree stand at Nell Hill’s), then hoisting it up … [Read more...]
These Friends Captured My Heart for the Holidays
This holiday season will be magical for me. My granddaughter Maeve is now 3, old enough to be swept away by the wonder and awe, carrying all of us with her. I want my holiday décor, from my table to my tree, to not only spark her imagination, but also anchor her to the season’s simple message of … [Read more...]