Smart Homes October 2019

Entertaining - Tt’s all in the details!

Credits GROUP CEO (Ag) Noel Wood HEAD OF ADVERTISING - NATION GROUP Paulette Jones CIRCULATION MANAGER Adrian Bowen – Tel.: (246) 430-5500 email: adrianbowen@nationnews.com MAGAZINE CO-ORDINATOR Andrea King - Tel.: (246) 430-5498 email: andreaking@nationnews.com Writers: Cara Briggs, Maria Collymore, Natalia Nunes, Charlene Smith, Femi Mascoll, Tirshatha Jeffrey , Rosemary Layne Photography:Akira Joseph Photography COVER: Sunbury Plantation Design/layout: Derrick Gill & Brian O’Neale Advertising Executives: Donna Francis – Tel.: 246 467-2868 Email: donnafrancis@nationnews.com Debbie Brathwaite – Tel.: (246) 430-5518 Email: debbiebrathwaite@nationnews.com Asha Jones – Tel.: (246) 430-5519 Email: ashajones@nationnews.com INDEX PAGE ADVERTISING EXECUTIVE Alison Licorish – Tel.: (246) 430-5552 Email: alisonlicorish@nationnews.com Kelly Henry – Tel.: (246) 430-5554 Email: KellyHenry@nationnews.com ADVERTISING COORDINATOR Wendey Delaney – Tel.: (246) 430-5517 email: wendeydelaney@nationnews.com Printers: Printweb Caribbean Ltd. (246) 434-6719

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Editorial Note

Smart Home /smaart hom/ noun 1. a house in Bajan parlance which looks good.

Similar: pretty house

well decorated

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ime just seems to fly between these twice-yearly publications of Smart Homes. Hardly has one been put to bed when the deadline for the other one is upon us three months later. We hope you think it’s worth the wait.

For those of you following the Ashley Furniture Smart Homes Design Challenge, you’ll get to see the results in full colour of this year’s winner, Mervin Hall.

Congratulations to Mr Hall on his achievement. Ski Greenidge and Michael Trotman, who placed second and third respectively, join Mr Hall in sharing their perspective on the Barbadian design aesthetic.

Of course it’s the ‘Christmas edition’, coming as it does at the end of the year, and so there’re a few articles specifically targeting decorating for the season.

Living as we do in a warm and sunny climate, eating outdoors is an easy thing to do, even if it rains. Our cover photo is an example of entertaining for brunch or lunch in a rustic outdoor setting, thanks to Sunbury Plantation.

We express a special gratitude to homeowner Ruth Blackman for her lovely table setting used on pages 18 and 20. Her décor really epitomises setting the scene for entertaining where a meal with family or friends is involved, in the living room, the patio, or the kitchen. Left to the imagination is the sight of sideboards and counters on which the buffet brunch and dinner are laid out.

At this holiday time - Independence and Christmas - and as we approach the New Year, we’ve considered the renewing and redecorating, and have included quite a few features to stimulate your thinking and approaches.

The home décor section in Abed’s is a decorator’s heaven, and the new selections can give your home a stylish and sophisticated look, as well as make it feel inviting at the same time.

Setting your living room, dining room or front house so that it feels inviting for the people who live in it and the people who are invited, will be made much easier with their variety of soft furnishings, including throws, cushions, rugs curtains, and many other decorative pieces for wall, table or floor. The variety of colours and textures will help to create a design in a bohemian, ethnic, modern or classic style, which can make your home an inviting space. See some selections in the Abed’s advertorial on pg 24.

We hope you find this edition of Smart Homes edu-taining. We’d love to find out if you took any of the advice offered, so let us know!

Smart Homes is produced by The Nation Publishing Co. Limited; a subsidiary of The Nation Corporation, which is a member of the One Caribbean Media Limited (OCM) group of companies.

For general info email: smarthomes@nationnewscom. Every effort has been made to ensure that the information contained within this magazine is accurate, however, The Nation Publishing Co. Limited cannot be held responsible for any consequences that may arise from any errors or omissions. This publication cannot be copied in whole or in part without the explicit permission of the Publisher. ©2019 NATION PUBLISHING CO. LIMITED

Contents

Out with the old

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Redecorating your dining room Renew your home with crystals The use of colour and art in your home Creating your dream room Stylish practical furniture for the home Setting the scene for entertaining Smart Homes design challenge 8 decorating tips for entertaining 5 ways to make money from home DIY Xmas decorations Alternative Xmas trees Xmas landscape ideas

October 2019

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Home | SuperCentre Swipe, Earn & Save!

In With New, C Out With The Old

hristmas is in the air. I know you’re thinking: “How am I going to spruce up this house? What am I going to change, or fix, or buy? What shall I shift around, or rearrange or get rid of?” In the event you are doing a mix of these, here are some great ideas to stimulate the process.

by Maria Collymore

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Curtains “Do I really want more curtains to fill up my house or put away this year?”

Why not buy an accent colour and add to an existing set? Maybe do a curtain swap; find a close friend with whom you have similar taste.

Or consider donating them to someone else will put you in the Christmas spirit! You may have some old ones that need sprucing up.

Take a plain one or faded one and consider dying it or tie-dye, appliqueing or even stencil a different pattern, or also adding lace, a beautiful border or trim.

Mixing two old sets by using a different colour every other panel, or thickening the curtains from two to three or four. Be creative and trendsetting. Don’t throw away that set in which one is torn. (Wait till we get to next section for another idea!)

Cushions If you are changing your cushion covers this year, consider whether you are piping, flat seaming or you going to get a smocking pattern. Each style requires a different amount of cloth and cost, so get an estimate before you start. Barbados has many skilled upholstery artisans who do great work.

What fabric will you use? If you have children, think of what is easy to clean like Scotchgard, leatherette, or micro-fibre.

Complex and intricate patterns with dark colours are also good for hiding stains and spills. Dark solid materials or stripes can also give a room a new feel and energy.

Remember, different colours set different moods, so think about the mood you want to set.

Let’s say that’s an expense you’re not taking on this year; then consider a throw, chair cover or a sofa cover. With throws, a good cushion which brings out the colours in the throw, some accent pieces like vases, ornaments or even pictures, again that bring out key colours in this space, can make the room look cheerful and inviting.

Beautiful throw cushions can make all the difference to a living room. They are different shapes like the long rectangle, log, square, or round. You can have all symmetrical or you can have them in varying shapes mixed together to add an interesting touch. In this instance, you can colour block or match with a dominant colour in the room.

Often, I pick the faintest colour in the room and get the cushions to make that colour pop. Throw cushions can be made from old curtains which have interesting and intricate patterns.

Rugs If your family is anything like mine, they love the floor, so the right rug can be such a warm addition. Some rugs are plush rugs, woven, plated, or trimmed carpets. Choose your rug based on location and traffic before you put it down. A plush rug is beautiful but

cannot handle lots of foot traffic. Corded rugs can, and are an easy clean. Some rugs require a vacuum for proper maintenance, but for others a hard, long bristle broom and a damp mop is enough.

A good rug is not something you should change every year, so you want a neutral colour or pattern that can go with many different colours in the room.

You also don’t want your rug to be something you grow tired with, so where you place the rug matters: in the hallway, next to the bed, under the dining room table, just under the coffee table, in front of the sofa. Finding just the right place can make a room feel warm intimate or cozy.

Walls Get those family photos framed and on the wall. Putting them in a collage or pattern or family frames with five or six spaces is a good look, but individual frames where individuals are honoured, is equally good if they are artistically arranged Paintings and/or prints can also be used to make captivating wall additions. Paintings are a wise investment. There are many promising and renowned Barbadian artists whose pieces will appreciate in value.

You may try a wall hanging, tapestry, memorabilia collage or raw art like a piece of driftwood, giving that wall and cover a new look, a focal point.

Whatever you’re using, be it paint, fabric, cushions, curtains, reupholstery, ornaments, vases... have fun making your home a space you want to spend time in and that suits you. Home is about the love and comfort it gives the people who live in it, not just the aesthetics.

www.atlanticrealtybarbados.com

Inspiration & INNOVATION

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Redecorating your Dining Room

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by Femi Mascoll

he Collins dictionary defines a dining room as, “the room in a house where people have their meals.” Mealtime for many families tends to create bonding experiences and create feelings of joy. Therefore, the décor of this area must be conducive to these activities and feelings.

Additionally, the designers of Better Homes & Gardens strongly recommend that the dining room meet the following criteria: “Dining rooms should be welcoming spaces that suit your home’s architecture, reflect your design preferences, and offer comfortable seating and plentiful storage.”

Lauren Smith of Good Housekeeping notes that “when dated décor or built-up clutter causes you to relocate to the kitchen or TV room instead, you end up underutilising one of your home’s most central rooms”. Smith recommends starting with the walls of the area. “It’s hard to beat classic white walls. It’s bright and

clean, and it acts as a blank canvas for the rest of the décor. It also helps reflect natural light, which can help the room feel bigger.”

We all know that projects of this nature can sometimes be costly and time-consuming. So, if repainting isn’t your thing, there’s also the option of changing your curtains to refresh this room. Interior designer Diana Hathaway notes, “Whether you’re a renter or you just don’t have time to tackle a paint project, draperies can give you the colour you need. Print or patterned draperies can add a lot of colour to your dining room, giving you plenty of accent colours for your decorating palette.”

She adds, “The best tip for using draperies to decorate a wall is to be generous with them — this means adding an extra set to the rod to fill out the wall. If you’d like to use your dining room draperies as a focal point, install a drapery rod much wider than your window and fill the extra space with additional drapes.”

Smith recommends starting with the walls of the area.

“It’s hard to beat classic white walls.

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To bring even more colour and vibrancy to the area, Better Homes & Gardens suggests using rugs and mats. “Round out your dining room design with vibrant area rugs, fabulous fabrics, fashionable fixtures, and artistically arranged collections. Anchor your dining set with a colourful area rug that harmonises with your palette and decorating style.”

Also, when redecorating your dining room, give thought to the artwork which will adorn your freshly painted walls. For a personal touch, framed family photos can be used to tell a story. Or, for a bit more elegance, a few pieces from your favourite artist may do the trick.

So far, we have beautifully painted walls and just the right amount of accent pieces. But, what about the actual seating?

When selecting furniture for this space, the shape of the central piece, the dining table, can do wonders for the room. For smaller dining rooms, a round table is an ideal shape rather than rectangular. Additionally, armless chairs beautifully accompany a round table and maximise the space since they fit closer together than other styles of chairs. For large or narrow dining areas, the rectangular table is perfect.

Designer Laura Gaskill believes that the right lighting is the trick to create a fabulous dining area. “Of all the changes you could make to your dining room, boosting the light has the biggest potential to transform the look and feel of the space. Swap out a dated ceiling fixture for a pendant light or chandelier, and hang a mirror on the wall to reflect the light and make the room feel more spacious,” she said.

Inspiration & INNOVATION

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Renew your home with crystals!

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by Rosemarie Layne

olour is a powerful tool that can inspire emotions, create spatial illusions, or simply set the mood and atmosphere in a room. Especially when incorporated with interior and exterior painting, colour psychology is an excellent way to create a healthy and beautiful home. Introducing your favourite colour into your home is one of the simplest ways to add character and intrigue.

Since each colour of the rainbow is associated with a particular emotion, using it judiciously can bring positive energy to your home. Blue, for example, has a soothing effect in our warm climate, and can help cool down the body.

Following are some colour guidelines for placing art in the home: Entrance: black and white

To make a statement, stick to black and white. All-black or all-white, or a combination of black with white artwork conveys a feeling of seriousness and sophistication – not appropriate for a playroom. From this point, the tone for your personal feel is set when anyone enters.

Living and dining room: oranges and reds

For social, communal spaces, stimulating colours are best. Orange and red both energise the mind, so they can help spark conversation at a dinner party or family gathering.

Study: Yellow

This colour has been shown to help the brain retain information, so bright yellow is a good choice for a desk or study room. While yellow has many of the same subliminal effects of red and orange, it also enhances memory.

Bedroom: Greys

Just as we take care choosing a mattress for optimal rest, we should be equally thoughtful about artwork. With our minds being habitually wired by the bombardment of electronic media, it’s crucial to have a calming zone with minimal distraction.

Grey quickly quiets the mind and body, so a deep grey tone or base is an ideal choice. Purple, on the other hand, is one of the worst colours to have in the bedroom as it keeps the mind active.

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Bathroom: vibrant tones

Although colour is often avoided in bathrooms, this is an area we can be bolder and experiment with artwork. Strong pieces with a kaleidoscope of colours are ideal to catch the eye and stimulate the mind. Vibrant reds and blues can be juxtaposed with yellows and lime greens in the bathroom. This, with a shower, will give a boost in the morning.

Crystals

Quartz crystals have been used for thousands of years as a metaphysical tool. In ancient cultures they were part of death rituals, placed in pyramids to attract spirits and light to the afterlife.

Although how crystals work is largely still a mystery, these powerful stones have been prized as healing aids for centuries.

Theories about their efficacy are based on the resonance of vibrations and the body’s water and crystalline content.

Each crystal has a unique internal structure that impacts how the stone resonates, the kind of energy it attracts, and the way it clears negativity – by either repelling or absorbing it.

Crystals can promote healing by attracting love in our lives and keeping our relationships healthy. To promote health and happiness in your home, placing certain crystals around the house can help clear negative energy and give a feeling of grounding and peace. Citrine is a popular selection since it attracts wealth. A plus – it doesn’t absorb negative energy, so never needs cleaning.

To promote love in the home, you can either place rose quartz in the southwest corner, or a bowl of rose quartz in the bedroom.

(You can also use crystals around your workplace to clear your mind and lessen confusion.)

To quell nightmares, you can place a crystal at the foot of your bed to induce peaceful sleep, and ward off negative thoughts.

Another option is to place the crystal under your pillow at night, allowing the body and mind to accept the influence of the crystal’s healing energy in a rested state.

Using Crystals

There are many ways we can use crystals in your daily lives to boost mood, decorate homes and deepen our meditation practice.

First, you’ll need to remove any negative energies they may have picked up, so you can start with a clean slate. It is generally recommended that you wash the stone in warm water with a miniscule quantity of sea salt. Rinse thoroughly, and place the crystal outside under the moonlight to absorb its cleansing, calm lunar energy.

Since the frequencies of the crystal’s atoms are changed by sound and temperature, an ideal way to get started is to warm them up. You can do this by holding them in your hand, or placing them next to a candle.

Focus on the crystal, and meditate on the idea of your vibrations merging together. This is the core thought you want to return to – the idea that your vibrations and those of the crystal can be in sync. This will allow you to absorb the crystal’s properties, and vice versa.

You can also sleep with the crystal in your hand, use it to decorate your home’s spiritual altar, keep it in your purse, wear it around your neck or on a ring, or place it nearby when engaged in self-care treatments such as facials, massages or baths.

* Rosemarie Layne who holds an Associate Degree in Mass Communication is a wholistic health advocate and is certified in 2nd Degree Reiki.

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Inspiration & INNOVATION

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The Use of Colour and Art in Your Home

by Femi Mascoll

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olour and the art pieces which accentuate our walls are a couple of the most important decisions to make when turning just a house into your dream home. Your personality may scream of bright yellows and oranges, or, it may be more subdued and whisper for pale pinks and soft blues.

Often, when it is time for a makeover or mini-renovation, it’s not always necessary to knock down walls and delve into the uncertainties of construction. The right choice of colour has the ability to breathe new life into even the most tired of spaces.

“Colour is all around us and even in our vocabulary. We say we feel ‘blue’,” says American interior designer and colour expert, Elaine Ryan. “It’s all about finding the colours you respond to and that make you feel good.”

For many people, white represents the most basic of colour choices, and rightfully so. White is the perfect selection when

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your goal is to maximise the space available. It is optimal for ceilings since white creates the allusion of higher ceilings and a more spacious setting.

For the homeowner who seeks serenity and a calm atmosphere, grey may be the best colour. Many believe that grey brings a sense of sophistication to any room. One significant characteristic of this colour, is its neutrality. It is the perfect background tone that can be used to make brighter accent colours truly pop!

Speaking of colours that pop, yellow is the true embodiment of an exhilarating and mood-lifting hue. The experts at countryliving.com recommend this brilliant sunshine tone for the kitchen area. “Kitchens are great rooms to paint yellow as it brightens your mood and increases your energy – something we usually all need in the morning as we make our way to the kettle. Yellow can catch the sunlight and leave you with an uplifting feeling of joy and liveliness,” they say.

The right choice of colour has the ability to breathe new life into even the most tired of spaces.

In the same way that colours visually revive your home, so too can art. The right art pieces speak volumes to the homeowners’ personalities and they are also excellent conversation starters.

One of the benefits that art has over that of wall colour is that your art can go with you if by any chance you need to relocate.

Additionally, it can be sold or even traded should your tastes change over time.

As with all other aspects of home design, your choice of art should be guided not only by your taste, but also by your budget. For some, this means choosing to buy a reproduction of a particular piece rather than the original work. If this is still beyond the confines of your budget, then it’s time to get more creative. “Frame your nephew’s drawings, or display seashells,

vintage postcards or interestingly shaped glass bottles,” says art enthusiast Andrea Carson.

Apart from your budget, what else should you consider?

Your home’s colour scheme, of course. Art experts recommend matching the background colour of the artwork to the wall to bring a cohesive feeling to the room. When in doubt, keep it neutral. As we mentioned earlier, subdued colours like grey are able to allow other pieces of decor, such as art, to really shine.

Additionally, it can be helpful to work with a certain palette as a way of reining in your creativity and far-reaching ideas. For example, when choosing black and white photographs as the pieces for a particular area, red may be the perfect accent colour because of the classic combination of black, white and red.

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Your Dream Room T

by Tirshatha Jeffrey

here is nothing quite like walking into a space and knowing that it is 100 per cent your own. Looking at a room – whether your bedroom, kitchen, living room, etc. – and seeing the furniture, appliances, and décor that you chose to add your flair to the space can go a long way towards helping your house feel like a home. With just a few simple tricks and DIY projects, you can turn any room in your home into your dream living space.

First, take stock. What does the room look like now? What do you want it to look like?

What feeling do you want to have when you sit, cook, draw, read, or lounge in it? Is it a small, medium, or large space? What is the room used for and by whom? All of these are questions you should ask before making changes to what will become your dream room. Along the way, the answers will help guide you and remind you of your intended end goal.

Use accessories Accessories can make all the difference between a sterile space and a cosy room. Use pendant lamps to add visual interest to your room’s lighting scheme. Sconces and floor or table lights can also help add sophisticated textures, shapes, and patterns to your room while adding light. Strategically placed baskets can also be used to give your room a rustic, vintage, or modern feel, depending on the material and colours. For less intrusive changes, use vases, glassware, and candles on tables and shelves for easily moveable and customisable decorative pieces.

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Furniture and appliances A dream room makeover doesn’t have to include costly purchases or long renovations. In the kitchen, give your cupboards a fresh coat of varnish or paint for a new, costeffective look. Change the appliance handles throughout your home for a more rustic or contemporary look, depending on your sense of style.

Re-upholster soft furnishings or add patterned or coloured throw cushions to give your couch or bed an instant, fresh appearance. In the bedroom, a DIY headboard, new sheet set, and ceiling-to-floor panel curtains can help spruce up the space.

Colour schemes Whether you choose bright, tropical colours or relaxing, earthy neutrals, a new colour scheme can help you achieve your dream room.

Try a strong, contrasting colour scheme with pops of colour for visual interest or a monochromatic look to give your room an elegant

feel. Whatever colours you choose, make sure that the scheme is cohesive and pleasing to the eye.

Use painted crafts, rugs, baskets, vases, or soft furnishings to add colour to your dream room in a nonobtrusive way.

Quality over quantity As always, choose quality over quantity. Use a few well-made staple pieces to be a part of your dĂŠcor rather than filling the space with ill items that do not fit the design of the room. Look for items that will last, both in style and in function. Quality items need not be expensive; thrift stores and garage sales can often be treasure troves of unique, timeless pieces.

Whether you are building your dream room from scratch or adding a bit of flair and sophistication to an already designed room, know that you have to power to weave aesthetics and functionality together to satisfy your needs and wants.

Inspiration & INNOVATION

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Stylish And Practical Furniture For Your Home

by Femi Mascoll

oving into a new home can be a lengthy process. A part of the process is carefully deciding on the type of furniture to complement and enhance the look of the home. In addition to the price-point and look of the furniture, the practicality and durability of the furniture must also be considered.

One of the first steps before making a purchase is to consider what you actually need, rather than just what you want. So, for example, if you are into hosting guests at your home, it may be necessary to look for a dining table that can comfortably seat a larger number of people.

Additionally, the size of each room must also be a deciding factor. Before you buy, pull out that measuring tape to ensure that the dimensions of your rooms can accommodate the selected pieces you have in mind. We would not want to have a small space that looks crowded and cluttered simply because of oversized furniture.

“There should be comfortable walking space where people will not have to move things or squeeze through spaces to find the way,” advises design blogger, Preeti Shah. But, it’s not only the size of the space; the shape must also be taken into account.

“No furniture should be blocking other attractive features in your room,” Shah added. What’s the point of stylish pieces if they just conceal all the other unique attributes of the home?

As it relates to size and practicality, dual-purpose furniture has to be one of your best choices. In recent times, we have seen the surge in the ottomans which serve a variety of purposes.

They are a beautiful accent to any room; they can be used for seating and on top of that, storage too. There are also a variety of

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sleek, sophisticated shelving options which give rooms a pop of personality but are also great storage alternatives.

Your home should be the place where you feel most at ease and most comfortable. Practical furniture choices must align with the vibe you want within your personal space. Is it a bachelor pad or is it flirty and girly? By taking a while to ask yourself these questions you may feel better guided when deciding upon furniture colour, shapes, and textures.

Let’s take a minute to discuss what most parents dread: children and furniture. It is no secret that children can definitely wreak havoc upon our homes and all that lies between those four walls. So, in looking at the practicality of the furniture, it must also meet the age and stage of the little ones who run around all day without a care for your leather upholstery. For this reason, it’s important to choose furniture materials very carefully. With children around, it’s essential to have fabrics that are easily washable, just in case the little ones happen to make a spill (or two).

Lastly, make sure that furniture choices beautifully complement your existing décor. So what if you see the most exquisite couch but the colour will do nothing against the designs and colours you already have? You may be better off leaving the said couch right in the showroom. No one wants a furniture piece, no matter how beautiful, which awkwardly stands out. Shah notes, choose furniture that blends in with the other décor in the house and with the existing furniture. Also, buy furniture that complements each other. For example, the coffee table, the stand-alone chairs, and sofas should look like a unit for the décor to seem more put together.”

for Cooking, Eating and Entertaining

by Cara Briggs

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smart home is a comfortable home, a place where your family and friends love to come and, enjoy being there.

With the festive season rapidly approaching (can you believe it’s November already?!) you can never be too early to start brainstorming about all the elements and details needed to make the impending family gathering or celebration as

seamless as possible.

All the tidbits of advice that speak about preparation being key to being successful ring true here. Whether you’re going to be entertaining ten people or 100, making accurate lists and giving yourself plenty of time for each task will minimise chaos and help you tackle the inevitable glitches that arise.

Here are some things you have to consider before you start making calls or sending invitations.

What is the date? How many guests will be there? What is the location? What type of party will it be? What is your budget? Will there be recorded music or live entertainment?

Once you’ve settled on the details of your event, here are some Smart Home tips to help you execute it seamlessly.

Be sure about your numbers After you’ve invited all your prospective guests, don’t hesitate to call people a couple days before the event to confirm attendance. Not knowing how to calculate quantities for an event is a sure way to make the process unnecessarily stressful.

Determine the Location You’ll need to critically evaluate your home or the space where you plan to have your event. If guests will be standing, the average-size room can generally accommodate 25 people. For any form of buffet, you must provide seating.

When it comes to spaces, consider the ways your guests are likely to move around your home. For example, while the dining room is the obvious focal point for a dinner party, mightn’t it be nicer for guests to enjoy pre-dinner drinks on the balcony, the garden or in the backyard?

Also, remember that your guests are likely to come into the kitchen and they are guaranteed to use the bathroom: give these areas a clean before the event and ensure they’re stocked with all the necessities, such as ample hand soap, fresh hand towels and toilet paper.

If your home isn’t equipped to handle all the guests you’d like to invite or the equipment needed to pull it off, renting a venue may be a better

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What Will this Event Cost?

Consider liquor, food, rentals, service, music or entertainment, and flowers or decorations to establish your initial budget. Think drinks first, as alcohol can be a major expense. Don’t feel as though you need to provide every drink possible; serving a signature drink and just having a red and white wine will be enough in most cases.

Customise Your Menu and Make It Special Well planned catering is often the difference between a good event and a great one, so don’t be afraid to dedicate a large amount of time putting together the menu. Think about how well your menu items complement each other, whether the food matches the setting. For example, if your guests won’t be seated at a table, it may be better to provide bite-sized appetizers that can be eaten with your hands, instead of a full buffet spread which would require cutlery.

You should also find out if any of your guests have dietary requirements you need to consider, or any food allergies. Consider too, that not everyone drinks alcohol, so ensure you have non-alchoholic beverages that can serve the same celebratory purpose.

If you’re going to do a buffet or family-style menu for a sit-down dinner, slow-cooked dishes that can simmer on the stove or items which can be prepared the day before and reheated in the oven just prior to serving are ideal, because they will allow you to spend more time enjoying yourself with your guests once they arrive.

It’s also always a good idea to have slightly more than you think you’ll need. You never know whether an extra person might change their RSVP at the last minute or whether people will go back for second or third helpings.

Set the Ambiance When it comes to music, start with it louder and decrease the volume as guests arrive. Decorations and lighting also go a long way to make a statement and emphasise the importance of the event.

Another place to get detail-oriented is the presentation of your food and drinks. Make an eye-catching cheeseboard before you roll out the main menu or whip up some pretty mocktails or cocktails to serve as your guests arrive.

Enjoy Yourself Being a good host/hostess is about catering to your guests’ needs, but it doesn’t mean you have to run yourself into the ground to show your guests that you care. Ask for help from a few trusted guests if you need it.

Make introductions, mingle, and most important, enjoy your hard work!

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Mervin Hall

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Design Challenge Winner

atching my mum ‘put away’ the house every Christmas, I saw love for the detailing and making sure things are in place.”

It was through this annual ritual that interior designer Mervin Hall was born, and today he has become the winner of the fourth annual Ashley Furniture Smart Homes Design Challenge.

This month, almost a year to the day, he officially parlays his design abilities in his event and wedding décor company, Sophisticated Events.

Mervin derived so much pleasure and satisfaction from helping his mother as a youth, that it became a vocation. He joined Renaissance Designs in 2013 , there honing his craft in interior design and decoration.

Entering the challenge was a bold step for Mervin, who used it as a means to increase that much-valued quality in a designer – confidence. Having known about the Ashley Furniture Smart Homes Design Challenge three years prior, it took him all that time to pluck up the courage to enter.

Mervin reminisced about the journey of the Challenge, from the first element of creating a mood board to the judges, to finally being paired with the homeowner and executing the design.The frustration of the real-time wait for the result at each stage was eased by a one of his staunch supporters.

“My friend Wynelle Griffith always supports me and she told me I have to trust my gut instinct. When the top seven got called my name was fourth or fifth, and I was so surprised,” he exclaimed.

“Meeting the homeowners was the biggest challenge,”

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Before

After

After

Before

Mervin admitted. The designated rooms for homeowners Mr and Mrs Farmer of Fort George Heights were a bedroom and a bathroom. “They liked modern, everything clean, straight lines, lot of greys and whites and neutral colours, and I had to flow with that theme. We had to prepare a mood board for the homeowners to see the they had to agree to the mood board, and they were pleased.

He and his team of four people included a painter, a tiler and a carpenter, and they had five days to complete the rooms. He was fortunate in this experience that his favourite design aesthetic is modern.

“I like simple, and I don’t like clutter, and I like things that are clean,” he said, and this luckily or coincidentally was the theme his chosen homeowners wanted.

He pauses before he answers the question: how does it feel to be the winner?

“I feel great and accomplished because when the year first started, everything was downhill for me. I felt like I was at ground zero.

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Nothing was working out and everything felt low, and business was not flowing. Entering this competition and emerging the champion, it boosted the way I feel about myself, and it boosted the way people think about you as an individual. It helped me to be a better person and I feel that I can do more things. It helped me also to be brave and accomplish more things. I’m proud of where I am today,” was his thoughtful response.

He confessed that he used to be shy before the Challenge, but now after the competition he has become bold. The contest has resulted in a much more confident individual and even more confident designer.

“This is actually working in my favour and I have got some working coming out of it,” he said, on the eve of a trip to New York where he plans to visit the Ashley Store when he travels to New York. He will take the opportunity then to introduce himself as the 2019 Barbados Ashley Furniture Homestore ambassador. His other prizes include cash of $4,000, and a

weekend at Rostrevor Hotel. Mervin emphasised that his design journey was not made alone. He expressed sincere gratitude to his team, which includes Erlene, Dwaine, Jesse, Jamal, Francine, Akeem, Shirleeen and Reynold. Already, his ambassadorship has been lucrative, as the event and wedding decorator already has two jobs to do in the first quarter of next year.

As a young Barbadian designer he clearly identifies the Barbadian design aesthetic: “If you walk into a home now, you will find that regular Bajans like a lot of poofy furniture and curtains and lace, tall vases with sticks and artificial flowers. The younger generation who is now owning their own homes, favour a more modern style of décor. Their aesthetic is sleeker. There is now an architectural design phase that is more box-like, where instead of windows you will find an entire glass wall, which does not really carry a curtain.

“People are subjecting the curtains and using the glass wall.

You will find seating sectionals that take up less space in the home, and most of these homes are being built with an open floor plan where you can see the kitchen and dining room at the same time. Most of the colour tones are dark—greys and black, with a hint of colour, a hint of yellow or reds. In this new aesthetic, people are using colours that are timid or dark. I call it the ‘shades of grey after the movie’,” he said using his signature laugh.

S

Ski Greenidge 2nd Place

ki Greenidge has always been interested in design and with the encouragement of Ashley Furniture’s Janine Hinkson, she decided to enter this year’s competition.

It was a move which paid off, second time around, as she had given it a shot before.

“Overall the experience has fostered so much growth and development in me,” she shared. “Working within such a tight deadline and budget forced me to be clear and decisive and follow my instincts.

Design was always my passion, but it was the experience of going through this competition that cemented my decision to pursue it as a career.”

Ski’s design aesthetic for houses or a room:

My aim is always to tell the story of a space through design and my aesthetic directly reflects how I do that. I would describe it as architectural, colourful and elegant.

Ski’s thoughts on the Barbadian design aesthetic: I am fascinated by Barbadian architecture and this has greatly influenced my perception of the Bajan aesthetic. When I envision the Bajan aesthetic, I picture intricate architectural elements like fretwork, vaulted ceilings and wrap-around verandahs in a space bursting with vibrant colour. It is important to me that the aesthetic carries its own energy and sense of self. When people enter a space here, they should feel, without a doubt, like they are in Barbados.

E

Michael Trotman 3rd Place

ntering the Ashley Furniture Smart Homes Design Challenge was yet another way for creative Michael Trotman to be expressive.

“I found out about the challenge not long before this year’s began from one of the organisers and although I would have not been involved in interior design on such a level, but more involved with event and seasonal decorations, I used it as new territory for me to expand my creative expression,” the photographer and event decorator told Smart Homes. He eventually placed third.

“I can say I enjoyed the journey despite having some long days, especially in the final round. It was really a great opportunity for me to learn more of my creative expression and myself. I found the pressure gave me a drive to push in the midst of some challenges that presented themselves during time.”

Michael’s design aesthetic for rooms or houses: I found a greater appreciation for the

diverse elements and feelings created with the design styles I grew to understand more during the challenge. I lean more towards an eclectic style naturally, but I really do enjoy the vibe of mid-century modern. I think the simple but yet impactful is an aesthetic I like.

And then there’s something about glam that I really enjoy.

Michael’s thoughts on Barbadian design aesthetic: Before this challenge I wasn’t very keen on the Barbadian design aesthetic, but I’ve come to realise it can vary just as dynamic as our faces vary. But if I were to try and pinpoint a design aesthetic for Barbadians, we can find a decent set of transitional styled homes, where the traditional crosses with elements modern and contemporary, and surely the loud dynamic range of eclectic, especially as it relates to colour. I’d add that media has surely influenced some Barbadians towards the less clustered feel of modern and glam to some extent, but again, I think that each home usually speaks to the individuality of the owners.

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8 TIPS FOR ENTERTAINING It’s the most wonderful time of the year when family and friends come together to celebrate and share. As house proud Bajans we dream of trendy, vibrant spaces to entertain, especially over the holidays, but lets be honest it can be overwhelming trying to figure out where to start and what to prioritize.

Here are 8 tips from Nikita Abed, Brand Director of Abeds to take your space from drab to fab that are sure to make holiday decorating and entertaining easy breezy:

1

Start by deciding on a colour palette of just two colours to give your décor a cohesive look. For example Blue & Teal. Let go of the idea of everything matching and embrace the idea of everything coordinating. Mix patterns with solid colours and textures for a unique entertaining space. Eg. Embellish a solid sofa with a variety of different throw cushions (printed, embroidered, velvet and macrame)

2

Accessorize with similar metallic accents; choose gold, silver or rose gold for a unified look. Matching metallic vases, figurines, table décor and wall décor.

3

Make it special with festive mood lighting; from large lanterns to smaller candle holders and delicate candelabras, flickering candlelight is the best.

4

Lead the way with words and phrases that spell out the intended mood or special occasion: Love or Celebrate

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Bring in additional seating when you’re entertaining large groups of people. Instead of boring white chairs, opt for stylish stools or chic poufs, some that even double as storage to hid away extra bits. Win win!

6

Make it easy for yourself with a beautiful cheese and charcutier board or readymade ham hops on decorative trays instead of fussing over hot hor d’oeuvers.

7

Dress the table with eclectic pieces that reflect your style.

Start with a vibrant table cloth or a table runner, add placemats, napkins and chic napkin rings. In the center layer leaves and flowers, candles, ornaments and your favorite decorative balls.

If it’s a sit down dinner hand write name place name cards for a memorable experience for your guests.

8

Wooden Letters $5.95

Marble Tray $24.95

Straw Balls (pack of 3) $8.00

Set everything up the night before - put out the glasses, rearrange the furniture, gather extra seating, put up the decorations and restock the toilet paper.

That way on the day you just have to put out food and drinks and ENJOY! Jute & Cotton Stool $109.95

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October 2019

Flower Art from $14.95

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5

Ways To Make From Home

Money

by Charlene Smith

“Rich people acquire assets. Poor and middle-class people acquire liabilities, but they think they are assets.�

Y

Robert Kiyosaki, Rich Dad, Poor Dad

There is no place like home!

our home is your castle, it is where you relax after a hard day and it’s the place where you and your family make the fondest memories.

But did you know that your home may also be a liability? Homeowners can easily spend more than a quarter of their lifetime earnings, owning or renting a home.

Buying a home is usually one of the biggest investments of your life. Similarly, the fee for renting a home in Barbados is extremely close to the monthly bank payment for a mortgage and for

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October 2019

the average person. Homeowners constantly spend money on utilities, taxes, and property maintenance. Alternatively for most Barbadians, owning or renting a home does not generate any cash flow. In order to turn your home into an asset, you need to generate more than you spend on your property and aim to lessen expenses.

In this article, we will explore the ways Barbadians homeowners can transform their home into an asset.

Bring a deeper meaning to the saying, Home Sweet Home by using these five methods!

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1

2

3

Think Outside the Office - Start a Home Business

Amazon, Google, Apple, and Hewlett Packard all have one very shocking and amazing thing in common; do you know what it is? These dynamic billion dollar companies all started in a small, basic home garage. Start a business at your home. It can be as simple as turning your garage into an art studio, workshop or salon. Starting a business at home minimises the expense of renting office space and allows you to not only put a personal touch on your place of business, but you could also try paying yourself rent to see what you are saving.

Make It Right for Renting

Often as you look around the landscape in Barbados, there are many vacant houses that are being underutilised for various reasons. An uninhabited residence can cause the owner to pay for an asset which is not bringing them value. You can rent your entire property or a section of your property. Don’t just do this haphazardly though; plan properly. Bear in mind you also need to decide if you want your home to be a long-term or short-term rental; this will help you decide if your target market may be visitors or citizens.

Understanding your target market will help you to advertise your property through the right channels. If you decide to offer short-term accommodation, then you can make your space attractive and sign up with Airbnb to gain access to a pool of potential customers through their already established portal. Alternatively, to attract those searching for long-term rentals, you can easily advertise using Facebook, the newspaper, or by simply placing signage on your property to indicate that it is for rent.

Get into Gardening for Gain

If you sow the seed today then you can definitely reap the benefit tomorrow. Growing your own food can be compared to printing your own money. The efficient use of spaces around your home minimises waste and saves money. Spaces around your home are potential moneymakers that you may be underutilising. Growing your own food will not only allow you to use these spaces productively, but can effectively shrink your supermarket bill. Grow food or decorative plants that you can sell; this ensures that the spaces around your home become an asset.

Don’t be deterred from this option if you do not have a sprawling backyard or front lawn to start your garden. With a little creativity, vertical gardening can replace horizontal gardening; using containers and trellises you can grow many different types of plants. If this option appeals to you, bear in mind that gardening can be time-consuming; nevertheless, you can find methods that suit your schedule and save time while allowing you to reap the benefits.

4 Save Energy and Make Money

Clean and renewable energy systems are being recognised every day as a way to not only minimise our carbon footprint, but as a source of dependable energy. In the home, solar water heating technology can replace electric water heating systems and help reduce your electricity bill. Moreover, with the Barbados Light & Power’s Renewable Energy Agreement, customers who generate excess renewable energy can be paid for their power generation. This arrangement allows homeowners to make a profit while powering their home using wind turbines, solar panels and other technology. Bear in mind, however, that while renewable energy systems have a higher initial cost, they are much cheaper in the long run.

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October 2019

5 Declutter and Live Better

Many of us have a lot of unused items in our homes, that collect dust and cause clutter. Theories suggest that clutter in the home is a physical representation of clutter in the mind.

Interestingly studies indicate that decluttering is the action of a focused individual. Clutter can cause anxiety and stress in women especially, while the dust and mould that gathers on unused items can cause sickness and attract pests.

Decluttering your home helps you to be a better version of yourself and gives you the opportunity to make some money from your unused items. You can try different ways to get rid of your old stuff. You can have a garage sale and sell your old stuff, sell used items online or repair old items and give them on consignment to thrift stores. Alternatively, you can also toss those old things in the bin to be recycled or discarded.

Although this may not bring in cash, it will take a load off your shoulders, help you breathe easier and give you room to receive new blessings in your life and your home.

Use these five methods today and recognise that happiness can be homemade.

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Diy Christmas Decorations F

by Natalia Nunes

olks, I’m on a roll! The air has changed signalling CHRISTMAS! Alternatives to live Christmas trees and homemade decorations can become the new norm which could bring to full circle families doing things together instead of “eating and breathing” techie gadgets. Back in the Flintstones era when I was youngER, the “gadgets” that held our attention included actual people who were right beside us and not “soloists” zoomed in on a handheld anything. I’m not at all averse to technical “toys”, but for me, nothing beats human interaction.

How about I talk you through some very cute DIY decorations? Let’s try a Christmas tree lamp. You will need just two heavy duty plastic cups in a festive colour like red, a matching plastic straw, a glue gun and either a wax candle - small...like about 2” high or a battery-operated candle, approximately the same height, as well as an exacto knife, measuring tape and a marker.

With one cup standing on its base, use the exacto knife to cut along a previously measured out “window” say 3 ½” high, left and right, by 2” wide at the top and 1 ½” wide at the bottom. The bottom of the window should be about an inch above the base and about 1 ½” from the top.

Do an exact replica on the opposite side of the cup creating a second window.

Next, glue the long plastic straw to one of the solid sides, on the inside of the cup, approximately halfway up from the bottom of the cup. This will become the lamp’s base.

The second cup will become the lamp shade so that will necessitate that cup being turned upside down. Make slits along the sides of the cup using the exacto knife to

open up a design, simple or intricate according to your skill set, allowing the glow of the light to stream through. Glue the shade to the straw leaving a safe distance between the cups for it to mimic a lamp base and shade and safe enough for a small, wide based candle sitting in the bottom of the lamp base to not catch the shade afire. The candle should be in full view through both windows and offer a soft glow through the design in the shade. Under no circumstances should a lit candle be left unattended, ever. A less risky candle, may be a better substitute if you feel safer using that option. As that is probably lighter in weight than a wax candle, use a flat magnet or a few silver dollars under the artificial candle for stability. To be even more safety conscious, place your new Christmas lamp on a ceramic plate or a terra cotta plant pot plate.

Boozers, don’t throw away those wine bottles!

Spread glue all over and wrap pretty straw around them. You can use one or more colours as you are inclined and even add ribbon at intervals. Pop a Christmas candle in the mouth and a pretty bow at the neck and you will appreciate this recycled bottle which could even be given as a gift. Other bottles can become just as attractive in a revamped state.

Craft stores carry miniature Christmas trees and festive ornaments that are fun to work with. Fill different size mason jars with soap powder - about an inch or two’s worth. Stick a tiny tree in the “snow” and some other small decoration. Wrap the top where the threading is with straw, ending with a bow. A collection of those at different heights...oh so pretty! Do not put a candle in soap powder; that’s flammable! You could, however, use sand.

Ideas are endless! I love finding them and sharing with you! And by the way, this is not only fun for kids to do; this is major therapy for us adults and no appointments necessary!

Bottles can become just as attractive in a revamped state 30

October 2019

Alternative ChristmasTree

I

by Natalia Nunes

t’s been monsoons since I was at school making Christmas and Easter decorations. Eons. But what fond memories I have!! As the seasons of life come and go, people’s imaginations have grown and become limitless.

Sitting at my desk banging this out on my laptop, I glance every so often to the landscape outside. The wind is playfully blowing each blade of green grass in various directions which reminds me of ...Pinterest. The ideas on this app seem as many as the blades of grass and just as intriguing.

1907 was an amazing year. My maternal grandmother was born and so was plastic! Leo Baekeland, a Belgian-born American living in New York State invented the material and the world gobbled up the concept.

Little did they know at that time, the devastation that islandsize volumes of plastics would be causing our planet today. My grandmother, on the other hand, was perfectly perfect in every way (well...in my eyes anyway), helping to grow me into a Godfearing Christian woman.

Barbados is targeting 2030 to becoming 100 per cent green and carbon neutral, a mere 123 years after Leo Baekeland invented the stuff that gave birth to a host of helpful and cheap commodities which literally ballooned into mass destruction on our planet. How can we cut down on, reuse, and repurpose this material? Check Pinterest!

Picture this: a plastic cup Christmas tree. Sounds a little crazy?

Try it; it’s really quite attractive, and if done with dedication and care, it could become a store-worthy sell, not to mention a keepsake to reuse as long as it lasts.

So the base (the entire “tree” actually) of the plastic cup Christmas tree is a circle of heavy duty (not the flimsy ones) cups lying on their sides, rim ends pointing out. Depending on the size tree you want, the diameter of the base should let you know how tall a tree you will end up with.

Arm yourself with A LOT of the cups, a glue gun and staple machine. Staple the cups together side by side, just about a quarter inch inside from the rims. You can make the length as long as you wish, while checking at intervals as you bend the length of adjoined cups into a circle to arrive at the desired diameter for the base of your tree.

The cups will be lying on their sides - wide rims facing outwards and bases facing inwards. When you’ve arrived at the diameter

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you wish, secure the bases of each cup to each other using a glue gun to shoot glue in between each cup generously.

You don’t want any weaknesses.

Build a second layer in the same way, using one or two fewer cups than the base circle.

Affix each circle of cups on top of the last one built, stapling and gluing securely, top to bottom while continuing to lessen the circle with fewer cups till you achieve the conical shape of a Christmas tree. When you arrive at the top where you can no longer use the cups side by side to form a circle, invert some cups - wide rims down, into a circle to fit on top of the last circle made.

Do another layer using less cups till you only need one cup at the top. Glue, glue and glue some more.

For added strength and longevity, especially if the plastic tree will be used outdoors where it’s windy, attach with glue to the inside of the first circle of plastic cups three lengths of the most narrow PVC pipe. Three lengths should be strong enough when secured equidistant, to the bottom of the first rung and secured in a teepee like “point” at the top with a light grade wire.

You can glue the PVC to the cups as you place each rung of cups over it. A few coats of outdoor spray paint and some Christmas balls stuck inside each cup and there you will have a very unique Christmas tree!

Just saw on Facebook that no real trees will be allowed into Barbados this year. Better get crackin’ on a plastic cup tree!

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Outdoor Christmas decorations Outdoor Christmas decorations are increasing in popularity, and we’ve seen some go from the simple to the elaborate, especially with the colourfully lit homes in intricate or creative designs.

Even if you’re not a Christmas person, you can’t help but concede in some small way to decorating at least one small part of your home – inside or out.

Here are a few outdoor decorating ideas that will give your home or garden a festive look this season.

1. An outdoor Christmas tree, especially in contemporary design, can’t help but make people wonder that inside must as lovely as outside.

6. Coordinate a monochromatic set of lights with the outside colour of your home, and hang large decorative pieces amidst the lights.

2. Don’t forget your windows – hang adorned garlands or elevated wreaths with colourful ribbons from all windows; and add cascading greenery with lights on walls to create a rich holiday look.

7. Christmas lights now come in a wide variety of colours and patterns. Why not change the typical look this year by draping them vertically instead of hanging them horizontally?

3. A creatively placed set of poinsettias along both sides of steps to a doorway, or along a guard wall will add a splash of holiday colour.

4 .Bright white lights – wrapped around columns or shaped into a Christmas tree, with strategically placed green wreaths is a minimalist, chic look.

5. We’re in the Caribbean and it abounds with colourful fruit. A garland decorated with tropical fruit and draped on the lintel and sides of a door will provide a festive mix.

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Fill large lanterns or transparent containers with shiny colourful 8. ornaments and position them where they can be seen from the street.

9. Create an arch, either for an entry way or as a stand-alone feature, and use your usual lights and decorations to add the Christmas beauty.

10. If you have a mailbox, use a half of a wreath, or a specially made mailbox cover for that final touch.

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October 2019

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