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COMMERCIAL, RESIDENTIAL
posted by Carmen Dick
January 15, 2024

The 2023 Christmas Tree Decorating Lineup

The 2023 holiday season was a good one for Christmas tree decorating this year and quite the whirlwind! I've got a handful of photos to share with you of some of the decorating done for some of my holiday decorating clients.

Let's talk about holiday decorating for your own home or business (or both) for this upcoming 2024 fall holiday season. I always encourage people to book early – and even though we're at the start of the year, I can pencil you in for later this fall, so let me know if you're interested.

Below, you'll see photos from some of my Christmas decorating this season, including creations for Corcoran Premier Realty at the Festival of Trees event, Melbourne Junior League, Orlando Infiniti, the Jaguar Land Rover dealership, a private residence...and even the tear-down crew!

And just a good note on the Festival of Trees: we had a very successful event with over 13,000 attendees, 1,000 more than last year! And that is very good news because money raised from the event ultimately supports the arts and art education at the Orlando Museum of Art.

Christmas tree decorating for the Melbourne Junior League.

Christmas tree decorating for Corcoran Premier Realty at the Festival of Trees.

Soho's Christmas tree decorating for Orlando Infiniti.

One of the Christmas trees decorated for the Jaguar Land Rover Dealership.

Another Christmas tree decorated for the Jaguar Land Rover Dealership.

Here is a third Christmas tree decorated for the Jaguar Land Rover Dealership.

Christmas tree decorating for a private residence.

My Christmas Decorators teardown crew.

The Christmas Decorators teardown crew busy at work.

If you'd like me to do some holiday decorating for your home or business, consider booking with me (the earlier the better) for 2024 holiday decorating. And remember, it doesn't have to be just Christmas. Many clients like to have something that starts in the fall, transitioning to Thanksgiving, and then beyond, to Christmas. You'll definitely get holiday decorating done right by my team and I.

Choose a contact method right below this blog post, or click this “contact” link. You can also email me at: carmen@sohointeriordesign.com And you can always call me anytime at (407) 743-2399.

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COMMERCIAL, DIY PROJECTS, RESIDENTIAL, RESIDENTIAL - HOME STAGING
posted by Carmen Dick
November 28, 2022

Easy and Inspiring Winter Decor Ideas for 2022

Cozy! That’s the word that best defines winter decor. I’ll bet you want your home to be cozy and offer a warm welcome to family and friends, especially at holiday time.

You don’t need to do major renovations or spend a small fortune. Simple little changes to your spaces add that extra feeling of comfort and warmth.

Here are some simple ways to create cozy winter decor:

Cozy winter decor means blankets everywhere

Winter always provides a great opportunity to pull out more blankets and have them all around the home, doing double duty, adding a nice casual style, along with providing actual warmth when needed.

Blankets are an inviting way to make your house more cozy and comfortable. You can use blankets on the sofa, on office furniture, over an armchair, on the porch bench, or anywhere you might want to add a little extra color and texture, and yes, warmth.

Switch out the rugs

Time to put away the sisal rugs and pull out some high and fluffy rugs. In summer, natural fiber rugs are the best choice because they are cooler, in winter it is the opposite.

This season, look for high-pile rugs…remember that key word: cozy.

Invest in pillows

Cushions give you such a great option to introduce colors and textures, as well as comfort. All three qualities together definitely make for a cozy environment. Carry the idea of “warm” throughout your decor upgrades at holiday time.

Here’s another tip: in the wintertime, use pillows with warm. tactile fabric covers, such as textured cloth, crochet, and velvet. Leave the satin covers for the summer.

Add some coziness with warm lighting

The color of the lamps also has a lot of relevance in winter decoration. The yellowish tones, considered warm, refer to fire, fireplaces and bonfires.

The warm colors that lamps and candles can introduce definitely enhances a mood of coziness. Yellowish, warm tones link to fireplaces and the hearth.

Light fixtures, lamps, and ceiling spots can easily convey warm tones of light that let you relax into the wintertime with family and friends.

Keep the whiter lights for places where focus and concentration are needed, such as the kitchen, office, and study.

Plants have their own lush warmth to add to your winter decor

Imagine plants like that yummy hug. Your house is more intimate, welcoming, and comfortable with them. They nicely pull a room together.

Plants are great for any room, whether bringing life and color into the living room, spreading vases around multiple rooms (vases also introduce variety with warm colors, textures, and natural tones), or even plants in the bathroom (they love the moist “hothouse” air).

Do be careful with your selection of plants. Remember that each of them requires a different light level. Research what works best in each location ahead of time.

Scatter candles to warm up your winter decor

Candles are the best! They decorate, illuminate and add warmth. That description is exactly what winter decoration is all about.

For safety reasons, it’s best to place candles in holders of some kind, preventing fires. Glass and mirrors tend to bounce the light all around, adding a nice touch, and metal support bases can add another dimension of warm color into the room.

Also, be mindful of where the candle will be lit. Avoid locations near flammable objects, such as curtains, or dry, papery decor.

Light up that fireplace (or bring one inside)

Winter is also the ideal time to put away the fan and light up that fireplace, of course.

You don’t need to have a masonry fireplace in your living room. Nowadays there are very efficient, portable fireplaces that add that extra warmth for a cozy winter environment.

I hope these winter decor ideas help you find simple cost-effective ways to dress up your home for a wintry, cozy mood this holiday season! If you’d like to have me bring some holiday styling to your home or office, contact me. You can choose a contact method right below this blog post. And feel free to give me a call anytime at (407) 743-2399, and we can explore some lovely winter holiday decor ideas together. You can also email me at: carmen@sohointeriordesign.com and you can also click this link to message me via my website.

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DIY PROJECTS, RESIDENTIAL
posted by Carmen Dick
October 27, 2022

How to Make Your Fall Seasonal Home Decor Last Through Winter

Don’t toss the pumpkins and pine cones once fall is over! You can enjoy your seasonal decor lasting from fall through winter with these simple tips and tricks.

Here are some easy ways to transition the look of fall to the cool and holiday-inspired hues of winter.

It’s that time of year. Time for the pumpkins, pine cones, and pretty fall leaves to make their presence known. But don’t you hate that fall seems to fly by? That those gorgeous autumn-inspired decorations are only on display for a few short months?

Have no fear – seasonal home decor ideas that transition from fall to winter are here. Enjoy those decorations throughout the holiday season with these simple tips and tricks.

Pumpkins That Pop

When it comes to fall seasonal decorations, pumpkins have always taken the top spot. But these days, it’s more about variety than size. And by “variety,” we mean color and design.

Yes, basic orange pumpkins will likely remain the most popular choice for the fall, but have you noticed that stores are now putting an emphasis on painted and shiny pumpkins? The gorgeous gourd relatives have gotten a major facelift, and with it, we’ve received a special decorative bonus: They can easily transition into winter holiday season decorations!

Pumpkins that are white like snow? Covered in sparkly glitter, reminiscent of the magic of the holiday season? What’s not to love?

If you’re in the mood to save a little dough, feel free to go the DIY route: Simply paint your pumpkin decor white, create a pumpkin snowman, cover them in glitter, and spray them with “looking glass” paint – the possibilities are endless. Bonus tip: If you get the kids involved in the process, it may quickly become a new holiday tradition. This creative approach to styling pumpkins creates the perfect seasonal decor lasting from fall through winter.

Trimmings That Transition

Want to know a brilliant holiday decoration hack? Just add lights. Easy peasy. Take this 5-minute topiary, for example. Made with elements found outdoors in the fall, it easily transitions to a holiday focal point with a simple strand of lights.

This technique is especially effective for indoor fall decorations that highlight the outdoor elements, such as these elegant holiday pine cone vases.

Lanterns That Last

Got a minute? Then you probably have enough time to transition your beautiful porch lantern decorations from fall to winter. That’s right. By simply switching their “fillings” and adding a decorative bow or topper, you can change the look dramatically.

Decorations That Work Double-Duty

Perhaps the greatest transition tip of all is to start with a piece that can simply be reversed when the season changes. Pumpkin stack on the front, snowman on the back. Thanksgiving message on the front, Christmas message on the back. It really doesn’t get any easier than that!

I hope these simple fall-to-winter decor ideas have inspired you! If you’d like to talk about other ways to inject some lasting seasonal holiday styling into your home or office decor, you can choose a contact method right below this blog post. And feel free to give me a call anytime at (407) 743-2399, and we can explore some delightful options together. You can also email me at: carmen@sohointeriordesign.com and you can also click this link to message me via my website.

Christmas Tree Inspiration

My 2 Sponsored Christmas Trees for the Festival of the Trees

This is my 8th year designing sponsored trees for the annual Festival of the Trees event put on by the Orlando Museum of Art. I love doing it each year and have had so many happy sponsors pleased with the results. Each tree requires a good dose of inspiration and a lot of preparation, not to mention the actual setup, which must come off perfectly. While it is a lot of work, creating beautiful Christmas trees is so rewarding, especially seeing the faces of delighted children.

A special tree honoring our Healthcare Heroes

For this year, I was asked to create a tree honoring our Healthcare Heroes by Orlando Health. They gave me some delightful nutcrackers representing doctors, nurses, and other frontline healthcare heroes for my Christmas tree inspiration, and I built a tree around these wonderful toys. I picked up on their colors and expanded it out through lights and decorations supporting the fun healthcare hero nutcracker and other ornaments. Check out the photos – I hope you like the tree! Who wouldn’t be inspired by such wonderful representations of our Healthcare Heroes!

This year, Spectrum News 13 interviewed me while I was decorating the Healthcare Heroes tree for Orlando Health, and featured a lot of my comments as a “seasoned designer”, having done this for so many years now. The interview was fun, and they captured some windy moments outside too, while I and my assistants were adding fake snow (flocking) to my second commissioned tree for Corcoran Premier Realty.

Cool elegance to inspire warm memories of home

Chocky Burks, Broker at Corcoran Premier Realty commissioned me to do a tree that we call “Home for the Holidays.” My Christmas tree inspiration came from the color and style of the light blue ribbon I had selected, and led me to create a very elegant Christmas tree, complete with wintery snow-flocking. The silver, white, gold, and light turquoise colors are meant to impart the coolness of winter as well as the luxury and elegance of a finely-appointed holiday tree in a finely-appointed home. And the memories that can stir have a warmth all their own.

Holiday decorating is a year-’round pursuit

Of course, what I create for the Festival of the Trees spills over into my holiday decorating work and vice versa. The Christmas Decorators is my team (and myself) that’s totally focused on creating Christmas and other holiday decor throughout my clients’ homes this time of year. It takes a lot of planning and organizing, which is why I normally start advertising for bookings as early as June or July of any given year. And I’m collecting ideas and samples and materials throughout the year.

Inspiration is everywhere

Christmas tree inspiration is all around, I find it anywhere, from a fabric pattern or color to an object like the light blue ribbon I mentioned, to a client’s favorite piece of artwork…and sometimes even through a dream. I think to be truly creative in one’s work, you must be truly inspired, and I pair that with the ultimate goal of making my clients feel at home…in their home, whether it’s Christmas decorating, or complete interior design work. It all springs from the same source, and with the same goal in mind.

I even created a restful space around the Corcoran Premier Realty tree. A special thank you to La-Z-Boy Orlando! They provided the two chairs, side tables and area rug, all of which tie in perfectly with the color scheme of the tree.

A new season of holiday decor will be here sooner than you think

I hope you enjoy what you see here, and that you’ll consider booking me to bring some of this holiday sparkle into your home for Christmas 2022. If that idea inspires you, be on the lookout for when I announce booking time mid-year 2022. And you know I’m always available to help you with the design and decor of all of your interior spaces throughout the year. Just choose a contact method right below this blog post, or click this “contact” link. You can also email me at: carmen@sohointeriordesign.com And you can always call me anytime at (407) 743-2399.

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COMMERCIAL, FLORAL ARRANGEMENTS, RESIDENTIAL
posted by Carmen Dick
August 8, 2019

Christmas Will Be Here Before You Know It!

Soho Interior Design offers The Christmas Decorators.

Just a reminder to everyone that booking early to have me and my Christmas Decorators team dress up your home or business for the holidays is a great way to avoid last-minute frustration! Our available slots tend to fill up fast! We’ve been doing Christmas decorating for 5 years now, and have several very pleased repeat clients. If you’re hosting a Christmas or holiday-time party or having family visit for the holidays, we can decorate your home and create that warm, inviting Christmastime vibe!

If you think you’ll be in town and want your home done up for the holidays, early booking is a great way to lock things in. Click this link to check out some of my past holiday projects, showcased on my website. We’d love to customize your home for your Christmas! Just click the contact link on this website and message me here, or you can email me at: carmen@sohointeriordesign.com. And, of course, you can call me anytime at: (407) 947-7718. It’s easy to book The Christmas Decorators!