Why This Artwork is an Inspiration This Mother's Day

Art is an important element to designing a room. A lot of times, art or wall decor are placed on the walls to "fill in" a blank space. The truth is art should be personal and unique, especially if it's in your home. It should draw an emotional response while complimenting the overall style of your room. 

This past Mother's Day I was reminded of my mother from an artwork I have hung in my staircase landing. It's a print of Picasso's Mother-Child sketch. My late mother, Suzanne Marise, was not an art collector but she owned this beautiful print and hung it in her room. It wasn't until I was collecting her things I noticed it was a Picasso print from 1904. I knew I had to add this to my home in memory of her. I decided to give it a facelift by adding a custom mat and frame. 

P.Picasso Mother-Child print 1904

"The truth is art should be personal and unique, especially if it's in your home." -S.Hayes

This Artwork Is Personal To Me.

Every time I see this Mother-Child sketch I can't help but be reminded of the bond between my mother and me. It's a way of having a little piece of her. Now that I'm a mother myself I understand the precious bond a mother has with her child, it's like no other relationship.

The Layers of the Sketch Remind Me Motherhood Is A Process.

As I look at Picasso's sketch of this mother nursing her child, I notice his multiple sketches of the mother's hand. I love to see the raw sketches of the hand included in the print. It shows the multiple drafts he had to sketch before developing a hand he was proud of. This process Picasso took is similar to the journey of motherhood. As mothers, we make mistakes, try our best but are not perfect. Motherhood is a journey of trial and error driven by love.  

This Artwork Blends With Many Pieces. 

In addition to the sentimental value this artwork has to me, I love the neutral tones and simplicity of the sketch. When selecting a mat and frame I decided to use a monochromatic palette by using a darker tone for the mat and a medium tone for the distressed wood frame. The neutral tones give me the versatility to use this piece on a gallery wall with a collage of other pieces or as a focal point by itself. 

Picasso 1904

No matter what pieces of artwork you use in your home, I hope that this inspires you to get personal with your wall decor. Be sure when you are selecting your artwork to consider the room you are placing it in and how it coordinates with your color palette and decor style. Share in the comments below your favorite artwork in your home and why. I'd love to hear all about it!  

To all the Mothers and Grandmothers I hope you had a wonderful Mother's Day!

À la prochaine,

Looking to create a color palette from your artwork? Check out: Using Art to Create a Color Palette.

How to Decorate your Bookcase

how to decorate your bookcase

Over the years I've often been asked by people how to decorate bookcases. My answer is never the same. The reason is because every bookcase is different. You may be a bookworm and have an entire library of books or maybe you're someone who is looking to use your bookcase for additional storage or lastly maybe you're someone who mainly wants to use your bookcase to display your accessories/collectables, etc. Before you can start decorating your bookcase you need to figure out your bookcase's function. Asking yourself these questions is a great start.

• What do I want to use my bookcase for? (e.i. store books, display pictures, showcase collectibles, storage, accents, etc.)
• Do I need my bookcase to be functional or stylish or both?

I recently worked with a client to redesign her custom built-in bookcases surrounding her fireplace in the living room. To best explain how you can decorate your bookcase I'm going to walk you through my process as I gave my client's bookcase function and style. 

Dilemma: My clients are 2 busy working professionals with a toddler. They had a carpenter build a bookcase around their fireplace to create a focal point. However, as time passed their bookcase shortly became a collection of shelves that weren't serving a purpose but instead became extra surface space for items they wanted to keep out of reach from their toddler. 

Solution: My client's vision was to have their built-in bookcase and fireplace wall serve as the focal point of their living room. The bookcase had to be safe enough for their toddler yet stylish enough to compliment their living decor. To achieve this I started with adding function to the bottom shelves by incorporating large fabric bins for their toddler's small toys. For the 2 middle shelves I added medium picture frames with smaller frames layered in front for visual interest. I also added hardcover books (from large to small) on the end for easy access. I added the family initial for personalization with a small foliage for an organic feel. The heavy stone bookends placed on the middle shelves added both style and function to the design. 

Client's Reaction: "I like the diversity in the items that are on the bookcase. From the B initial to the candles to the arranged books to the basket, which makes it conveniant to hide things, it feels like the living room is complete now."

To elevate your bookcase into an area that will compliment your decor and lifestyle email me at sabine@georgettemarise.com to schedule a simple home visit. 

À la prochaine,

5 Natural Ways to Clean your Furniture this Spring

Natural Furniture cleaning solutions

Spring is HERE! Spring is one of my favorite seasons because it's the perfect balance between winter and summer. Spring cleaning is a great time to open our windows that have been closed for the last couple of months and bring fresh air into our homes. Cleaning your furniture doesn't have to mean using bottles of toxic cleaners filled with harmful chemicals  and heavy scents. With just a few household ingredients and tricks you can safely and effectively have a fresh, clean home.

Vacuum. Vacuuming should be done often to remove soils, dust, and airborne particles from carpets and rugs. Soft surfaces like our carpets, area rugs, upholstery, cushions and fabric drapery work as a filter that traps and captures airborne particles. The problem is these surfaces don't have a way of releasing these particles once captured, they must be removed physically. Vacuuming is an effective way to removing these particles and it eliminates allergens that are not visible. Tip: Remember to also vacuum your upholstered sofas and chairs. Not only does vacuuming clean the surface but increases the longevity of the fabric.  

Dust Hard Surfaces With Microfiber. Microfiber clothes are my favorite and highly recommended products for cleaning your furniture. When used dry, microfiber clothes are excellent because of their ability to capture, trap, and hold dust particles from hard surfaces like wood, metal, glass, leather, stone, etc. My favorite microfiber clothes are Norwex's EnviroCloth because of it's antibacterial agent. It can be used wet to clean and disinfect or dry to remove dust. 

Use the Power of Vinegar. Distilled white vinegar is an effective cleaner because of its high acidity. It can be used to destroy bacteria and remove stains and odors. Here's just a few cleaning powers vinegar has.

• cleans glass surfaces
• cleans indoor wrought iron furniture
• removes grease stains from suede furniture
• vinegar, lemon juice and linseed oil can be used to clean sealed wood furniture

Polish With Lemon. Lemons can be used for multiple cleaning solutions. They also offer a fresh scent when cleaning. Most furniture polishes leave an unpleasant, heavy, oily finish on hard surfaces such as wood. Instead you can use a few drops of lemon juice mixed with olive oil to polish varnished wood furniture. After polishing, if you have a residue you can remove excess polish naturally with cornstarch. 

Clean With Baking Soda. Baking soda is always handy to have around the house for several reasons but pertaining to cleaning your furniture here's a few.

• Sprinkle baking soda on your fabric then vacuum to remove odors from your upholstery furniture.
• Wipe down your leather sofa with a mixture of a cup of salt water with two tablespoons of baking soda and one teaspoon of flour in a bowl to clean your leather furniture. Don't forget to dry with a a dry cloth.
• To clean your copper accents buff your copper with a baking soda & lemon juice paste (mix baking soda with enough lemon juice to make a paste).
• To deodorize your rugs sprinkle baking soda on your rugs and let stand for at least 15 minutes then vacuum.

Before trying a new cleaning solution always test a small area first. Share in the comments below your favorite natural cleaning solutions.

À la prochaine,

Looking to make spring cleaning easy for the whole family? Check out: Q & A: Tips to Simplify Spring Cleaning

7 Tips to Create a Romantic Bedroom

The overall decor of your home is a reflection of you as the owner. This is especially true when it comes to your own bedroom. Outside of the bathroom, our bedroom is the most personal room in our home. For those that share this space with a significant other, it's even more personal. How do you create a bedroom that is relaxing enough to let your hair down yet intimate enough to set a romantic ambiance? 

Tips to create a romantic bedroom

Clean Up. This may seem obvious, but often times our bedrooms become the victims of neglected laundry. Whether you decide to hire a cleaning person or do it yourself, straightening up and organizing is the first step to creating a romantic bedroom. It's amazing how a little cleaning can open up and transform a space. 

master bedroom

Soft Flooring. When you are trying to create a romantic setting, soft textures are important. If you have hardwood floors add a large area rug either at the foot of the bed (large enough so your feet touch the rug when you get out of bed) or wall to wall carpet. This will bring a warmth and sense of comfort to your room setting.

custom window treatment

Install Window Treatments. Add another layer of texture to your room with window treatments. Depending on the style of your room, you can keep your treatments simple and modern or traditional and ornate. In addition to the aesthetics of window treatments, they also can be extremely functional. For example, if you the both of you love to wake up to the morning sunlight it might be a good idea to have sheer panels to allow the natural light to filter through. However, if the both of you prefer to wake up to darkness, then blackout shades or panels would be a better solution. Determine what is the best option functionally, then choose the material and finish to compliment the style of the room.

Lighting Is Key. As a designer, I believe the right lighting is one of the most important aspects to a room. In order to create a romantic bedroom, the lighting has to be warm. If you have a ceiling light fixture like a chandelier or pendant I recommend having it controlled on a dimmer. A dimmer in the bedroom will give you the ability to control the setting of the ambiance. In addition to any ceiling light you may have I recommend adding table lamps and/or wall sconces. This will add a form of task and accent lighting to your space. 

A Pillow or Two. Pillows are a great accent and can easily dress up a bed. However, too many pillows can be overwhelming to creating a romantic setting. I recommend keeping 2-3 shams (the larger pillows) with 2 soft accent pillows on your bed. The accent pillows should have a soft texture blend but should not be the same. Allow the pillows to be unique and different for visual interest. 

Flowers. Flowers bring freshness and beauty to the decor of a space. If you are allergic to fresh flowers consider a small silk arrangement to place on your nightstand or dresser. This will bring an organic feel to your room. One small - medium arrangement is usually enough. 

candles

Candles. As a candle lover, I believe in candles everywhere but especially in your bedroom. Add candle votives as part of your room accessories. Mercury glass candle votives, for example, are beautiful finishing touches to your nightstand and dresser decor and also offer a stunning glow when lit. Candles are a great way to create a romantic setting in your room. 

It's the small accents that can elevate a space. For more ideas of how to elevate your bedroom decor contact me at sabine@georgettemarise.com. 

À la prochaine,

Sabine's Favorite Pins of NFL Players' Homes

Favorite Pins of NFL players' homes

Even if you're not a football fan or even follow the sport, you know that Sunday is one of the biggest games of the year...Super Bowl Sunday!!! This year my Boston Native team The New England Patriots will be playing my husband's Philadelphia Native team The Philadelphia Eagles. For many of these football players, this is the most important game of their career, they worked hard all season and sacrificed time away from their homes and families to get here. Having a home that reflects their personality is extremely important to them. 

"...it can be a lot sometimes, and sometimes it’s just nice to go home and be chill and be away from everything.” -Carson Wentz, Philadelphia Eagles

If we look at their homes, we can learn a lot about these athletes. We can see if they like to entertain, cook, read, watch movies, play music, drive luxury cars, or spend time outdoors for example.  Although, their interests off the field may be different the one thing their homes have in common is they call it home.  Their homes are a place they can relax and unwind after a challenging or victorious season. Join me as I go through some of these athletes' homes that stood out to me. 

I love the architecture of this house. The white finished exterior offers a fresh, clean look while contrasting well with the black framed windows and railings. The curb appeal is beautiful and gives an inviting feel. 

The kitchen is usually the hub of the home. I love this open floor plan, eclectic kitchen because of its energy. The lower ceiling height in the kitchen area, is a great way of making the kitchen feel intimate. The exotic grains in the hardwood floors give a warmth to the space. The stainless steel island is balanced well with the modern, slightly distressed leather barstools. Overall this kitchen is a beautiful space for entertaining guests or enjoying solo.

This grand living room takes advantage of its tall ceilings. I love how the beautiful picture windows create a stunning backdrop as you enter the room. The custom, neutral colored window treatments drape the center windows elegantly. This room uses subtle tones but feels very welcoming. I also love the use of light furniture & wall color balanced by a dark area rug and built-ins. 

"We built this house as a sanctuary for our family—a place where we can enjoy being together.” -Tom Brady, New England Patriots

Although this rustic kitchen is large in size, it has a casual and organic approach to its design. The island serves as the kitchen's anchor and is beautifully accented by 3 clear glass bell jar lantern pendants hung from a brick ceiling. The slightly distressed grayish-brown cabinets are topped with elegant white stone countertops to give a clean look. Overall, I love the simplicity and unique design choices in this open kitchen. 

My favorite part of this room is the view, of course. This room is a sophisticated approach to a game space. The pool table looks like a piece of furniture, centered in the space, while an accent square game table with 3 upholstered chairs are placed in the corner of the room near the calming view of the water. 

Our homes are ultimately where we recharge, re-energize, and rest. Just like these football athletes, we have a chance to be ourselves when we enter our homes. As hectic or lonely as our homes are it's still home...and there's nothing like it. 

Share in the comments below, what's the best part about being home?

For more of my favorite NFL players' homes follow me on Pinterest.

À la prochaine,

New Year Design Resolutions

Happy New Year! The New Year always brings fresh ideas, an urge for change, and new needs. Most of us make resolutions in January to change or improve on an area in our lives. I am a believer that our homes affect the way we live. Similar to our lives, our homes are always in need of improvement. Whether you need a complete renovation or just bored with your sofa, making changes and improvements to our homes AKA the place we spend the majority of our time is important.

NEW YEAR RESOLUTION

Make Small Improvements. 

The thought of fixing our homes to our standards can get overwhelmingly discouraging. We feel that we need thousands of dollars to renovate (which is the case at times) but sometimes we can start with doing cosmetic changes and start small. Here are some examples of small improvements that can make a big impact.

• painting the walls and/or doors
• adding accent pillows to the sofa
• draping a new accent throw to your chair
• adding artwork to your walls
• create a gallery wall
• incorporate an area rug under your dining table
• changing your bedding
• adding new drapery to your windows
• upgrading a new ceiling light fixture
• changing the hardware in your kitchen or bathroom (such as faucets, cabinet knobs/pulls, etc.)

add accent pillows to your sofa

Budget for the Big Projects.

If you have a "big" project that is on your wish list like a new kitchen, building an addition, a bathroom renovation, or a bedroom remodel start budgeting early. While you are saving for your project, start developing your style by flipping through magazines, pinning on Pinterest, or assembling boards on Houzz. Once you've collected your style ideas have a personal Inspiration Board created for you with furnishings, lighting, flooring, color, and finish options. This will help you to envision the design concept for your project. 

What's your New Year design resolution? This year are you planning to make small improvements OR budget for a big project? Be sure to share your resolutions in the comments. 

À la prochaine,

Holiday Series: New Year's Eve Dinner Party Hosting Advice from The Pastelillo Lady

I can't believe that the holidays came and past and we are approaching the New Year. I hope that you and your family had a Merry Christmas, Hanukkah, and/or Kwanzaa. With the holidays behind us it's time to celebrate the welcoming of the New Year! 

As I wrap up my Holiday Series, I had the chance to sit down over some coffee and chat with Liz Morgan, better known as The Pastelillo Lady. She is an expert when it comes to entertaining and loves to serve delicious dishes to her guests.

Liz Morgan, owner of The Pastilillo Lady

"Growing up in a Puerto Rican household, eating pastelillos was a treat," she explained. It wasn't until after college while living in her first apartment she asked her mom for her pastelillo recipe. She practiced and mastered making pastelillos. Eventually, people started asking her to make pastelillos for them, then it grew to people asking her to make pastelillo for their events. That was the beginning of The Pastilillo Lady.

If you are not familiar with pastelillos, Liz explains them as Puerto Rican empanadas but the reason they're different is the ingredients. She says she adds olives, onions, peppers, and blend of vegetables with a "secret sauce", then simmers the meat to add to a thick dough which is then pinched and fried. 

The pasteilillo lady

As she prepares to host her own party for the holidays, she says the look of a dinner party is essential to a successful party, everything from the food setup, music, and good wine & spirits of course. 

Photo by Joseph Gonzalez on Unsplash

There is a specific menu she likes to stick to when throwing a dinner party but she says her favorite dish is pernil, which is a popular Puerto Rican pork dish roasted for 12 hours resulting in tender meat and a crispy skin. 

The Benefit of Having a Party Catered. 

There's a lot of components to hosting a successful party. Confirming your guest count, prepping your home, decorating your home, selecting an outfit, having the right music, and the list goes on. With a long to-do list sometimes preparing a full menu can be exhausting. So I asked Liz, who caters events, what the benefit is to have a party catered. Liz mentioned that although she enjoys cooking she thinks it's important to enjoy your party. When hosting you don't get a chance to sit down and enjoy the food, have a drink and be stress-free. She says the benefit of having your party catered is it gives you the chance to enjoy your company, instead of being in the kitchen. When she caters to her clients she preps, serves and provides as necessary dinnerware. 

Buffet Style or Sit Down

Liz explained that if you're hosting more than 10 people the intimacy of a sit-down dinner is lost and suggests to do a buffet-style. "When I think of dinner parties, you have a table and you have to be able to seat everyone at the table if you can't have everyone sit down at the table do a buffet-style," she told me.

Liz's Top Tips For Serving a Menu For a Large Group?

"Always overcook and purchase to-go containers." Guests are usually happy to take food home. "It's never too much of a good thing. Your guests get to go home and remember their experience through the food," Liz mentions. She also mentions having a variety of food is important because not everyone has the same taste.

"Invest in a server," she says. "If you're not going to have a caterer, invest in a server." She says it doesn't have to cost a lot. It allows you to enjoy the party and your guests. Some of the tasks your server can provide are refilling drinks, serving your guests, cleaning up, and taking out the trash. 

To contact Liz email her at ThePastelilloLady@gmail.com or follow her Instagram Page @the_pastelillo_lady for pictures of her yummy pastelillos!

As I write my last blog for 2017, I want to personally thank you for taking the time and reading my posts. Wishing you the best in 2018!

Bonne Année!

Holiday Series: Last Minute Dinner Party Decor Ideas

Dinner parties are great moments shared with friends and family over food and drinks. However, before your guests taste your delicious food and drinks it's the decor and ambiance that sets the tone to your party. This is especially key with the holidays. 

When you're hosting a dinner party, the decor extends past the dining table. It starts from the front door then to the sofa and even extends to the powder room. With the holidays a few days away, I've selected a few simple yet stylish accessories that will set a festive tone before your guests arrive. Some of them you may already have, if not I've attached the links below to purchase directly.

Simple Holiday Decor Ideas. 

Wreath. Set the tone with a wreath. This season I am in love with the Winter Berry Wreath. Nothing gives a warm greeting like a wreath hung on your front door as guests enter.

Ornaments. Ornaments can be used beyond your tree. Switch out your coffee table centerpiece or foyer console centerpiece for a bowl filled with ornaments. This will add a festive accent as guests are coming in. If you have little ones you may want to get shatterproof ornaments. 

Layers of Candles. As many of you know I am a candle lover, especially when decorating for a party. Use a series of gold, silver or mercury candle votives on your foyer table, coffee table, kitchen island, and in your powder room for an intimate ambiance. Then use pillar candles on your dining table or tall candlesticks on your dining table if you are having a smaller sit-down dinner. For larger parties, add the pillar candles near the buffet and around the sitting areas.

Festive Accent Pillows. Extend the holiday decor to your living areas by adding accent pillows to your existing sofa and chairs. Remember to mix your pillow sizes, this adds visual interest. For example, if you have a large 20" square pillow add a smaller, square pillow in front of it and a shimmering rectangular kidney pillow in the middle. To shop the gold & ivory sequence pillow click here.

Table Runner. Whether you are using your dining table for an intimate dinner for 6-10 or as a serving surface for the menu of delicious dishes adding a textured or patterned table runner can create the base for your focal point. Click here to purchase the table runner above. 

Tray. A dinner party is the time to dust show off your best serving tray. I love this round, gold tray above because it is the perfect base to hold wine glasses as guests arrive. It can turn a set of simple clear glasses into a festive collection. 

Florals. Add a vase with fresh cut flowers and place on your table runner with your candles. This will add a fresh and organic layer to your decor. I choose a grouping of hydrangeas in a glass vase but you can also re-pot poinsettias as a table centerpiece.

Before you go and purchase last minute decorations, first go through what you already have. The great thing is these items are easy to find last minute and will elevate your party. Please share photos from your parties on our Facebook page. 

Joyeux Noël!

Holiday Series: Dinner Party Interview with Food Bloggers Miranda & Kate

Welcome to my Holiday Series, where I am sharing tips for hosting impressive dinner parties. I'm excited to introduce you to Miranda & Kate, the creators of the food & lifestyle blog A Party With Us. I had the chance to attend one of their events in Philadelphia this year at Williams-Sonoma. These ladies create delicious recipes and cocktails that they share on their blog. I wanted to take the opportunity to ask them to share their tips and suggestions for hosting dinner parties this holiday season. 

Creators of A Party With Us

Sabine: Tell us about yourselves.

Kate: Hi! We're Kate & Miranda the bloggers behind A Party With Us (APWU). Miranda and I are sister-in-laws and best friends. We love to entertain - prepping, primping and partying is our forte. From the planning to the decor, to the recipes, we love to put it all together and dazzle our friends and family. Our blog features our very own recipes and designs.

Sabine: As hostess experts, what are some ways someone hosting can greet their guests once they arrive to the dinner party? 

Miranda: Definitely with a beverage and it doesn't necessarily have to be alcoholic, but offering your guests water, tea, coffee, or a specialty cocktail you have planned right away is always a nice touch. When confirming plans with my guests leading up to the event, I ask what they like to drink - wine, liquor, beer, etc., then I plan accordingly to match their tastes with my menu. While you're at it, ask about allergies and strong adversities to any foods they may have. #hostesshacks

Kate: Upon arrival, we also like to share the menu plan with our guests (to get them super excited about it, haha!), and, if you're serving meat (like a filet, burger, etc.), ask your guests at what temperature they prefer it be prepared. 

Sabine: Sometimes creating a guest list can be hard to edit. How do you determine how many guests to invite? What is a good number of guests or is it based on the size of the home?

Kate: Guest lists can be stressful - so first think about the atmosphere you're trying to create and what you're celebrating. Do you want an intimate setting, a lively gathering or a really festive event? Miranda and I have entertained groups as large as 100 people to just 4 people in our homes, and around the holidays we always say 'the more the merrier' but that changes our menu selections drastically! 

Miranda: You need to consider how much your kitchen can handle (literally think about your refrigerator, oven and stove space!) and how many people you can seat comfortably. If you're hosting a festive cocktail party, you can invite more guests because you do not need a seat for everyone, but if you're inviting a group over for formal dinner, you should probably have a place setting and comfortable and inclusive seating for everyone. Meaning, you don't want your party to feel disjointed with some people sitting in the living room and others in the dining room for a formal dinner. Stick to the number you can fit at your table for a dinner party.

Sabine: Buffet Style, Family Style or Sit Down Style? What's your preference? 

Miranda: Again, this depends on the atmosphere we're going for. I love a sit-down dinner where I can plate and serve courses at the right temperature and time, as I truly enjoy creating a culinary experience for my guests, but if it's New Year's Eve and everyone has a drink in their hand, then I want to be in the center of that socializing with everyone and allow people to graze on appetizers from a buffet setting as they please! 

"...there is no science to entertaining, it's an art!" - Kate Brewer

Sabine: If someone is hosting a large dinner party at their home, what's the best way to set up the food and a proper layout where guests feel comfortable?

Miranda: For a large sit-down dinner party, we would have beverages and appetizers ready to be served when guests arrive - typically on serving trays in a casual seating/gathering area and away from the main dining table so we could migrate there for dinner. The dining table should be pre-set before your guests arrive so you're not distracted by that while entertaining. Anything that can be prepped ahead of time for dinner should be - you'll thank yourself later! 

Kate: You want to create a nice pace between appetizers, dinner courses, and dessert. The most important thing is: if you're comfortable and relaxed, your guests will be too... there is no science to entertaining, it's an art! If you look stressed, your guests might feel awkward. Prep and primp as much as possible ahead of time so you too can enjoy the party!  

Sabine: From your blog what are some of your favorite recipes to serve as appetizers and desserts? 

Kate: I love our Whipped Goat Cheese Crostini and the Bacon Dusted Scallops - they are both serious crowd pleasers. 

Miranda: Hands-down our original Shortbread Brie Brûlée with Cranberry Compote is the best dessert on the blog at the moment. It's to-die-for and we served it at Thanksgiving this year! 

Shortbread Brie Brûlée with Cranberry Compote - A Party with Us

Sabine: I see that you share some delicious cocktails on your blog as well. What are some easy cocktail and food pairings that someone can serve at their next dinner party?

Miranda: While we love to match our cocktails with food, people's palates vary so greatly among our family and friends. Generally speaking, we like our flavors to compliment one another. Don't opt for all sweet cocktails and apps or all spicy cocktails and apps. For instance, we would serve a refreshing Pineapple Cucumber Martini or our G-Squared Margarita with our Mango-Jalapeno Crab Salad OR a Berry Bourbon Smash with our Mushroom Pinwheels or Goat Cheese Stuffed Figs with Honey Drizzle. Right now our Pumpkin Spice Martini is sounding perfect for dessert, ha! You can follow us @apartywithus to keep up with the recipes we'll be posting this season!

To try any of the recipes and beverages from Miranda & Kate visit their blog A Party with Us and follow them on Instagram. 

Be sure to subscribe to follow our Holiday Series! 

À la prochaine,

Holiday Series: Dinner Party Advice from Local Experts

I hope that you had a lovely Thanksgiving with your family and friends. Now that the holidays are approaching the dinner gathering is not over. It has just begun! I wanted to take the month of December and share a series about hosting dinner parties! I personally love hosting dinner parties inside and outside the home. I believe that hosting a dinner party is another way to connect with others to create lasting memories.

When you are hosting a dinner party there are many components that go into the final outcome. During my Holiday Series blog posts, I will introduce you to different experts, from food bloggers to event planners that will share their expertise, tips, and ideas to help you create an impressive party! 

There's a level of comfort when you sit down with others and share a meal. It brings laughter, cheers, and great conversation in a festive setting. Whether you are having a group of friends over or sitting down with extended family members for dinner the overall setting is important. I am starting off the series by sharing some questions that you should ask yourself before planning.

What is the Purpose? This may be a basic and strange question but I believe that knowing the purpose behind throwing your party will eliminate some stress and pressure. Is it to share your love and appreciation for your closest friends? Is it to show off your cooking skills to your family members? Is it to have a fun holiday dinner with your girlfriends? Or it may be to say thank you to your staff for their hard work all year. Determining the purpose will dictate the formality, agenda, and planning of your party.

What's the Budget?  Yes, the "B" word. Just like starting a design project, before planning your dinner party you have to first decide how much you want to spend. This will determine decisions like, if you hire a caterer vs. preparing the food yourself, hosting at home vs. renting an event space or inviting 20 guests vs. inviting 10 guests. Once you determine your budget then you can start planning the scale of party you can host.

Who Are You Inviting? Hosting a dinner party for the holidays can mean a large or small guest list. This goes back to your purpose. If you just want to throw an intimate dinner with loved ones then creating a guest list of your closest friends and family members is a great place to start. 

There are a lot more questions you can ask yourself before planning but I know you will find answers from my Holiday Series' Interviews. I hope you enjoy the series and please share pictures of your beautiful dinner parties on my facebook page! 

Stay connected to my blog for the upcoming interviews!!!

À la prochaine,

P.S. Is there a question you have regarding dinner parties that you would like answered? Send me over an email at sabine@georgettemarise.com and I'll make sure it's answered in the series.