Home is where the heart is. Sure it's an old clich , but call me a senseless romantic - it's really how I feel about where I live. A home is where you can unwind. Where it doesn't matter if your pictures are hanging askew or clumps of dog hair roll like tumbleweed down the hall. A home is where holidays feel relaxed and comfortable, where friends and family are always welcome.
I haven't always felt this way about the concept of home. In high school, I was a decorating perfectionist. Everything had to be 'just so.' I painted my bedroom walls pearl grey, used severe-looking Tizio lamps and would only consider a black duvet cover and black sheets. I was going for a look that combined Japanese Zen with an eclectic touch (think Winona Ryder's style in Beetlejuice). My 'home' was a controlled environment, synonymous with a desire to have everything in order.
My concept of home has since changed. The former seems somehow dated, more in line with the massive levels of consumer consumption in the '80s and late '90s. Now I don't care if a chair is a designer original or not - I just want it to be relaxed, comfortable and stylish. My new attitude pervades everything I do - including how I entertain, and how I decorate for the start of the holiday season.
Now I give the new set of decorations for every event - pumpkins and gourds for Thanksgiving, a Balsam pine and vintage ornaments for Christmas, glitter for New Year's - a pass, and focus on creating a mood that's essentially country, one that sees you through the fall and into spring. These days, my holiday decorating consists of gathering long-lasting natural elements from the country - chestnuts, branches, leaves and more - and bringing them back to the city, just in time to kick off my annual Thanksgiving cocktail party.
Each year, I host a casual get-together for friends and family. The invitations go out via phone and e-mail, and I always expect my friends to arrive with some extra party-goers in tow. Decorating is minimal: the table is set buffet-style, and berries and branches adorn key areas - a loose arrangement in the front hall, scattered leaves on the bar. Laughter, conversation and the clinking of glasses provide the accompaniment, and are heard into the wee hours of the morning.
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